Lawyers from 70 countries meeting in Istanbul this weekend

Some 1,200 lawyers from 70 countries are descending on Istanbul this weekend to attend the world's largest law event, the 54th annual congress of the Paris-based Union Internationale des Avocats (UIA). Participants of this year's congress, set to last through next Tuesday, will address such issues as the financial crisis and possible tighter market regulation, the prospect of an international code of ethics for lawyers, and how respect for human rights can be reconciled with private enterprise performance. Hakan Oncel, the first Turkish member of the UIA's Executive Committee, is chairing the event.