The 6th ASLI conference was held successfully at the University of Hong Kong on 29 and 30 May 2009. It was attended by over 200 participants with just over 120 papers presented. The Conference theme was "Dynamics of Change in Asia" and as in previous years there were several parallel sessions – this year there were six parallel sessions over five consecutive sessions. To provide greater coherence and continuity, each parallel session had its own subtheme, as follows: Session A (International Business Law), Session B (Human Rights, Constitutional and Administrative Law), Session C (International Law), Session D (Intellectual Property and Information Technology), Session E (Cross Border Issues), Session F (Corporate Law and Governance).
This resulted virtually in six thematic conferences running concurrently under the broad theme. Due to the competitive process that was introduced this year, the quality of papers was markedly higher, and with fewer papers per panel and greater adherence to the themes, the general discussions that followed the presentations were lively and intellectually stimulating.
Participants at the conference were also treated to three highly engaging and thought provoking speeches by specially invited guests. The conference was opened by the Honourable Secretary for Justice of Hong Kong, Mr Wong Yan Lung SC who gave a highly informative and thoughtful presentation on law and justice in Hong Kong and the region. The conference dinner was graced by the presence of Mr Martin Lee SC, the former Chairman of the Hong Kong Democratic Party who gave a passionate talk on the importance of democracy and the rule of law. At the end of the conference, a Distinguished Lecture was presented by Dr Ramachandra Guha, an eminent historian and writer based in Bangalore, India who spoke on a highly topical issue, "Democracy and Violence: In Asia and Beyond." The lecture highlighted the importance of recognizing and respecting pluralism, and argued that the failure to do so was often the cause of violent extremism by marginalised citizens.
Apart from the excellent papers and lectures, participants also had the benefit of an update on the Legal Information Institute project, which has been highly successful in making legal materials freely available over the internet. A special forum on research was also organized where participants discussed funding opportunities and potential collaborations. It is hoped that the ideas thrown up at the Research Forum will continue to be part of an online conversation amongst participants and will result in some concrete research projects.
Finally, it should be noted that the city of Hong Kong, after having several wet days prior to the conference, kindly put up on some magnificent weather during the conference. The organisers at the University of Hong Kong had also put together a highly enjoyable social programme, including dinner at Café Deco on the Peak with its astounding view of Victoria Harbour as well as a dinner cruise on a traditional junk on the following day. Lying back on soft pillows under the red sails of the junk, watching the laser show and the magnificent Hong Kong skyline was the perfect way to end the conference.
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