Speakers:

Panel

Sir William Blair
Chair, Qatar Financial Centre (QFC) Regulatory Tribunal, Doha; Professor of Financial Law and Ethics, Queen Mary University of London; 3VB Chambers, London
Biography

Sean Hagan
Judge, Qatar Financial Centre (QFC) Regulatory Tribunal, and former General Counsel and Director of the Legal Department, International Monetary Fund, Washington, D.C.
Biography

Pamela McDonald
Senior Associate, Pinsent Masons, Doha
Biography

Thomas Williams
Partner, Sultan Al-Abdulla & Partners, Doha
Biography

Christopher Grout
Registrar, Qatar International Court and Dispute Resolution Centre, Doha
Biography

Chair

Susan L. Karamanian
Dean, Hamad Bin Khalifa University (HBKU) College of Law, Doha
Biography

Q&A Moderator

Shaikha Al Misned
Hamad Bin Khalifa University (HBKU) College of Law, Doha

Location: Available on YouTube

Synopsis:

Over the last few months, the global population has found itself in voluntary self-isolation or mandatory quarantine, and adhering to social distancing. We have had to adapt our lives to deal with the pandemic. This webinar’s aim is to address the challenges posed by the pandemic to commercial contracts and sovereign borrowing, which has also been in crisis.

The impact on the economy and business remains unclear. Global supply chains have been disrupted; commodity prices are becoming volatile; businesses are placed under cash flow strains, and some have entered bankruptcy.

Commercial law has to address contractual issues, such as force majeure, frustration, impossibility of performance, breach of warranties, and business interruption. At the same time, there are concerns as to public debt, as governments adopt measures to avoid a “coronavirus depression”. Action by governments and international organizations, such as standstill on debt service and debt relief, may become necessary as well.