Travel Law Seminar – 25th Anniversary

Attend this popular event and hear from the leading experts in travel law, including ABTA, law firms and barristers, regulators and industry representatives as they examine the current legal considerations for travel businesses and look ahead to developments in 2023. 

The event will provide an essential regulatory update including PTRs and ATOL reform and address key topics such as employment law, marketing law, payment risk, financial protection and claims and liabilities.  Receive your annual case law update from Sarah Prager KC and the implications for your business.

Don’t miss the industry’s biggest legal event tailored specifically for travel companies. Receive trusted advice and guidance from a comprehensive line up of travel leaders and network with industry peers. 

Use this two-day event to contribute towards your Continuing Professional Development

	Moderator: Simon Bunce, Director of Legal Affairs, ABTA Simon is a solicitor and ABTA’s Director of Legal Affairs and Company Secretary having joined ABTA as a Legal Adviser in 1996. Simon’s team is responsible for the provision of legal and regulatory guidance to Members; the advice and alternative dispute resolution services to customers of ABTA Members; and for the operation and enforcement of ABTA’s Code of Conduct. Simon chairs the European Travel Agent and Tour Operator Association and is co-author, with Professor David Grant and Stephen Mason, of Holiday Law - The Law Relating to Travel and Tourism 6th Ed.
	Michael Budge, Head of ATOL, CAA Michael is responsible for the financial oversight and licensing of all ATOL holders. He joined the CAA in December 2012 as Senior Manager, in the then Risk Management Department of the Consumer Protection Group and was responsible for the licensing of the largest ATOL holders. Before joining the CAA, Michael worked in Leverage Finance at National Australia Bank Europe lending to mid-market private equity houses to support their investments in a variety of sectors. Michael has also worked at BDO where he trained as a Chartered Accountant and latterly spent time within their Corporate Finance Transaction Services Team.
	Sarah Prager KC, Barrister, Deka Chambers Sarah specialises in cross border and travel law claims, including claims under the Package Travel Regulations, the Athens and Montreal Conventions, and at common law. She has a particular expertise in jurisdictional challenges and in conflicts of law. Sarah's recent work includes High Court and Court of Appeal decisions involving interpretation of the recast Brussels Convention and the meaning of residence, and the validity of service outside the jurisdiction. She is also involved in a number of ongoing very high value claims, many of which involve fatalities or catastrophic injuries.

• Matt Gatenby, Senior Partner, Travlaw
• Craig Belsham, Assistant Director, Partnerships and International Consumer Team, Department for Business & Trade
• Georgina Hunt, Senior Executive, Legal Operations, Kuoni
• Abbi Hunt, General Counsel, Belmond
• Toni Boswell, Head of Guest Relations & Legal Affairs, Hotelplan
• Andy Cooper, Head of Regulation & Compliance, Kognitiv
• Pete Baxter, General Counsel, TUI
• Abigail Maino, Partner, DMH Stallard
• Matt Purser, Head of Strategic Partnerships, Cork Bays Fisher
• Claire Quinn, Legal Adviser, Competition and Markets Authority
• Luke Golding, Director, Deloitte Legal
• Joanna Kolatsis, Director, Themis Advisory
• Alex Padfield, Director, Hextalls
• Claire Mulligan, Partner, Kennedys
• Matt Gatenby, Senior Partner, Travlaw
• Rhys Griffiths, Partner, Fox Williams
• James Pretsell, Barrister, Farrar’s Building
• Asela Wijeyaratne, Barrister, 3 Hare Court
• Dan Saxby, Barrister, 3 Hare Court
• Susan Deer, Director of Industry Relations, ABTA
• Rachel Jordan, Director of Membership and Financial Protection, ABTA

Additional speakers will be announced shortly including expert lawyers from ABTA Partner firms, industry case studies and regulatory experts.

• Receive trusted advice and guidance from industry leaders and legal experts 
• Gain clarity and hear an update on regulatory issues
• Take part in interactive discussion groups around industry issues 
• Listen to industry perspectives on updates to the Package Travel and ATOL Regulations
• Network with colleagues and learn how your peers are dealing with the current challenges
• Stay up to date and gain insight into future legal and regulatory issues impacting the travel industry
• Join speakers, industry peers and ABTA’s legal experts for a networking reception to celebrate 25 years of the Travel Law Seminar.

The event is ideal for anyone working in the travel industry including large and SME firms, including:

• Legal counsel and in-house legal teams
• Risk, finance and commercial teams 
• MDs and directors 
• Law firms
• Compliance and operations specialists
• Those who have legal, governance or regulatory responsibilities as part of their role.

ABTA Member/ABTA Partner rates*
Full two day rate – £395 plus VAT 
One day rate – £275 plus VAT 

Non-Member rates
Full two day rate – £599 plus VAT 
One day rate– £399 plus VAT 

This includes lunch and refreshments throughout the day, networking drinks on day one, all delegate materials, presentations and an attendee certificate.

You may attend one day and nominate a colleague to attend the other day. Please register your place for both days then email events@abta.co.uk with the name and job title of your colleague, and which day they would like to attend.

View our booking terms and conditions here.


Group bookings:
If you are interested in sending a group, please contact events@abta.co.uk for a bespoke cost.

_{*To qualify for the ABTA Member/Partner discount you must have a current ABTA Member/Partner number or your application must be in progress when the event takes place.}

CPD 
Attendance at this event can be used by practising solicitor’s to demonstrate continuing competence as defined by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA), further details here. For Barristers, attendance at this event can be used towards your CPD as defined by the Bar Standard Board, further details here. 

 Venue partner

Deloitte Legal combines market-leading lawyers, consultants and technology experts to provide clients with new solutions to legal problems. Whether that be legal advice delivered in a more effective way, assistance in harnessing the considerable benefits created by advancements in legal technology, or advice on how to create a best-in-class in-house legal function, we have the breadth and depth of expertise to advise on the challenges that our clients face.
 

Event partners

3 Hare Court is a leading set with over 40 highly specialised barristers (including silks) providing a range of advocacy and advisory services both domestically and internationally.
Known for our travel and cross-border work, our expertise is recognised by the legal directories and clients. 
We provide specialist advice and representation in all areas of the field. As the only Chambers ABTA partner, we have in-depth knowledge of the travel sector and package travel regulations. Our strong travel team act on behalf of insurers, tour operators, travel agents, airlines, and hoteliers.
We pride ourselves on being friendly and approachable, providing unrivalled expertise, with clients’ needs at the heart of all we do.
 

Deka Chambers is recognised as the pre-eminent travel law set, offering some of the leading silks and juniors at the travel law Bar. Known for their expertise, the team specialises in the full range of cross-border disputes: private international law, package travel claims, international carriage conventions and contractual recovery. Members are regularly instructed on both sides of the Court, including instructions from leading tour operators, airlines, cruise operators, trade associations, tourist boards, charities and insurers. They are described by the directories as having “a first class knowledge of travel matters and are very approachable and helpful.”

DMH Stallard is an award-winning, independent law firm with offices across Sussex, Surrey and London that works in partnership with some of the most successful organisations in the country. We are able to provide multi-disciplinary legal teams with extensive technical knowledge to deliver high quality, tailored legal services to both companies and individuals. DMH Stallard has significant expertise in the travel sector, working with tour operators, travel agents, destination management companies and suppliers, advising on a wide range of commercial matters including package travel and ATOL regulations, booking conditions, agency agreements, supplier contracts and indemnities, as well as employment and corporate issues. We have particular experience in managing international and multi-jurisdictional transactions, with many of our clients operating worldwide.

Farrar’s Building’s Travel & International Law team are specialists in a variety of cross-border litigation, including claims involving the PTRs, product liability, negligence relating to clinical procedures carried out overseas, foreign employer’s liability, fatal and road traffic accidents abroad, the Montreal and Athens Conventions. We act for both claimants and defendants across the full spectrum of claims from County Court trials to cases concerning catastrophic injuries in the High Court and appellate courts. Our work regularly includes cases involving disputes as to jurisdiction or choice of law. 

“A first-class set” (Chambers UK)
“the complete package” (Legal 500) 

Fox Williams LLP is a City law firm with a leading reputation in specific industry sectors and practice areas, known for its ability to deliver effective solutions. Clients of the Fox Williams travel team include household names as well as with those that are developing their business.  
“We understand the importance of providing commercial and practical advice and advise our travel clients on compliance with travel law and regulation, both in the UK and overseas. Our clients are also concerned about other areas of regulation, including laws relating to data protection, advertising and marketing and financial services.  We guide our clients through the regulations in a way which is sensible, user-friendly and pragmatic. We also advise on wider commercial issues, including technology and fintech matters, employment issues, dispute resolution, business immigration, intellectual property, real estate and tax.

Hextalls is a specialist law firm offering a wide-range of advice to the travel industry. It can help with regulatory queries, contract drafting, dispute resolution including defending personal injury and other claims, debt recovery and employment law. It can also advise on health and safety and risk management. Hextalls is recognised as a leader in travel law and for its commercial awareness. Its philosophy is to understand its clients business so that it can offer practical legal advice at the right price. It has a dedicated team of specialists and acts for a number of travel agents, tour operators and other travel related organisations.

Kennedys is an international law firm with expertise in litigation and dispute resolution, particularly in the insurance/reinsurance and liability industries. With over 1,500 people worldwide across 26 offices in the UK and Europe, Middle East, Asia Pacific and the Americas, we have some of the most respected legal minds in their fields.We act for insurers, reinsurers, Lloyd’s Syndicates, public bodies and corporates. Our deep sector knowledge means that we understand the impact of proposed regulations and advise our clients on the implications this will have on their business. Every day we make a difference for our clients. We provide answers, recommendations, strategy and tactics. We deliver these in plain English and it’s what we call Legal advice in black and white.

Themis Advisory was founded by Joanna Kolatsis, a former partner in City law firm, following over 20 years providing legal services to the travel and aviation industries. Following her decision to leave private practice, she founded Themis Advisory which was born out of a desire to provide current, pragmatic legal and business solutions for the modern business world. Joanna began her legal career as group head of legal for a vertically integrated tour operator in 1998. In 2008 she joined the boutique aviation practice, Gates and Partners, before joining Hill Dickinson as partner and head of aviation and travel in 2014 until July 2018. Since qualification Joanna has specialised in the aviation and travel industries and her advice covers all aspects including airlines, tour operators, destination management companies, distribution and accommodation. Her expertise includes aviation and travel law, commercial and regulatory matters including the Package Travel Directive and ATOL compliance, aviation regulatory issues including passenger rights and general company commercial and contractual matters including booking terms and conditions, website compliance, charter agreements and complaints handling. Joanna has specific expertise in risk management, crisis management and criminalisation in air and travel incidents and she speaks frequently on this topic.

ABTA Partner+ Travlaw Legal Services Limited are 100% committed to serving the travel and leisure industry – from tour operators and travel agents to airlines, hotel groups, event management companies and their insurers. We pride ourselves on being one of the top travel law firms in the UK. We are a large, experienced team of highly professional yet approachable lawyers who are tried and tested specialists in advising.

For information on sponsorship opportunities please contact Matt Turton on 07766 517 611 or email mturton@abta.co.uk.