Proof of age

PENNY-pinching lawyers could be in for a boost of 112 pounds sterling if they are under forty years of age, according to the International Bar Association (IBA). Delegate fees for the IBA's International Maritime Law conference in Russia on June 20-22 this year fall from 450 pounds to 338 pounds if the delegate is younger than forty and registers before May 24. There is, however, no mention of how you go about proving your age, so, if you have been toying with touching up that grey, now may be the time to take the plunge.

If you are a lawyer from the Baltic states, you get an even better deal, with the fee falling a further 38 pounds to just 300 pounds. Something of a bargain compared to the ludicrous fees charged by some conference organisers these days. But what do you get for your money?

Firstly, you get two days of presentations and discussion covering topics such as shipowning in Russia, scope and effect of jurisdiction, good faith in insurance, international enforcement of judgments, and the old favourite of ship arrest. You also get a truly international panel of speakers, including representatives from the UK, Russia, Denmark, Sweden, Germany, Ukraine, China, Spain, Cyprus, Greece and Lithuania. Finally, if all that's not enough and you're looking for ways to spend the money you save, there is the opportunity to visit the ballet at The Hermitage Theatre.

For more information visit www.ibanet.org or contact Merryn Andrews at IBA Tel. +44 20 7629 1206 Fax. +44 20 7409 0456 or E-mail: Merr...@int-bar.org.