Hosted by the Department of Public Prosecutions of Bermuda
The Evolving Role ofthe Modern Prosecutor:Navigating New Currents
- When
- 14–17 March 2027
- Where
- Grotto Bay Beach Resort, Hamilton Parish
- Participants
- Maximum 175
Welcome message from the host
Director of Public Prosecutions of Bermuda
Dear Colleagues,
On behalf of the Department of Public Prosecutions, it is my pleasure to invite prosecutors from across North America and the Caribbean, and colleagues from the wider IAP community, to Bermuda for the 8th Regional Conference in March 2027.
Our theme, The Evolving Role of the Modern Prosecutor: Navigating New Currents, reflects what the work now demands of us. Digital evidence, financial and organised crime, public expectations of transparency and fairness, victim-centred practice and the growing need for cross-border cooperation have all changed the task — while the core obligations of independence, fairness, legality and professional integrity remain exactly as they were.
Bermuda is a fitting place for that conversation. We are a small jurisdiction with strong international links and practical experience of transnational cooperation, financial investigation and digital evidence. We also have a long association with this conference, having hosted the first Northern American and Caribbean Regional Conference in 2010.
We look forward to welcoming you.
Cindy Clarke
Director of Public Prosecutions, Bermuda
Chair, Local Organising Committee
Promotion video
Bermuda, and the conference to come
The conference is starting in
Where & when
Grotto Bay Beach Resort
11 Blue Hole Hill, Hamilton Parish, Bermuda · 14–17 March 2027
The conference sessions, the accommodation and the welcome reception are all at Grotto Bay, a few minutes from L.F. Wade International Airport. Delegates therefore arrive, stay and meet in one place. The resort sits in Hamilton Parish, among the caves and coves of Bermuda's eastern parishes.
About
About the Conference
The 8th IAP North American and Caribbean Regional Conference, hosted by the Department of Public Prosecutions of Bermuda at Grotto Bay Beach Resort, 14–17 March 2027.
About Bermuda
A mid-Atlantic jurisdiction
Bermuda is a British Overseas Territory of some 21 square miles in the western North Atlantic, roughly 1,030 km east of Cape Hatteras and 1,540 km north of San Juan. It is an English-speaking common law jurisdiction with its own Parliament, courts and prosecution service, and final appeal to the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council.
The island combines established legal and financial institutions with close links to the Caribbean, North America and the wider international legal community — and a hospitality infrastructure built for international visitors. In mid-March, temperatures are typically 16–22°C (60–72°F). The Bermuda Tourism Authority's introduction to the island and its guide to the nine parishes are a good orientation.
About the host
The Department of Public Prosecutions
The Department of Public Prosecutions is responsible for the conduct of criminal prosecutions in Bermuda, under the leadership of the Director of Public Prosecutions, Ms Cindy Clarke.
Bermuda hosted the 1st Northern American and Caribbean Regional Conference in 2010, which attracted 85 participants. The Department has remained an active participant in the region since, most recently at the 7th Regional Conference in the Cayman Islands in November 2025.
About the IAP
The International Association of Prosecutors
The IAP is a non-governmental, non-political organisation and the only worldwide association of prosecutors. It was established on 6 June 1995 at the United Nations Office in Vienna and formally inaugurated in September 1996 at its first General Meeting in Budapest. Its General Secretariat is in The Hague.
The Association has over 180 organisational members — including prosecuting authorities, associations of prosecutors and international organisations — and, with its individual membership, represents over 250,000 prosecutors in more than 170 countries and territories.
About the regional conference
Why the region meets
The IAP holds regional conferences in six regions. Their purpose is to bring together prosecutors — particularly younger and more junior prosecutors — in an informal setting, to discuss with colleagues from other jurisdictions and legal systems the problems they meet in their daily work.
Conferences in this region traditionally attract 75 to 150 participants. Bermuda anticipates attendance in the region of 75 to 100, with a practical upper limit of approximately 175.
Message from the Executive Committee
[Placeholder heading]
Placeholder text — a short message on behalf of the IAP Executive Committee, welcoming delegates to the 8th Regional Conference and placing it in the context of the Association’s work across its six regions.
Placeholder text — a second paragraph, customarily on the conference theme and why it matters to prosecutors in this region, closing with an invitation to attend.
[Name]
[Office held], International Association of Prosecutors
Message from the Regional Committee
[Placeholder heading]
Placeholder text — a short message on behalf of the Regional Committee for North America and the Caribbean, on the purpose of the regional conference and the value of meeting colleagues from neighbouring jurisdictions.
Placeholder text — a second paragraph, typically noting the region’s shared challenges and encouraging junior prosecutors in particular to attend.
[Name]
[Office held], North America and Caribbean Region
Programme
Conference Programme
Two days of professional programme, framed by a welcome reception, a networking evening at Government House, a farewell dinner at the Dockyard and an optional excursion day.
Conference theme
The Evolving Role of the Modern Prosecutor: Navigating New Currents
The theme reflects the contemporary realities of prosecutorial practice across North America and the Caribbean. Prosecutors are increasingly required to navigate rapidly changing legal, technological, institutional and cross-border environments — responding to developments in digital evidence, financial and organised crime, public expectations of transparency and fairness, victim-centred justice and the growing importance of international cooperation, while continuing to uphold independence, fairness, legality and professional integrity.
Bermuda is a fitting venue for such a discussion: a jurisdiction with strong international links and practical exposure to transnational cooperation, financial investigation, digital evidence and modern prosecutorial challenges.
About the logo
The anchor represents the region's nautical history and grounds us in the enduring principles of justice; the scales, the balance we must maintain. The waves and the triangle, drawn from the mystery of the Bermuda Triangle, reflect the reality we now face: a profession no longer operating in calm waters, but in shifting, complex currents. The modern prosecutor must not only hold firm, but also navigate.
Sub-themes
Four strands
Transnational crime and cross-border collaboration
- Building regional task forces for human trafficking and migrant smuggling
- Information-sharing challenges and solutions among prosecutorial agencies
- Mutual legal assistance treaties: practical strategies for faster evidence exchange
- Case studies: joint investigations that worked — and lessons learned
Violent crime, organised crime and gang networks
- Transnational gang structures affecting North America and the Caribbean
- Firearms trafficking: detection, evidence and prosecution strategies
- Prosecuting organised crime without endangering witnesses
- Community-based violence interruption: prosecution and prevention
Special victims, vulnerable populations and human rights
- Gender-based violence and domestic abuse prosecutions across jurisdictions
- Child exploitation and online abuse: coordinating cyber investigations
- Indigenous and minority rights considerations in prosecution
- Victim-centred approaches: trauma-informed interview and trial techniques
Courtroom advocacy and professional development
- Advanced trial advocacy: cross-examination in high-stakes cases
- Technological evidence and expert witness management
- Ethics for prosecutors: media, public opinion and disclosure duties
- Leadership and well-being in the prosecutor's office
Programme outline
The conference at a glance
Call for speakers
Call for speakers
Members are invited to propose contributions addressing the conference theme and its four sub-themes. Proposals are considered jointly by the IAP and the Local Organising Committee, with regard to relevance, practical value to prosecutors, and balance across the region and the programme as a whole.
Submit an abstract| Opens | End of October 2026 |
|---|---|
| Deadline | 31 December 2026 |
| Notification | 31 January 2027 |
| Abstract | 700 words, with a biography of up to 150 words |
Bilateral meetings
Meeting counterparts at the conference
Regional conferences are a practical opportunity for prosecution services to meet bilaterally — on mutual legal assistance, extradition, joint investigations, asset recovery, or simply to open a channel between offices. The Local Organising Committee will assist with a room, a time slot and the practical arrangements where it can.
Delegates who would like a bilateral meeting should notify the Committee in advance, giving the service or services they wish to meet, the delegates who would attend, the subject in outline, and any preferred days or times. Requests are handled in the order received and are subject to the availability of rooms and of the other delegation.
Request a bilateral meetingExcursion and partners programme
Wednesday 17 March
An optional excursion programme is proposed for delegates and accompanying partners, likely to include an island tour taking in key historical sites, coastal locations and beaches, together with an outreach element. The Tourism Authority lists sightseeing tours and what is on in the spring season.
A separate partners’ programme runs on the Monday and Tuesday of the conference, set out below. It is subject to sufficient interest — it will proceed only if more than 20 participants take part — and places are limited to a maximum of 100 partners.
For registration purposes, and in line with the policy adopted by the IAP Executive Committee in 2019, "partner" means a spouse or long-term life partner. Other family members, including children, are not eligible to attend as accompanying persons.
Partners’ programme
Monday 15 and Tuesday 16 March
Two relaxed half-day experiences introducing accompanying guests to Bermuda’s history, art and culture, while leaving ample time to enjoy the resort and the conference social programme.
Monday · 15 March
Where Bermuda Began
UNESCO St George’s and a harbour lunch. A heritage-focused half day exploring Bermuda’s UNESCO World Heritage Site: the historic Town of St George and its related fortifications.
Departs 9.45 a.m. from Grotto Bay · returns approximately 2.30 p.m.
- Fort St Catherine — one of the principal fortifications within the UNESCO designation
- A private guided walking tour of historic St George’s, taking in King’s Square, St Peter’s Church, the State House, the historic lanes and architecture, and Bermuda’s early settlement and Black Bermudian history
- A relaxed waterfront group lunch in St George’s, on a fixed two-course Bermuda-inspired menu
Estimated cost US$135 per person
Planning range approximately US$125–145.
Tuesday · 16 March
Art and Afternoon Tea in the Gardens
Masterworks Museum and The Botanist. A relaxed cultural afternoon at the Bermuda Botanical Gardens, combining Bermudian art with an elegant afternoon tea.
Departs 11.00 a.m. from Grotto Bay · returns approximately 4.15 p.m.
- The Masterworks Museum of Bermuda Art — time to explore Bermuda through the work of local and internationally recognised artists inspired by the island
- Leisurely time in the Botanical Gardens and the Masterworks gift shop
- Afternoon tea at The Botanist Café and Garden Lounge, with sandwiches, scones and pastries, and a glass of sparkling wine or a non-alcoholic alternative
Estimated cost US$85 per person
Planning range approximately US$80–90.
All costs are indicative planning estimates and include an allowance for admissions and activities, group transport, and the stated meal or afternoon tea. Final per-person pricing will depend on confirmed 2027 venue prices, negotiated group rates, final attendance and transport quotes.
At the conference
Registration desk and badges
Accessibility and quiet facilities
Photography, media and data protection
Travel & Accommodation
Travel and Accommodation
Flights to L.F. Wade International Airport, entry requirements, and rooms at the conference venue.
Getting to Bermuda
Flights
All flights arrive at L.F. Wade International Airport (BDA), which is a few minutes by road from Grotto Bay Beach Resort. Bermuda has direct services from the eastern United States, Canada and the United Kingdom.
| Direct from | Notes |
|---|---|
| New York | Approx. 2h 15m |
| Miami | Approx. 2h 55m |
| Toronto | Approx. 3h 00m |
| Halifax | Approx. 2h 30m |
| London | Approx. 7h 30m |
- The Host is exploring discounted fares with BermudAir from Halifax, Toronto, New York and Miami — under discussion
- The feasibility of a chartered direct flight from the Caribbean is being examined, to avoid routing delegates through the United States — under discussion
Delegates travelling from the Caribbean should note that most connections route through the United States, and should check whether a US transit visa is required well in advance.
Note the clock change on arrival. Bermuda moves to Atlantic Daylight Time at 2.00 a.m. on Sunday 14 March 2027, the opening day of the conference. Delegates on the island overnight on Saturday 13 March lose an hour, and should set their clocks forward before the first session.
Current routes, carriers and seasonal schedules are maintained by the Bermuda Tourism Authority: Getting to Bermuda.
Immigration
Entry requirements and visas
Text to be settled with the Bermuda Department of Immigration. It should cover: which nationalities may enter without a visa; passport validity; any travel authorisation required; evidence delegates should carry on arrival; and transit requirements for the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom.
- Invitation letters are issued by Mr Adley Duncan of the Local Organising Committee
- Registration should be completed before an invitation letter is issued
- Delegates remain responsible for confirming their own requirements before travelling
- All arriving travellers must complete the Bermuda Arrival Card. There is no deadline — it can be completed on arrival — but delegates are encouraged to complete it online before travelling
- Entry requires a valid passport, a return ticket and the arrival card — see the Tourism Authority's trip-planning guide and visitor FAQs
Accommodation
Grotto Bay Beach Resort
The resort is both the conference venue and the conference hotel: sessions, accommodation and the welcome reception are all on site, with private beaches, a dock and the Cathedral Cave swimming cave within the grounds.
Rates and booking arrangements: to be confirmed. Room block releases [date]. Delegates extending their stay elsewhere on the island can browse hotels and resorts or boutique stays.
Conference arrangements cover 14–17 March 2027 only. Delegates are welcome to arrive earlier or stay on afterwards, but the room block, airport transfers and any shuttle service do not extend beyond the conference dates: additional nights, transfers and onward travel are arranged and paid for by the delegate.
grottobay.com- Breakfast included · 100% non-smoking guest rooms
- Three restaurants, two bars and a rooftop lounge · in-room dining
- Heated outdoor pool, jacuzzi, natural cave spa and 24-hour fitness centre
- Private beaches and dock · dive and water sports shops
- Accessible rooms for guests with mobility needs
- High-speed internet · 24-hour front desk · guest laundry
Transfers
Getting around
Grotto Bay is one of the closest hotels on the island to the airport, and taxis are available at the terminal on arrival. Bermuda has no car hire for visitors: delegates travel by taxi, public bus and ferry, or by hired scooter or minicar. Traffic drives on the left and the island speed limit is 35 km/h.
- Airport to Grotto Bay: taxi, approximately 5 minutes and about $22
- Airport transfers are not included in the registration fee
- Transfers and any shuttle service operate on the conference dates only — 14–17 March 2027
- A shuttle service runs between the resort and the evening venues
- Hamilton is approximately 22 minutes by road; buses run along the North Shore route
Fares, passes and the Shorelink app are explained in the Tourism Authority's guide to getting around Bermuda, with route detail in its bus and ferry schedules.
Practical essentials
Weather and what to wear
Money and payments
Electricity, time and connectivity
Health, safety and insurance
Security
Registration
Registration
Who may attend, what it costs, what the fee covers, and the terms on which a registration may be cancelled or transferred.
Registration opens 16 November 2026 · early-bird rate until 16 January 2027 · places limited to 175, first come first served
Who can attend
Eligibility
Registration is open to IAP honorary members, designated representatives of IAP organisational members, IAP individual members, speakers, observers, and guests invited jointly by the Local Organising Committee and the International Association of Prosecutors, in accordance with the IAP's guidelines.
Participants will typically be from within the region, but IAP members from outside it are welcome. Non-members may be invited subject to availability and with the pre-approval of the Executive Director, on the expectation that they will join the IAP before or upon attending.
Limitation of participants
Places are limited to a maximum of 175 participants and are allocated on a first-come, first-served basis. The IAP reserves the right to refuse or cancel registrations from members not up to date with membership fees; to limit the number of delegates from a particular country, region or organisation in order to maintain balanced regional representation; and to cancel registrations not followed by payment within 14 days.
Conference pricelist
Fees
IAP regional conference fees are set in euro. The figures below follow the structure used for the 7th Regional Conference and are placeholders until the Host and the IAP agree the rates.
| Participation category | Early bird | Full rate |
|---|---|---|
| Full conference participation | EUR 300 | EUR 350 |
| Optional excursion, Wednesday 17 March | EUR [000] per participant | |
| Partner — welcome reception | EUR [000] | |
| Partner — networking evening | EUR [000] | |
| Partner — farewell dinner | EUR [000] | |
Early bird rate expires 16 January 2027.
Register nowEntitlements
Included in the fee
- The full professional programme
- All official documentation, including the conference programme
- Welcome reception, Sunday 14 March
- Networking evening, Monday 15 March
- Farewell dinner, Tuesday 16 March
- Refreshment breaks and lunches on conference days
- Shuttle service between the venue and the social programme
- Welcome pack and list of participants
Not included
Arranged separately
- International flights
- Accommodation
- Airport arrival and departure transfers
- The optional excursion on Wednesday 17 March
- Partner attendance at social events, charged per event
- Travel and medical insurance
Refund and cancellation terms
Cancellations, refunds and substitutions
Cancellation requests must be made in writing. Refunds are calculated by reference to the date and time at which the request is received.
| Request received | Refund |
|---|---|
| By 23:59:59 CET on [date] | 90% refunded; 10% withheld for administration |
| By 23:59:59 CET on [date] | 65% refunded |
| On or after 16 January 2027 | No refund |
| Substitution of a participant | Accepted until [date], full details to the IAP Secretariat |
Key dates
Site visit by IAP delegates
Venue confirmed. First promotion to prosecutors in the region.
Call for speakers opens at the end of the month.
Registration opens on 16 November at the early-bird rate. Promotion at the IAP Annual Conference and General Meeting.
Call for speakers closes on 31 December.
Early-bird rate ends on 16 January, after which the full rate applies and registrations are non-refundable. Speakers notified by 31 January; final logistics confirmed.
The conference
Things to Do
Things to do in Bermuda
Twenty-one square miles, 181 islands, and rather more to do than a four-day conference allows.
The Town of St George's
Founded in 1612 and inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List — the oldest continuously inhabited English settlement in the New World, and a short drive east of the resort.
St George’s and the East End →
Royal Naval Dockyard
The Victorian naval base at the western tip, and the setting for the farewell dinner: the National Museum of Bermuda occupies the fortified keep, with Commissioner's House above it.
Royal Naval Dockyard →
Crystal and Fantasy Caves
Limestone caverns with a clear underground lake, minutes from Grotto Bay — discovered in 1907 by two boys searching for a lost cricket ball.
Natural wonders →
Horseshoe Bay and the south shore
The pink sand beaches and coves of the south coast, roughly half an hour from the resort.
Beaches and water →
The Railway Trail
Eighteen miles of former railway line, now a walking and cycling route running much of the length of the island.
The Railway Trail →
Gibbs Hill Lighthouse
One of the world's oldest cast-iron lighthouses, in service since 1846, with 185 steps to the balcony and a view across the reef.
Southampton and the West End →Photography courtesy of the Bermuda Tourism Authority.
Culture
Gombey, galleries and the table
Bermuda's cultural life runs from the masked Gombey dancers — a tradition carried through the island's African, Caribbean, British and Native American heritage — to the galleries of Hamilton and a distinctive culinary scene. Elements of this will feature in the conference's own cultural programme. The Tourism Authority runs Gombey Pulse on Saturdays through March and April, and lists the island's cultural attractions and restaurants.
Planning your own time
Experiences
Beaches, cultural attractions, natural wonders, dining and shopping, from the Bermuda Tourism Authority.
All experiences →What's on in March
The island events calendar — worth checking if you are extending your stay either side of the conference.
Events calendar →March on the island
The Tourism Authority's guide to winter and spring activities — the season the conference falls in.
Winter and spring →Contact us
Contact us
The Local Organising Committee handles arrangements in Bermuda; the IAP General Secretariat handles membership, registration and the professional programme.
Local Organising Committee
Department of Public Prosecutions, Bermuda
2nd Floor, Global House, 43 Church Street, Hamilton HM12, Bermuda
+1 441 296 1277
Conference enquiries: iapbermuda@gov.bm
The Committee
Ms Cindy Clarke
Chair and coordinator
Overall oversight, leadership, planning and implementation
Mr Daniel Kitson-Walters
Logistics and finance
Budgeting, local logistics, transport and accommodation liaison
Mr Adley Duncan
Professional programme liaison
Liaison with the IAP on themes, sub-themes and speakers; issues letters of invitation
Mrs Shaunte Simons-Fox
Sponsorship and hospitality
Sponsorship, delegate hospitality and social functions
Mr Matthew Frick
Sponsorship, hospitality and technical support
Social functions, conference technology and audio-visual coordination
Mrs Shakira Dill-Francois
Legal and protocol
Protocol, formal liaison and official arrangements
Mr Kael London
Master of ceremonies
Ms Ha-Mylee Pitcher
Social media
Online promotion and communication
Ms Jahcanta Barstowe
Support officer
Administrative and on-site support
Photograph to come
IAP General Secretariat
International Association of Prosecutors
Hartogstraat 13, The Hague, Netherlands
info@iap-association.org
- Registration, substitutions and cancellations · [Secretariat address]
- Membership · [address]
- Call for speakers and the professional programme · [address]
Social programme
Evenings
A social programme designed to promote collegiality, regional cooperation and a memorable experience of Bermuda's culture and hospitality.
Welcome reception
Sunday 14 March · Grotto Bay Beach Resort. A cocktail reception at the conference venue, allowing delegates to meet and register in a relaxed setting.
Included · partners charged per event
Networking evening
Monday 15 March · Government House, the official residence of His Excellency the Governor — the Host's preferred venue, and a distinctively Bermudian setting for the networking evening.
Included · venue confirmed
Farewell dinner
Tuesday 16 March · Commissioner's House at the National Museum of Bermuda, Royal Naval Dockyard — a heritage setting in one of the island's most striking locations. About the Dockyard.
Included · venue confirmed
A shuttle service will run between the resort and the evening venues. Dress codes: casual elegant for the welcome reception, business casual for the networking evening, and smart casual for the farewell dinner.