What better place than Milan, Italy, as the venue of the AIJA Half-Year May Conference in 2025?

Milan is Italy's main economic and financial centre. It hosts, among other things, Italy’s stock exchange and serves as an industrial hub of world-recognised excellence. It is also one of the world’s fashion capitals, with its famous Milan Fashion Week and Via Montenapoleone fashion district. Milan is rich in culture, featuring a world-famous cathedral and museums housing masterpieces such as Leonardo da Vinci’s The Last Supper, Caravaggio’s The Basket of Fruit, and Francesco Hayez’ The Kiss. Moreover, Milan is renowned for sports, being home to two of Europe's most successful football teams, A.C. Milan and Inter Milan. In 2026, it will co-host the Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games with Cortina d'Ampezzo. Last but not least, Milan is a leading city in the legal field, with the new European Patent Court and the Milan Chamber of Arbitration.

AIJA can't wait to welcome you to Milan for the Half-Year Conference from 14 to 17 May 2025.

The conference will take place in the Navigli district, one of the city's most vibrant neighbourhoods, known for its beauty and lively nightlife.

The academic programme “Legal Design for Business: Re-shaping Cities, Disputes and Supply Chains with Sustainable Finance” will have two tracks and focus on some of Milan's unique aspects.

Track 1 will focus on private equity structures (both under M&A and financial perspectives) and real estate deals and developments that have reshaped the city of Milan. Track 2 will delve into (Alternative) Dispute Resolution and Third-Party Funding in the Supply Chain and other areas such as fashion, sports, and healthcare.

The social programme will give you an authentic Milanese experience. You will explore Italian cuisine through small canal-side restaurants, regenerated industrial venues, Italian family hospitality, and magnificent historic locations. We will show you the exclusive nightclubs of the Navigli district. In addition, we will organise outdoor activities in collaboration with local volunteer associations.

See you all in Milan!

ACADEMIC PROGRAMME OVERVIEW

Track 1: Re-shaping Cities: Private Equity, Real Estate, and Finance as Key Industries for Fast-Growing Cities. 

Milan is not only recognised for being the city of fashion but also as one of the most vibrant private equity and financial centres in Europe and possibly the world. Together with a real estate sector that has revolutionised the city over the last decades, these industries have been key to the success of the Milan model. Located in one of the most industrialised regions of Europe, Milan has channelled investments through a growing private equity and financial sector with a winning development model. Industry-leading experts will share their knowledge and experiences in handling private equity deals and building innovative financial solutions to foster investments, particularly in the real estate sector, which has transformed the city over the past two decades.

Track 1 will be an opportunity to take an in-depth look at private equity structures (both under M&A and financial perspectives) and real estate deals and developments that have characterised the past year, with a closer look at current trends and common pitfalls.

Track 2: Dispute resolution in the supply chain and third-party funding

The Milan Chamber of Arbitration is one of Europe's most prominent arbitration institutions. As a fashion and industry capital, Milan is a major hub for fashion and food & beverage distribution. In track 2, we will combine these two worlds and focus on the alternative ways of dispute resolution in international trade. We will discuss how best to draft commercial contracts to minimise the risk of litigation and when alternative dispute resolution (such as arbitration and mediation) may be a better solution than litigation. Within this context, we will explore third-party funding, an emerging phenomenon in international arbitration, particularly in disputes between companies located at different levels of the global supply chain.

In addition, we will delve into (alternative) dispute resolution in other areas, such as sports and the healthcare sector, and examine the complex relationship with different areas of law, including antitrust, intellectual property, and insolvency law. We will also provide insights into the soft skills most relevant for gaining the upper hand in these disputes.

This track will offer an opportunity to explore some specific aspects of arbitration, such as international franchise, distribution, and supply contracts, as well as new scenarios of dispute management and funding. We will examine the pros and cons of third-party funding, including the risk of conflicts of interest between a client and a funder and how to handle them.