The Colloquium on Harmonizing Law in the Age of Digital Trade and Finance is a four-day event organized by the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL). Scheduled from February 10 to 13, 2026, at the United Nations Headquarters in New York, this gathering aims to address the evolving legal challenges posed by digital trade and finance. It seeks to foster dialogue among governments, international and regional organizations, academia, and the private sector to develop a coherent approach to these issues.
The event is structured into two main streams. The first stream, focusing on digital assets and secured financing, will explore topics such as the treatment and categorization of digital assets as collateral, practical approaches to achieving third-party effectiveness and priority, enforcement of security rights in digital assets, and cross-border challenges including conflict-of-law rules. The second stream will delve into digital platforms and private law, covering areas like the role of digital platforms in international trade, the various roles of platform operators, contractual aspects of digital platforms, and balancing the rights and obligations of platform operators and users within private law frameworks.
Attendees will have the opportunity to engage with leading experts in the field, participate in panel discussions, and network with peers from various sectors. Notable speakers include Ms. Teresa Rodríguez de las Heras Ballell, Full Professor of Commercial Law at Universidad Carlos III de Madrid, and Ms. Gérardine Goh Escolar, Deputy Secretary General of the Hague Conference on Private International Law. The event will also feature presentations and discussions on current trends and challenges in digital trade and finance.
This Colloquium is particularly relevant for legal professionals, policymakers, academics, and industry stakeholders involved in digital trade, finance, and technology. Participants will gain valuable insights into the latest developments and contribute to shaping the future legal landscape in these rapidly evolving areas.
Speakers(24)
Aneta Wiewiórowska-Domagalska
Deputy Director at Ministry of Justice, Poland
Ms. Wiewiórowska-Domagalska serves as Deputy Director at the Ministry of Justice in Poland, focusing on private law tools supporting platform operation. She has a background in legal research and policy development.
Caroline Kleiner
Professeur de droit privé at Université Paris Cité
Professor Kleiner specializes in private law, with a focus on digital assets and secured transactions. She has authored numerous publications in these areas.
Christian Twigg-Flesner
Professor at University of Warwick
Professor Twigg-Flesner specializes in commercial law, with a focus on digital trade and finance. He has authored numerous publications in these areas.
Christoph Busch
Professor at University of Osnabrück
Professor Busch specializes in private law and digital platforms, exploring contractual aspects and liability issues. He has published extensively on these topics.
Christopher Odinet
Professor at Texas A&M University
Professor Odinet specializes in commercial law, with a focus on digital platforms and private law tools supporting platform operation. He has authored numerous publications in these areas.
Clara Guerra
Director at Office for Digital Innovation, Liechtenstein
Ms. Guerra leads the Office for Digital Innovation in Liechtenstein, focusing on assets-based registries and data exchanges. She has a background in digital innovation and policy development.
Eliza Mik
Professor at Chinese University of Hong Kong
Professor Mik specializes in contract law and digital platforms, with research interests in the legal aspects of platform operation and user rights. She has authored several publications in these areas.
Florencia Marotta-Wurgler
Professor at New York University
Professor Marotta-Wurgler specializes in contract law and digital platforms, focusing on user rights and remedies. She has published extensively in these areas.
Gérardine Goh Escolar
Deputy Secretary General at Hague Conference on Private International Law (HCCH)
Ms. Goh Escolar serves as Deputy Secretary General at HCCH, contributing to the development and harmonization of private international law. She has a background in legal research and international law.
Hasan Al Kilany
Senior Legal Advisor at UAE Ministry of Economy and Tourism
Mr. Al Kilany serves as Senior Legal Advisor at the UAE Ministry of Economy and Tourism, focusing on digital trade and finance. He has a background in legal research and policy development.
Ilias Ioannou
Professor at University of Bristol
Professor Ioannou focuses on private law and digital platforms, exploring contractual aspects and liability issues. He has published extensively on these topics.
Irene Shan
Expert at China Society of Private International Law
Ms. Shan is an expert in private international law, focusing on digital platforms and contractual aspects. She contributes to research and policy development in these fields.
Jae Sung Lee
Principal Legal Officer at UNCITRAL Secretariat
Mr. Lee serves as Principal Legal Officer at the UNCITRAL Secretariat, focusing on international trade law and the harmonization of commercial law. He contributes to the development of UNCITRAL texts and initiatives.
Jean-François Riffard
Professor at Université Clermont Auvergne
Professor Riffard focuses on private law and digital assets, exploring enforcement of security rights and conflict-of-law rules. He has authored numerous publications in these areas.
Jun Xue
Professor at Peking University
Professor Xue specializes in commercial law and digital trade, with a focus on online marketplaces and digital platforms. He has published extensively in these areas.
Lidiya Mikheeva
Head at Private Law Research Centre
Ms. Mikheeva leads the Private Law Research Centre, focusing on digital assets and secured financing. She has a background in legal research and policy development.
Louise Gullifer
Professor at University of Cambridge
Professor Gullifer is a leading expert in commercial law, with a focus on secured transactions and financial law. She has authored numerous publications and contributes significantly to legal scholarship in these areas.
Manuel Alba Fernández
Associate Professor at Universidad Carlos III de Madrid
Associate Professor Fernández specializes in commercial law, with research interests in digital assets and secured transactions. He has published several works on these subjects.
Mateusz Grochowski
Professor at Tulane University
Professor Grochowski focuses on private law and digital platforms, with research interests in contract architecture and user rights. He has authored several publications in these areas.
Megumi Hara
Professor at Chuo University
Professor Hara specializes in commercial law and digital assets, with research interests in secured transactions and enforcement mechanisms. She has published extensively on these topics.
Nikolay Dmitrik
Expert at International and Comparative Law Research Center
Mr. Dmitrik is an expert in international and comparative law, focusing on digital platforms and the supply of goods and services. He contributes to research and policy development in these fields.
Orkun Akseli
Professor of Commercial Law at University of Manchester Law School
Professor Akseli specializes in the modernization and harmonization of secured transactions law, focusing on the financing of SMEs. He has published extensively on these topics and has engaged with national policy-making and international organizations.
Shaun Leong
Partner at Holman Fenwick Willan (HFW) Singapore LLP
Mr. Leong is a partner at HFW Singapore LLP, specializing in digital trade and finance. He has extensive experience in legal practice and policy development.
Teresa Rodríguez de las Heras Ballell
Full Professor of Commercial Law at Universidad Carlos III de Madrid
Professor Rodríguez de las Heras Ballell focuses on commercial law, particularly in the context of digital platforms and international trade. She has authored numerous publications and is actively involved in legal research.
Event Details
- Date
- February 10-13, 2026
- 4 days
- Location
- 🇺🇸 New York, United States
- United Nations Headquarters, Conference Room 2
- Audience
- Legal professionals, policymakers, academics, industry stakeholders