Arias, Fabrega & Fabrega Associate shares her experience in Paris after winning the IBA´s Latin American Regional Forum Scholarship  

"Every moment in Paris was unforgettable"

Every year, the International Bar Association (IBA) awards scholarships in different categories to young lawyers who wish to attend its annual conference, which took place in Paris on 29 October. The conference attracts over 6,000 lawyers from more than 100 jurisdictions.

This year, the Latin America Regional Forum (LARF) awarded its scholarship to Jennifer Sales, an associate at Arias, Fabrega & Fabrega in Panama, who won the competition with an essay entitled "The Fifth Universal Principle of the Rule of Law".

Jennifer has been an associate at the oldest and one of the most prestigious Panamanian law firms, Arias, Fabrega & Fabrega (ARIFA) since 2019. She is part of ARIFA’s Mergers & Acquisitions and Banking & Finance legal teams, in line with her Master of Laws, which she obtained at Georgetown University in 2018: Master of International Business and Economic Law and Certificate in Securities and Financial Law.

LARF´s co-chair Juan Carlos de los Heros, managing partner of Peruvian law firm Estudio Echecopar in partnership with Baker & McKenzie International, commented: 

"The IBA Annual Conference Scholarship offered each year by the Latin American Regional Forum is an exceptional opportunity for young lawyers to attend the most important event in the global legal industry, the IBA Global Conference. This year, 2023, we were pleased to award the scholarship to Jennifer Sales, associate attorney at the Panamanian law firm Arias, Fabrega & Fabrega, for her outstanding work. It is a well-deserved recognition of Jennifer’s interest and effort. We are sure that it has been an unforgettable and enriching experience for her, both personally and professionally. We hope that Jennifer will continue to participate in IBA events and that this scholarship will motivate other talented young lawyers from Latin America to attend our conferences in 2024. We look forward to meeting again next March at the Latin America M&A Conference, which will be held in Quito for the first time, and then at the IBA Global Annual Conference in Mexico in September. Latin America will shine in 2024!"

Co-Chair Benjamin Grebe, partner at Chilean law firm Prieto, also praised Jenny’s talent: "The selection of this scholarship recipient was the task of a jury of LARF officers, who anonymously selected the best essay from a large number of applications. Jennifer’s merit was not only that her work on the essay led to her being selected for the scholarship, but also that she then had an excellent and fruitful participation at the conference".

In turn, Estif Aparicio, Head of ARIFA’s Capital Markets & Banking Practice Group, Tax Practice Group and Regulatory Work Practice Group, who encouraged Jenny to apply for the scholarship in the first place, proudly stated that "Jennifer’s participation in the IBA Annual Conference had an immediate impact, allowing her to seamlessly connect with her peers and also with lawyers from different generations and latitudes".

In her winning essay, Jenny says she has "taken the liberty of proclaiming ’education’ as the fifth ’universal principle’ of the rule of law" and explores how lawyers, as advocates of education, can improve the rule of law in Latin America through such a principle.

In her words, "educating all citizens, including (and especially) those with limited access to education, and preparing legislators, judges, and public officials to perform their roles soundly in the best interests of society is at the heart of a thriving rule of law".

She also argues that "lawyers, in their capacity as educational advocates, should play a central role in equipping individuals, legislators, judges and public officials with the legal knowledge and tools necessary to navigate the legal system". In this line, Jenny sates that "collaboration between lawyers and judges can lead to more consistent and informed judicial decisions, thereby promoting public confidence in the justice system". "By empowering public officials with legal knowledge, lawyers can contribute to the development of a more efficient and law-abiding public administration".

Focusing further on the role of the lawyer, Jenny defends in her winning entry that "lawyers, as educational advocates, can have a significant impact on strengthening the rule of law by empowering individuals; promoting legal rights; advocating for legal education; training legislators, judges and public officials; influencing legal reforms; and collaborating with other Latin American countries."

Latin Counsel: How did you find out about the scholarship?

I was made aware of the scholarship by Estif Aparicio and Fernando Arias F., partners at ARIFA, who regularly attend the conference. Given the prestigious nature of the event, I never thought that as an associate I would have the opportunity to attend. Fortunately, the IBA scholarships open doors to such opportunities for young lawyers.

How would you describe the application process?

The application process is straightforward, with clear instructions from the IBA. As part of the process, applicants must submit a 2,500-word essay on a topic related to the scholarship category. My assigned topic was on how lawyers can improve the rule of law in Latin America. Although it was a challenging topic, I approached the essay in a conversational tone and included my honest thoughts as they came to me while writing. An essential element of an essay is to grab the reader’s attention with the title. Mine was entitled "The Fifth Universal Principle of the Rule of Law", even though there are only four universal principles of the rule of law. That way, the reader would be intrigued from the start to know and understand my reasoning when I proposed a new principle.

What are your main takeaways from the International Bar Association Annual Meeting?

My main takeaways can be summarised in three points: exposure, new relationships and strengthening existing relationships.

The conference gave me exposure to legal experts and leaders from around the world. I was able to network, hear their thoughts and perspectives, and learn from them. It also gave me the opportunity to introduce myself to industry leaders and provided a platform to showcase my professional profile.

The event proved to be an exceptional platform for cultivating new relationships within the legal community. The networking opportunities allowed me to connect with professionals from different jurisdictions, each offering unique insights and experiences. I even formed a group of colleagues attending the conference around my age, creating a more personal connection. Building these new relationships not only enriched my professional network, but also provided a valuable resource for future collaboration, knowledge sharing, potential partnerships and long-lasting friendships.

Finally, the conference served as an invaluable arena for strengthening my existing connections within the legal community. In particular, I was able to strengthen my relationship with my bosses, Estif Aparicio and Fernando Arias F., who attended the conference. The shared experience of navigating the conference with them was unique and facilitated a deeper understanding of the importance of attending the conference and how to make the most of it. Together we had the opportunity to strengthen our connections with colleagues and clients, which is not only personally rewarding, but also strategically advantageous as it increases the potential for collaboration, referrals and a supportive professional community.

What was your experience outside the conference?

Visiting Paris was like entering a dream, where every corner had a piece of history and charm. The skyline with the Eiffel Tower, the walks along the Seine and the impressive art in the Louvre are memories I’ll always treasure. Every moment in Paris was unforgettable. It was more than a trip; it was a personal journey that I will remember forever.



Jennifer Sales in Paris

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