Chetcuti Cauchi maintains an active professional relationship with the International Bar Association (IBA) through its lawyers' participation in specialist legal committees, international conferences and professional discussions. Senior Partner Dr Jean-Philippe Chetcuti has represented Malta at successive IBA Global Immigration Conferences, contributing to debates on citizenship law, investment migration, nationality rights and European legal developments. The firm's private client tax professionals also participate in IBA conferences addressing international taxation, estate planning and family wealth. This page outlines the firm's professional involvement, conference contributions and related legal research.
Key Legal Points
- The International Bar Association is a global professional organisation representing lawyers, law firms, bar associations and law societies.
- Chetcuti Cauchi participates in IBA activities concerning immigration, nationality law, international private client taxation and professional practice.
- Dr Jean-Philippe Chetcuti has contributed to successive IBA Global Immigration Conferences as a speaker and panel moderator.
- The firm's IBA contributions include legal research addressing European citizenship law, national sovereignty and investment migration.
- Chetcuti Cauchi also participates in IBA Private Client Tax Conferences addressing international wealth planning, family offices and cross-border taxation.
About the International Bar Association
The International Bar Association was established in 1947 to promote cooperation between lawyers and bar associations internationally and to advance the administration of justice and the rule of law.
The IBA brings together legal practitioners, law firms, bar associations and law societies from jurisdictions around the world. Its activities encompass professional education, international legal research, policy discussions and the exchange of expertise across different legal systems.
The organisation operates through two principal divisions: the Legal Practice Division and the Public and Professional Interest Division.
The Legal Practice Division includes specialist committees covering immigration and nationality law, private client taxation, international business law, dispute resolution, financial services, technology and other areas of legal practice.
These committees provide a forum for lawyers to examine developments in their respective jurisdictions, compare legislative approaches and consider emerging legal and regulatory questions.
The IBA also organises annual and specialist conferences that bring together practitioners, academics, policymakers and other professionals to discuss developments affecting international legal practice.
For Maltese lawyers advising international clients, participation in the IBA provides opportunities to contribute Maltese and European legal perspectives to discussions involving practitioners from other jurisdictions.
Chetcuti Cauchi and the International Bar Association
Chetcuti Cauchi's relationship with the IBA reflects the international character of the firm's legal practice and its longstanding involvement in matters concerning citizenship, immigration, private client taxation and cross-border wealth planning.
The firm's lawyers have participated in IBA committees, specialist conferences and professional discussions addressing the legal issues faced by internationally mobile individuals, families and businesses.
Senior Partner Dr Jean-Philippe Chetcuti has been involved in the IBA Immigration and Nationality Law Committee and the Private Client Tax Committee.
The firm's historical IBA profile also identifies his membership of the Law Firm Management Committee and European Regional Forum.
His professional involvement includes speaking at successive IBA Global Immigration Conferences and contributing legal analysis on European citizenship law, residence and citizenship by investment, and the relationship between nationality and international mobility.
The firm's private client tax professionals have also participated in IBA conferences addressing international taxation, trusts, estate planning and family-office structures.
These activities complement Chetcuti Cauchi's legal advisory work for international private clients and businesses whose legal requirements involve several jurisdictions.
Our Contribution to the International Bar Association
Chetcuti Cauchi's contributions to IBA activities encompass conference speaking engagements, panel moderation, specialist legal research and participation in professional discussions involving lawyers from multiple jurisdictions.
Immigration and Nationality Law
Dr Jean-Philippe Chetcuti has participated in successive IBA Global Immigration Conferences, contributing Malta's perspective to international discussions concerning citizenship, residence and migration law.
His participation has addressed the legal and policy questions surrounding investment migration, the acquisition of nationality, European citizenship law and the balance between national legislative competence and international legal obligations.
These matters are particularly relevant to Malta, whose citizenship and residence frameworks have attracted sustained legal and political attention within the European Union.
At the IBA's 2021 Global Immigration Virtual Conference, Dr Chetcuti co-moderated an international panel examining the contribution of investment migration to economic recovery following the COVID-19 pandemic.
The discussion considered how countries could use immigration policy to attract investment, support economic development and respond to changing patterns of international mobility.
At the 2022 and 2024 IBA Global Immigration Conferences in London, he participated in panels examining developments in citizenship and residence by investment.
His contributions considered the interaction between national immigration policies, European legal developments and the practical requirements of internationally mobile individuals and families.
European Citizenship Law and Nationality Rights
Chetcuti Cauchi's IBA participation has also encompassed legal analysis of the limits of national sovereignty in citizenship matters and the developing relationship between national citizenship legislation and European Union law.
At the 2024 IBA Global Immigration Conference, Dr Chetcuti addressed the legal controversy surrounding the European Commission's proceedings against Malta concerning citizenship by investment.
His contribution examined the principle of a genuine link, the competence of Member States to determine nationality and the implications of European legal developments for citizenship frameworks internationally.
The research supporting his conference contribution was published by the firm as AG Opinion: EC v Malta Citizenship Case.
The analysis formed part of the legal discussion preceding the Court of Justice of the European Union's judgment of 29 April 2025 in European Commission v Republic of Malta, Case C-181/23.
The firm's subsequent legal research has continued to address the implications of that judgment for European citizenship law and the legal recognition of nationality acquired through naturalisation.
International Private Client Taxation
Chetcuti Cauchi's professional engagement with the IBA extends beyond immigration and nationality law.
The firm's lawyers participate in IBA Private Client Tax Conferences addressing the legal and fiscal requirements of internationally active individuals, families and family offices.
These conferences bring together tax lawyers, private client practitioners and other advisers to examine developments in residence and domicile, international taxation, estate planning, trusts, foundations and cross-border asset ownership.
For international private clients, these areas frequently intersect with immigration and nationality considerations.
A family's decision to relocate may have implications for personal taxation, succession planning, corporate ownership, trust administration and the treatment of assets held across different jurisdictions.
The firm's participation in these conferences reflects its multidisciplinary approach to private client legal advice.
Our Members and Professional Leaders
Dr Jean-Philippe Chetcuti, Senior Partner – Citizenship, Residency, Private Client Tax, has represented Chetcuti Cauchi at successive International Bar Association conferences.
He has participated in the IBA Immigration and Nationality Law Committee and Private Client Tax Committee, with the firm's historical records also identifying his involvement in the Law Firm Management Committee and European Regional Forum.
His IBA contributions include panel moderation, conference presentations and legal research on citizenship, immigration, investment migration and European nationality law.
His private client practice encompasses Maltese and European citizenship law, international residence planning, private client taxation and family-office structuring.
He has also contributed legal analysis concerning the interaction between nationality, European Union law, national sovereignty and the legal rights of internationally mobile individuals.
Dr Priscilla Mifsud Parker, Senior Partner – Tax, Family Office, Immigration, has participated in the firm's international private client and immigration practice activities, including its engagement with the IBA professional community.
She was among the Maltese private client practitioners participating in the firm's international panel engagement during the 2021 IBA Global Immigration Virtual Conference.
Her practice encompasses international taxation, family-office advisory, trusts, fiduciary structuring, immigration and the legal requirements of internationally active families.
Magdalena Velkovska, Director – Private Client Tax, has represented Chetcuti Cauchi at IBA International Private Client Tax Conferences.
Her practice focuses on international personal taxation, residence planning and the tax consequences of relocation for internationally mobile individuals and families.
Her participation in IBA professional activities complements the firm's work with private clients requiring coordinated immigration and tax advice.
Publications and Thought Leadership
Chetcuti Cauchi's contributions to IBA conferences are supported by legal research examining developments in citizenship, residence and international private client law.
The firm's published research also addresses broader questions relevant to IBA practitioners, including the interaction between European Union law and national citizenship legislation.
European Citizenship Law and the Genuine Link Requirement (2024)
Author: Dr Jean-Philippe Chetcuti, with Dr Antoine Saliba Haig and Marina Magri
Conference: 11th Biennial IBA Global Immigration Conference – Citizenship and Residence by Investment.
Chetcuti Cauchi publication: AG Opinion: EC v Malta Citizenship Case.
The firm's research paper supporting Dr Chetcuti's participation in the 2024 IBA Global Immigration Conference examined the Advocate General's Opinion in European Commission v Republic of Malta, Case C-181/23.
The paper addressed the extent of Member States' competence to determine nationality and the legal arguments surrounding the requirement for a genuine link between an individual and a state granting citizenship.
The analysis considered how these questions affect the recognition of nationality, the European legal order and the future regulation of investment migration.
The conference contribution was particularly relevant because it addressed a pending judicial dispute with potentially significant implications for the nationality laws of European Union Member States.
The subsequent Court of Justice judgment in April 2025 provides the legal context in which the original analysis should now be read.
Citizenship and Residence by Investment – International Developments (2022)
Speaker: Dr Jean-Philippe Chetcuti
Conference: 10th Biennial IBA Global Immigration Conference – Recent Developments in Citizenship and Residence by Investment.
At the 2022 IBA Global Immigration Conference in London, Dr Chetcuti contributed to a panel addressing developments in citizenship and residence by investment across several jurisdictions.
The discussion examined the closure or modification of investment migration programmes, European Union proceedings concerning citizenship frameworks, international sanctions and the implications of changing immigration policies.
The panel brought together immigration lawyers and advisers from Europe, North America and other jurisdictions.
Dr Chetcuti's contribution provided a Maltese and European perspective on the legal and policy questions surrounding investment migration.
Investment Migration and Economic Recovery (2021)
Co-moderator: Dr Jean-Philippe Chetcuti
Conference: IBA Global Immigration Virtual Conference – Investment Migration.
Chetcuti Cauchi publication: IBA Biennial Global Immigration Virtual Conference 2021.
Dr Chetcuti co-moderated a panel examining how citizenship and residence by investment could contribute to economic recovery following the global pandemic.
The discussion considered investment migration as an instrument of economic development alongside the legal, reputational and regulatory considerations affecting participating jurisdictions.
It also addressed the changing requirements of globally mobile families, investors and entrepreneurs, together with the implications of evolving international immigration policies.
The panel reflected the wider debate concerning the relationship between immigration law, foreign investment and the economic interests of states.
Conferences and Professional Engagement
Chetcuti Cauchi's lawyers regularly participate in International Bar Association conferences, contributing to discussions on immigration and nationality law, European citizenship, international taxation and private wealth planning.
The firm's notable IBA engagements include:
- IBA Global Immigration Conference 2026, London (4–6 November): Dr Jean-Philippe Chetcuti is scheduled to speak on Naturalisation and Denaturalisation: Obtaining and Losing Citizenship – Limits and Emerging Trends, addressing nationality deprivation, state powers and individual rights. IBA Conference Programme.
- IBA International Private Client Tax Conference 2026, London (1–3 March): Dr Jean-Philippe Chetcuti and Magdalena Velkovska represented the firm at the 31st annual conference, covering international tax, succession, trusts and family-office planning. Chetcuti Cauchi Conference Report.
- IBA Global Immigration Conference 2024, London (4–6 December): Dr Jean-Philippe Chetcuti contributed to the citizenship and residence by investment panel, examining European citizenship law and the Commission's proceedings against Malta. IBA Conference Session.
- IBA International Private Client Tax Conference 2024, London (3–5 March): Dr Jean-Philippe Chetcuti and Magdalena Velkovska participated in discussions on international taxation, trusts, estate planning and emerging legal developments affecting private clients. Chetcuti Cauchi Conference Report.
- IBA Global Immigration Conference 2022, London (30 November–2 December): Dr Jean-Philippe Chetcuti spoke on developments in citizenship and residence by investment, including regulatory changes and legal challenges affecting investment migration. IBA Conference Session.
- IBA Global Immigration Virtual Conference 2021 (18–19 November): Dr Jean-Philippe Chetcuti co-moderated a panel examining investment migration and its contribution to economic recovery following the COVID-19 pandemic. Chetcuti Cauchi Conference Report.
These engagements demonstrate the firm's continuing participation in international legal discussions and its contribution of Maltese and European perspectives to matters affecting globally mobile individuals, families and businesses.
Related Legal Expertise
Chetcuti Cauchi's involvement with the International Bar Association complements its legal advisory work for international clients, family offices and businesses operating across jurisdictions.
The firm's relevant practices include:
- Citizenship and Nationality Law – acquisition and recognition of nationality, naturalisation, citizenship by descent and European citizenship law.
- Immigration and Global Mobility – residence planning, business immigration, corporate relocation and international mobility.
- Private Client Tax – personal tax residence, cross-border taxation and international private client structuring.
- Family Office Advisory – legal structuring, governance and administration of internationally held family wealth.
- Trusts and Succession Planning – fiduciary structures, trusts, inheritance and intergenerational wealth transfers.
These areas frequently intersect in matters involving internationally mobile families and businesses.
A change of personal residence or nationality may affect an individual's tax position, succession planning, asset ownership and the legal status of family members.
Similarly, international family offices may require advice spanning immigration, taxation, investment regulation, corporate structures and the administration of trusts.
The firm's participation in the IBA's international professional community complements its approach to coordinating these legal requirements across jurisdictions.
International Bar Association FAQs
[question]What is the International Bar Association?[/question]
[answer]The International Bar Association is a global professional organisation bringing together lawyers, law firms, bar associations and law societies. Established in 1947, it promotes international professional cooperation, legal education, legal reform and the rule of law.[/answer]
[question]What is Chetcuti Cauchi's relationship with the IBA?[/question]
[answer]Chetcuti Cauchi participates in the International Bar Association through its lawyers' involvement in professional committees, specialist conferences, speaking engagements and international legal discussions concerning immigration, nationality law and private client taxation.[/answer]
[question]Which Chetcuti Cauchi lawyers have contributed to IBA conferences?[/question]
[answer]Dr Jean-Philippe Chetcuti has participated in successive IBA Global Immigration Conferences as a speaker and panel moderator. Dr Priscilla Mifsud Parker has also participated in the firm's IBA-related professional engagement, while Magdalena Velkovska has represented the firm at IBA International Private Client Tax Conferences.[/answer]
[question]What has Dr Jean-Philippe Chetcuti contributed to the IBA?[/question]
[answer]Dr Chetcuti has contributed to IBA discussions on citizenship, investment migration, European nationality law and international mobility. His involvement includes co-moderating the 2021 investment migration panel and speaking at the 2022 and 2024 Global Immigration Conferences. He is also scheduled to speak at the November 2026 conference.[/answer]
[question]Has Chetcuti Cauchi published research connected with IBA conferences?[/question]
[answer]Yes. The firm published legal research supporting Dr Chetcuti's participation in the 2024 IBA Global Immigration Conference, including analysis of the Advocate General's Opinion in European Commission v Malta, Case C-181/23, concerning nationality law and the genuine link principle.[/answer]
[question]What is the relevance of the IBA to international private clients?[/question]
[answer]The IBA provides a professional forum for lawyers advising international clients on matters involving several jurisdictions. Its immigration, nationality and private client tax activities are particularly relevant to families requiring coordinated advice on residence, citizenship, taxation, trusts, succession and family-office structures.[/answer]
[question]Does participation in the IBA amount to accreditation or endorsement of a law firm?[/question]
[answer]Membership or participation in the International Bar Association does not, by itself, constitute accreditation or endorsement of a law firm. The IBA is a professional organisation whose activities include legal education, conferences, committee participation and international professional cooperation.[/answer]
