![](/medias/profile-images-47409.gif?context=bWFzdGVyfGFzc2V0c3w2NjIwfGltYWdlL2dpZnxhREJrTDJneVlpODROemszTVRjM09UQTFNVGd5TDNCeWIyWnBiR1V0YVcxaFoyVnpMelEzTkRBNUxtZHBaZ3wxOWE3Yjk0YmViNDU1OWQxZjYyNWZjYzY3NGY0M2ZhYmRmYTRkMWRkOWZiYjFkZTY4ZTk5ODhkYThmYzJkNDU3)
Daniel Del Rio
Chair of the LPD
2025-2026
Legal Practice Division
The objectives of the Legal Practice Division are to promote an interchange of information and views among its members as to laws, practices and professional responsibilities relating to the practice of law throughout the world; to facilitate communication among its members; to provide the opportunity to all its members to be active in the division through its sections, committees, fora and other groupings; and to undertake such related projects as may be approved from time to time by the division’s council.
Financial Services Section
Corporate Counsel Forum
Real Estate Section
Maritime and Aviation Law Section
Human Resources Section
Intellectual Property, Communications and Technology Section
Corporate Law Section
International Commerce, Trade, Franchising and Product Law Section
Agriculture and Food Section
Criminal Law Section
Insolvency Section
Dispute Resolution Section
Energy, Environment, Natural Resources and Infrastructure Law Section (SEERIL)
Taxation Section
Antitrust Section
Leisure Industries Section
Law and Individual Rights Section
Public Law Section
Financial Services Section
Corporate Counsel Forum
Real Estate Section
Maritime and Aviation Law Section
Human Resources Section
Intellectual Property, Communications and Technology Section
Corporate Law Section
International Commerce, Trade, Franchising and Product Law Section
Agriculture and Food Section
Criminal Law Section
Insolvency Section
Dispute Resolution Section
Energy, Environment, Natural Resources and Infrastructure Law Section (SEERIL)
Taxation Section
Antitrust Section
Leisure Industries Section
Law and Individual Rights Section
Public Law Section
Financial Services Section
Corporate Counsel Forum
Real Estate Section
Maritime and Aviation Law Section
Human Resources Section
Intellectual Property, Communications and Technology Section
Corporate Law Section
International Commerce, Trade, Franchising and Product Law Section
Agriculture and Food Section
Criminal Law Section
Insolvency Section
Dispute Resolution Section
Energy, Environment, Natural Resources and Infrastructure Law Section (SEERIL)
Taxation Section
Antitrust Section
Leisure Industries Section
Law and Individual Rights Section
Public Law Section
Officers of the LPD Council
![Daniel Del Rio](/medias/profile-images-47409.gif?context=bWFzdGVyfGFzc2V0c3w2NjIwfGltYWdlL2dpZnxhREJrTDJneVlpODROemszTVRjM09UQTFNVGd5TDNCeWIyWnBiR1V0YVcxaFoyVnpMelEzTkRBNUxtZHBaZ3wxOWE3Yjk0YmViNDU1OWQxZjYyNWZjYzY3NGY0M2ZhYmRmYTRkMWRkOWZiYjFkZTY4ZTk5ODhkYThmYzJkNDU3)
Daniel Del Rio
LPD Chair
Firm Address
SMPS Legal Torre de Chapultepec Uno, Paseo de la Reforma 50918th floor, Col. Cuauhtemoc
Mexico City
Mexico
06502
![Pascale Lagesse](/medias/profile-images-139415-153032.jpg?context=bWFzdGVyfGFzc2V0c3w4OTUwfGltYWdlL2pwZWd8YURkbUwyaG1ZaTg0TnprM01EWTFOVEV3T1RReUwzQnliMlpwYkdVdGFXMWhaMlZ6THpFek9UUXhOVjh4TlRNd016SXVhbkJufDAxZmQwNjRjNDBmNThmNGRjOTQwMGY0NjQ5YzIwMTY3MDViM2IwMzg5ODExZTc0NjgzNzUxNGY5YWQzYjYyNWE)
Pascale Lagesse
LPD Vice Chair
Firm Address
Bredin Prat 53 Quai d'OrsayParis
France
75007
Amir Singh Pasrich
LPD Secretary-Treasurer / IBA Treasurer
Firm Address
International Law Affiliates 901 - 905 Naurang House21 Kasturba Gandhi Marg
Connaught Place
New Delhi
India
110001
![Shane Freitag](/medias/profile-images-17910.gif?context=bWFzdGVyfGFzc2V0c3w2Njc2fGltYWdlL2dpZnxhR0kwTDJoaFlTODROemsyT1RreU16QTNNak13TDNCeWIyWnBiR1V0YVcxaFoyVnpMekUzT1RFd0xtZHBaZ3w3ZjMzMGUyNWMzNDc3ZjQ3YTM5MzY3ODBjMzE3Y2Q2NmIxYjBiN2NjMTZlNjJlNDI5NTdiM2ZkMDgzYzYxODAw)
Shane Freitag
LPD Assistant Treasurer / IBA Assistant Treasurer
Firm Address
Borden Ladner Gervais Bay Adelaide Centre, East Tower22 Adelaide Street West
Suite 3400
Toronto
Canada
M5H 4E3
Caliis Nii Oman Badoo
LPD Council Member
Firm Address
Securities and Exchange Commission Legal & Enforcement Department30, 3rd Circular Road
Cantonments
Accra
Ghana
CT 6181
![Christopher Blake](/medias/profile-images-1018192.png?context=bWFzdGVyfGFzc2V0c3wyMTQ3MnxpbWFnZS9wbmd8YURWbEwyaGlNQzg0TnprMk5qQTBNVE0zTlRBeUwzQnliMlpwYkdVdGFXMWhaMlZ6THpFd01UZ3hPVEl1Y0c1bnwxYzZjY2I3OWJjMDU5Nzc2Y2NiZTFlZDRlYmVjMmMwN2Y3NDBiMzY0NWQzZDQ5M2M4YWVkMGE2MTA5ZDFlNjkx)
Christopher S W Blake
LPD Council Member
Firm Address
Hahn Loeser & Parks 200 Public SquareSuite 2800
Cleveland
USA
44114-2316
![Michael Coates](/medias/profile-images-1032604-125416.jpg?context=bWFzdGVyfGFzc2V0c3w1NDUzfGltYWdlL2pwZWd8YUdZNUwyaGpNeTg0TnprMk5qTTRNRGcxTVRVd0wzQnliMlpwYkdVdGFXMWhaMlZ6THpFd016STJNRFJmTVRJMU5ERTJMbXB3Wnd8YzYzMDVlZjk0ZWNlYjJmN2YxYTNlZDdjYjYwMjRiZTBiOTBhNGFhYTg5NDZkMzE3YTA0NmUwM2ExZmEwOTk4Mg)
Michael Coates
LPD Council Member
Firm Address
Shell International Limited Carel van Bylandtlaan 30P.O. Box 162,
The Hague
Netherlands
2501
![Steven Cohen](/medias/profile-images-1043580-111624.jpg?context=bWFzdGVyfGFzc2V0c3w3NjM1fGltYWdlL2pwZWd8YUdZeEwyZ3hOaTg0TnprM01EWXpNREl3TlRjMEwzQnliMlpwYkdVdGFXMWhaMlZ6THpFd05ETTFPREJmTVRFeE5qSTBMbXB3Wnd8NTk0NWNhNTc1NjY4NDAyOTAwN2QwZGFmMzMyNDU0MGZjNTAwMTdlMGEyY2Y4NDJkOWZjMzU1YTJkZGU1YzNkNw)
Steven Cohen
LPD Council Member
Firm Address
Wachtell Lipton Rosen & Katz 51 West 52nd StreetFloor 29
New York
USA
10019
Clare Corke
LPD Council Member
Firm Address
Corrs Chambers Westgarth Level 42111 Eagle Street
Brisbane
Australia
4000
![Ana Lucia Ferreyra](/medias/profile-images-103137-141201.jpg?context=bWFzdGVyfGFzc2V0c3w3MTUwfGltYWdlL2pwZWd8YURkbEwyaGtZeTg0TnprM01UQTVNRGt5TXpneUwzQnliMlpwYkdVdGFXMWhaMlZ6THpFd016RXpOMTh4TkRFeU1ERXVhbkJufDliYmM4MDU5YWM0ZjExNmYxN2UwZGEyMGRhOWQxODI3OWIwOWEwYThmZWRjMDIwYTgxMzZjNDk1ZTIyM2ViYzA)
Ana Lucia Ferreyra
LPD Council Member
Firm Address
Pluspetrol Dr Luis Bonavitta 126615th Floor
WTC Tower IV
Montevideo
Uruguay
11300
![Janet Hui](/medias/profile-images-1040686-141958.jpg?context=bWFzdGVyfGFzc2V0c3w3NzcwfGltYWdlL2pwZWd8YUROaEwyaGpaaTg0TnprMk9EZ3pPVEV3TmpnMkwzQnliMlpwYkdVdGFXMWhaMlZ6THpFd05EQTJPRFpmTVRReE9UVTRMbXB3Wnd8Y2ZkMjkyOGFiNjk4MmFhN2Q0ODYwMDNiMjIyYTYwOTQ5ZmE0N2Y5ZjU5ZTQ2YjRhOWI3ZDljMWY1Nzk5MDE2ZA)
Janet Hui
LPD Council Member
Firm Address
JunHe 20/F, China Resources Building,8 Jianguomenbei Avenue,
Beijing
China
100005
![Andrew M Levine](/medias/profile-images-1005916-113826.jpg?context=bWFzdGVyfGFzc2V0c3w3NjMxfGltYWdlL2pwZWd8YURsaUwyaG1ZUzg0TnprMk9EQTBNamcwTkRRMkwzQnliMlpwYkdVdGFXMWhaMlZ6THpFd01EVTVNVFpmTVRFek9ESTJMbXB3Wnd8NTY5MmNkYTRhOWFmZTliMjcyMWRkYTRkYjI1ZWYwNmJhNDg1MGQ3Nzc1ZjQzZGFmZTA3ZmRiY2RjNDNhZTM5NQ)
Andrew M Levine
LPD Council Member
Firm Address
Debevoise & Plimpton LLP 66 Hudson BoulevardNew York
USA
10001
![Cecilia Mairal](/medias/profile-images-1000178.gif?context=bWFzdGVyfGFzc2V0c3w3NjExfGltYWdlL2dpZnxhR1JrTDJnek9TODROemszTVRJM09UQXhNakUwTDNCeWIyWnBiR1V0YVcxaFoyVnpMekV3TURBeE56Z3VaMmxtfGJmMDg0MDQzMTE3ZTk4N2I1Mzg3YTYzMWE0MTMyY2ExMDhhMDI5MjBiOGI4ODk1NmFlMjI1ZjdkNGM2ZTcxMmQ)
Cecilia Mairal
LPD Council Member
Firm Address
Marval O'Farrell & Mairal Av Leandro N Alem 882Buenos Aires
Argentina
C1001AAQ
![Sara Moyo](/medias/profile-images-1020846-124553.jpg?context=bWFzdGVyfGFzc2V0c3w4MzA2fGltYWdlL2pwZWd8YUdZMkwyZzNOaTg0TnprMk9EazNNREUzT0RnMkwzQnliMlpwYkdVdGFXMWhaMlZ6THpFd01qQTRORFpmTVRJME5UVXpMbXB3Wnd8MWNiYzNiNDEyMDJiYmU2NTM1NGQyMDA2M2ZiMjg4ODQ2MmZhZmZhMzczZTA4MTFhMmEwYmM2NzE5MDJjNzRiNg)
Sara Moyo
LPD Council Member
Firm Address
Honey & Blanckenberg 200 Herbert Chitepo AvenueHarare
Zimbabwe
00263
![Ziad Albert Najm](/medias/profile-images-1005050-104954.jpg?context=bWFzdGVyfGFzc2V0c3w3MzMxfGltYWdlL2pwZWd8YURnNEwyZzRZeTg0TnprMk9UVXlOVGt5TkRFMEwzQnliMlpwYkdVdGFXMWhaMlZ6THpFd01EVXdOVEJmTVRBME9UVTBMbXB3Wnd8OGE2YmJkZDhmMTgxOGVmZmNjMjY4NTJkNzk2ZjRiZjhjYTY4MzM2YmU4ZWM3NGIwODRmZmU0OTY5M2Y5MzdiZQ)
Ziad Albert Najm
LPD Council Member
Firm Address
Albert Najm & Ziad Najm Law Firm sami el solh- seqouia building - floor 4Beirut
Lebanon
116-5455
Ira Nishisato
LPD Council Member
Firm Address
Borden Ladner Gervais Bay Adelaide Centre, East Tower22 Adelaide Street West
Suite 3400
Toronto
Canada
M5H 4E3
![David O'Donnell](/medias/profile-images-153304-120856.jpeg?context=bWFzdGVyfGFzc2V0c3w3MDUyfGltYWdlL2pwZWd8YUdNMkwyaGlZaTg0TnprMk56UXpOVE15TlRjMEwzQnliMlpwYkdVdGFXMWhaMlZ6THpFMU16TXdORjh4TWpBNE5UWXVhbkJsWnd8ZjI5NjQyOWQ0MmYxYjI4NjcwMWJmNzVkZDc3NTI0OGExYzJkNzJmOThjNzUzODcyMTBiMjUxMTA1MDA2Y2I2YQ)
David O'Donnell
LPD Council Member
Firm Address
Mason Hayes & Curran South Bank HouseBarrow Street
Dublin
Ireland
D04 TR29
![Laura Opilio](/medias/profile-images-1010972.gif?context=bWFzdGVyfGFzc2V0c3w4MjU5fGltYWdlL2dpZnxhRGd5TDJnNU5DODROemsyTnpFeE1UVTNOemt3TDNCeWIyWnBiR1V0YVcxaFoyVnpMekV3TVRBNU56SXVaMmxtfDkxYjU3MjFlNDczYzBmODY4ODA1MzEyZTdjNmU3NTgxZGFlZTExM2RiN2VmYmRkNTQwZTU5MGQzYWQyNWY4ZjE)
Laura Opilio
LPD Council Member
Firm Address
CMS Adonnino Ascoli & Cavasola Scamoni Via A. Depretis, 86Rome
Italy
00184
Turenna Ramirez-Ortiz
LPD Council Member
Firm Address
Holland & Knight Paseo de la Reforma 342 Piso 28Col Juarez - Cuauhtemoc
Mexico City
Mexico
06600
![Marco Rizzi](/medias/profile-images-1019489-124924.jpg?context=bWFzdGVyfGFzc2V0c3w2OTM0fGltYWdlL2pwZWd8YUdKakwyZzNNaTg0TnprMk5qQTRPVEl4TmpNd0wzQnliMlpwYkdVdGFXMWhaMlZ6THpFd01UazBPRGxmTVRJME9USTBMbXB3Wnd8ZGVhOTE2OTQxNDQxMjgyYmZjNzdhMmM2ZWIyMzE2M2RmOWYzZmMwM2U4NDExNzYxZjUxMGUyNTJjZWJhODkxMQ)
Marco Rizzi
LPD Council Member
Firm Address
Bratschi AG Bahnhofstrasse 70Zürich
Switzerland
8021
![Kelli Sager](/medias/profile-images-1021387.gif?context=bWFzdGVyfGFzc2V0c3w3NzUwfGltYWdlL2dpZnxhRGN6TDJobE1pODROemsyTmpBd056STVOak13TDNCeWIyWnBiR1V0YVcxaFoyVnpMekV3TWpFek9EY3VaMmxtfDI4MjA3Njk0Mjg0NWZjNGEyODViYzYwOTA0ZjY2NGQxYTQ2NTM1NDUwMTk3ZTE4ZWQ1YmIwNTU0YTA1NzhiMGQ)
Kelli Sager
LPD Council Member
Firm Address
Davis Wright Tremaine 865 South Figueroa Street24th Floor, Suite 2400
Los Angeles
USA
90017 2566
![Luiz Sette](/medias/profile-images-1056315-182557.jpg?context=bWFzdGVyfGFzc2V0c3w1ODI3fGltYWdlL2pwZWd8YUdKakwyZ3pNUzg0TnprM01UYzROVFl3TlRReUwzQnliMlpwYkdVdGFXMWhaMlZ6THpFd05UWXpNVFZmTVRneU5UVTNMbXB3Wnd8MmI5NWRhYzg2NTAyNzdmMDQ2NmExNGU2MDNlMzIyMDkyOGRiY2RkNTQxYjFkOWFhYjIwZTA3ZGRlNTc2Njk3OA)
Luiz A. Sette
LPD Council Member
Firm Address
Azevedo Sette Advogados Av Pres Juscelino Kubitschek 204116th Floor Tower E
São Paulo
Brazil
04543-011
![Sajai Singh](/medias/profile-images-1051841.gif?context=bWFzdGVyfGFzc2V0c3w4NTUxfGltYWdlL2dpZnxhREZpTDJobE1pODROemszTVRJd09UVTBNems0TDNCeWIyWnBiR1V0YVcxaFoyVnpMekV3TlRFNE5ERXVaMmxtfDQwZTg0ZGZiZDc4Mzg0MGJkYjA2MTUxNThhMzk4NzI3N2MwM2UzMjM2OTFkMDUzMGQ5MDIyNmQ0YzI1MWE3NDk)
Sajai Singh
LPD Council Member
Firm Address
JSA Level 3, Prestige Obelisk3 Kasturba Road
Bengaluru
India
560001
![Doil Son](/medias/profile-images-1014839-095236.jpeg?context=bWFzdGVyfGFzc2V0c3w3Mjg1fGltYWdlL2pwZWd8YUdZekwyZ3hPUzg0TnprMk9UYzBOVFEyT1RjMEwzQnliMlpwYkdVdGFXMWhaMlZ6THpFd01UUTRNemxmTURrMU1qTTJMbXB3WldjfGQ4NDU4NThkYzEzYWNiZmNjNDRjNzFlMGMwYTRiZjNkNTc3NzEyY2JjZDk1ZGZkNWU1MWUzMjdjZDZkYWQwMjA)
Doil Son
LPD Council Member
Firm Address
Yulchon Parnas Tower, 38th Floor,521 Teheran-ro, Gangnam-gu,
Seoul
South Korea
06164
![Corina Song](/medias/profile-images-1057739-152514.jpg?context=bWFzdGVyfGFzc2V0c3w4MzgyfGltYWdlL2pwZWd8YUdRM0wyaGhNQzg0TnprMk9UTXhNakkzTmpjNEwzQnliMlpwYkdVdGFXMWhaMlZ6THpFd05UYzNNemxmTVRVeU5URTBMbXB3Wnd8ZDVhN2UzZDgxNWYyYThlNWYwYjc4NDUyNzdmZTNiODA1OTg5NjZlZTM5MTI4NWYwODk1OWNjYWM5NjI0NWZlMw)
Corina Song
LPD Council Member
Firm Address
Allen & Gledhill One Marina Boulevard #28-00Singapore
Singapore
018989
Tomislav Sunjka
LPD Council Member
Firm Address
ŠunjkaLaw Sremska Street 4; I floorNovi Sad
Serbia
21000
Matthias Lang
SEERIL Representative
Firm Address
Bird & Bird Carl-Theodor-Strasse 6Düsseldorf
Germany
40213
![Stephen Revell](/medias/profile-images-20787.gif?context=bWFzdGVyfGFzc2V0c3w4MTg1fGltYWdlL2dpZnxhR0l3TDJneE5DODROemsyT0RRNE1qVTVNVEF5TDNCeWIyWnBiR1V0YVcxaFoyVnpMekl3TnpnM0xtZHBaZ3wxZDNjNGZhMzA2OTdhOTQ3ZTgwYmQxMGZiYTZlY2YyYWI2OWFkNDg2MjJiZmEzZjZkZGIzNzhkN2UxODUxOGQ4)
Stephen Michael Revell
PPID/SPPI Representative
Firm Address
Making Change Happen High Mill HouseHigh Lorton
London
England
CA13 9UB
![Riccardo Cajola](/medias/profile-images-136891-135550.jpg?context=bWFzdGVyfGFzc2V0c3w4MjgzfGltYWdlL2pwZWd8YURoaEwyZzJNUzg0TnprMk5qZ3lNekl4T1RVd0wzQnliMlpwYkdVdGFXMWhaMlZ6THpFek5qZzVNVjh4TXpVMU5UQXVhbkJufGU5NjY0MGMzMGY2ZTljNmZhOWYwN2E5YTE1Y2QxNjhjNjc0YjBmODEwYzRlMzg0MDc2M2NjZjcxN2JiMGNlZGY)
Riccardo Giorgio Cajola
BIC Representative
Firm Address
Cajola & Associati Via G. Rossini 5Milan
Italy
20122
Carola Van den Bruinhorst
Immediate Past Chair
Firm Address
Loyens & Loeff Parnassusweg 300Amsterdam
Netherlands
1081 LC
Government Access to IT Systems
Data is becoming the core asset of our economies and takes up a central role in our societies. Government attempts to obtain access or receive information, as well as the responses of the private sector to such attempts, raise complex legal issues, depending on the specific socio-political context and the domestic legal traditions. The LPD set up the Task Force on Government Access to IT Systems in October 2017. This report provides the Task Force’s assessment based on the considerations of this topic in different jurisdictions and offers a set of working principles for balancing government access to IT systems and fundamental rights.
Digital Identity Working Group Project
The pervasive use of new modes of communication and transaction of business, for personal and professional purposes, is creating information relating to users that encompasses a wide variety of areas - a digital identity. This IBA Legal Practice Division Working Group has undertaken to develop a set of high-level Principles around the collection, use and sharing of digital identity information that could serve as the basis for engaging in dialogue with all relevant stakeholders.
If you have any comments or questions about the project or report, contact anurag.bana@int-bar.org.
Business Law International (BLI)
Published three time a year by the IBA’s Legal Practice Division, Business Law International covers the latest developments in all areas of business law across the globe, from M&A to employment, competition to tax, offering rigorous comparative analysis of how the law affects business in different jurisdictions and across borders.
Members are invited to submit ideas for future issues of the journal. Please contact the editor at: editor@int-bar.org
Report of the LPD Nominations Committee concerning Nominations for Election as Members of the LPD Council 1 January 2025 – 31 December 2028
The LPD Nominations Committee, after review of the nominations submitted for positions on the LPD Council for the term 2025-2028 and having exercised due consideration as prescribed by the Bylaws of the LPD, have agreed to propose the following candidates for election as elected Members of the LPD Council. The election will be held at the LPD General Meeting on Thursday 19 September 2024, 1115-1200, at the time of the IBA 2024 Annual Conference in Mexico City.
LPD Conference Quality Fund
The IBA organises over fifty specialist and regional conferences each year in addition to the Annual Conference and the costs involved are very considerable. In order to contain those costs, the IBA through the guidelines set out in the division handbooks has established well defined rules that must be followed so as to ensure that there is conformity in determining to what costs the IBA may be exposed in relation to any particular event.
The rules are detailed and deal with many issues including registration fee waivers, speakers’ expenses and entertainment costs. The rules have served the IBA well in the past and are appropriate for the future.
The LPD is committed to ensure the highest quality of programmes and calibre of speakers at the sessions that it promotes. There is concern amongst the LPD officers that the current policies sometimes stand in the way of putting on the highest quality sessions. A relaxation of the rules is desirable from time to time to enable certain costs to be paid that are likely to lead to enrichment of the quality of a programme. It is clear that it may sometimes be advantageous to pay certain costs outside the guidelines; for example to a world business leader, regulator, to some academics or NGO representatives, if it can be demonstrated that such a payment is likely to enrich the programme and increase the quality of the relevant session.
The LPD officers, the IBA President and the Executive Director recommend the creation of a fund to cover on an exceptional basis, expenses and other matters related to LPD sessions which are not permitted by the guidelines set out in the LPD Handbook.
The fund shall cover exceptional expenses to secure speakers as well as expenses incurred by speakers and organisers of sessions at the LPD specialist and regional conferences and LPD sessions at the Annual Conferences. An application to the Fund shall be made by an officer of the relevant LPD committee to the IBA Treasurer, who in consultation with the other LPD officers, shall have absolute discretion to agree to pay part of or the entire sum sought or to decline the application.
Scholarships and Awards
With the aim of providing interactive and educational opportunities to the growing international legal community, the Sections of the Legal Practice Division offer annual opportunities for young lawyers from around the world to apply for scholarships that recognise outstanding individuals in the legal profession. Each year the IBA, holds an Annual Conference, which attracts the participation of over 4000 lawyers from more than 100 jurisdictions. The LPD, and the Public and Professional Interest Division (PPID) present informative and engaging sessions covering current topics of significance to lawyers throughout the world.
The Annual Conference working sessions are complemented by a full social programme which provides the opportunity for delegates meet, establish and maintain business contacts and friendships with peers of the legal profession worldwide. Scholarships are awarded to young lawyers who wish to participate at the Annual Conference, but may find it financially difficult to do so.