The 5th Kazan International Legal Forum gathered 2,000 participants

On September 24, the 5th Kazan International Legal Forum opened in Kazan. The forum gathered 2,000 participants from 30 countries and 74 cities of Russia. The official program started at the Galiasgar Kamal Theater with the plenary session “Legal support for ESG transformation: from global goals to national priorities”. The Rais (Head) of Tatarstan Rustam Minnikhanov, the Mayor of Kazan Ilsur Metshin, Vladimir Gruzdev, Chairman of the Board of the Russian Bar Association, Igor Shuvalov, Chairman of the VEB.RF State Development Corporation, addressed the participants with a welcoming speech.

Representatives of government authorities, the legal community, as well as business and the expert community, attended the plenary session.

The Rais of Tatarstan Rustam Miniikhanov noted that over the past 5 years, the Kazan Legal Forum has become an effective platform where professional legal communities, public authorities, science and business discuss significant legal issues. He emphasized the importance of the discussed topic of the forum, noting that large enterprises of Tatarstan adhere to sustainable development. “We witness that environmental and social responsibility is becoming an integral part of corporate strategy. In Tatarstan, many large companies adhere to such a policy in their activities. The principles of sustainable development are embodied in concrete business decisions, are becoming more and more pronounced in practical value and bring measurable benefits,”  said the Rais of Tatarstan.

Ilsur Metshin noted that the geography of the forum increases every year. “In five years, the number of forum participants has increased fivefold – from four hundred to two thousand people. The number of states whose representatives came to Kazan has also increased fivefold. This year, the Kazan Forum's geography covered 74 cities in Russia and 30 countries. The number of speakers has increased significantly – 327 experts speak at 53 sessions,”- Ilsur Metshin noted.

One of the main topics of the forum was the ESG transformation. During the plenary session, the participants discussed the legal frameworks for the transition from global sustainable development goals to national priorities. The Mayor noted that Kazan became the first city in Russia to receive the ESG-II rating from the Expert-RA rating agency. “In 2025, we adopted a Sustainable Development Strategy. This is the first such document adopted by a Russian city,”- Ilsur Metshin explained.

Representatives of the urban community, business, science and the expert community, as well as residents of Kazan, were involved in the preparation of the strategy. The mayor noted, the analysis showed the lack of common approaches to sustainable development standards among cities and countries that are developing this agenda.

The two-day- program includes sessions on key areas of legal regulation. Participants discuss issues of bankruptcy, tax reform, antimonopoly and environmental law, public-private partnership, M&A, compliance, digital assets and intellectual property, the use of artificial intelligence in law and current judicial practice.

Over 40 thematic sessions, as well as a cultural and sports program are planned within the framework of the forum.