MOSCOW, December 2 - RAPSI. The International Legal Conference organized by the Russian Legal Information Agency (RAPSI/rapsinews.com) and RIA Novosti this week is a significant event for the legal community in 2011, Federal Bar Vice President Yury Pilipenko told RAPSI.

Pilipenko said the "organizers have managed to create rather quickly a unique forum for exchanging expert opinions on the most acute issues of law, legal education and judicial practice."

"The attendance of not only law firms, attorney associations and private companies, but also legislative, executive and judicial authorities has made the event especially important," he said.

The conference was conducted on December 1-2 at the RIA Novosti International Multimedia Center. RIA Novosti First Deputy Editor-in-Chief and Director General Nikolai Biryukov said in his opening speech that the conference will be held annually. He stressed that the conference will address more professionals with each year.

The "Law and Modernization: Experience, Prospects, Trends" International Legal Conference opened in Moscow on Thursday.

Over 200 lawyers have taken part in the event. Supreme Court Chairman Vyacheslav Lebedev and Audit Chamber Chairman Sergei Stepashin opened the conference.

The conference's primary objective is to create a forum to launch a dialogue between the many parties affected by the legal sector, such as lawyers, economists, scholars and businessmen. Among the invitees are leading legal experts from the Justice Ministry, international law firms, business associations and legal publications.