2026 ILS Annual Conference

The American Bar Association’s Section of International Law 2026 Annual Conference will take place in Washington, DC, from May 12–14, coinciding with America’s 250th anniversary. The theme of the Conference is the legacy of the Declaration of Independence and whether it can be an enduring framework in today’s dynamic environment. The Conference will include a special ceremony celebrating 250 years of independence at the Jefferson Memorial, plenary sessions focused on the theme of the Conference and programming focused on dynamic areas of the law, including International Trade and Artificial Intelligence, Technology and Privacy.

The Conference will convene over 600 lawyers from five continents, including partners from the world’s elite law firms, dozens of leading in-house and general counsels, and renowned law firm leaders.

Sahar Hafeez, senior counsel at Pillsbury, is a co-chair of the Conference and will moderate a plenary panel focused on the 250th Anniversary of the Declaration. 

Stephan Becker, partner at Pillsbury, and Sahar will speak on the following panels for the International Trade track.  

• Understanding the Importance of Rules of Origin in Developing Trade Compliance Strategies (CLE) – Stephan Becker
• The Race for Semiconductor Supremacy: Navigating Trade Barriers and Geopolitics (CLE) – Sahar Hafeez

Pillsbury is a sponsor of the Artificial Intelligence, Technology and Privacy track, and will also host a screening of Lina, a Ukrainian documentary, and a discussion featuring senior diplomats and experts on the war in Ukraine and children’s rights.   

The full agenda and Sahar Hafeez’s remarks about the conference are available here.    

For more information or to register, please visit the event page.