Key Insights from the 2026 IADC Annual Meeting

Barbara L. Johnson, Counsel to Potter & Murdock and Founder of BLJohnsonLaw, spoke at the 2026 International Association of Defense Counsel (IADC) Annual Meeting in Prague, Czech Republic. The session, titled "Work of Equal Value? Navigating the Next Era of Pay Equity," took place on Monday, July 6, 2026.

Barbara was joined by fellow panelists Cecilia Lahaye (Crowell & Moring, Brussels, Belgium) and Daniella McGuigan (Ogletree Deakins, London, England). The session explored the EU Pay Transparency Directive, which all 27 EU member states were required to transpose into national law by June 7, 2026, as part of a broader push to close the gender pay gap, and drew on lessons from the UK, where equal-value pay claims tipped Birmingham City Council into de facto bankruptcy and resulted in over £250 million in settlements. Drawing on perspectives from the USA, UK, and EU, the panel shared insights on designing fair and compliant pay structures, understanding and measuring "work of equal value," and benchmarking strategies to future-proof organizations.

The International Association of Defense Counsel, founded in 1920, is one of the most prestigious peer-reviewed legal organizations in the world, comprising select defense attorneys and corporate counsel from leading law firms and corporations globally. The Annual Meeting brings together IADC members for continuing legal education, networking, and the exchange of insights on the most pressing issues in civil litigation and corporate law.

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

•