A prestigious international conference in Atlanta has been hailed as ‘hugely beneficial’ by the managing director of a leading island law firm.

DQ Advocates head Mark Dougherty was among more than 65 professionals who attended the TAG Alliance International gathering.

The three-day event, held biannually, brings together those with both legal and accounting expertise from across the globe to assess opportunities to do business together.

DQ is a member of TAG Alliances which comprises leading professional associations and has more than 290-member firms worldwide.

Mark explained: ‘The value of our association with TAG is something you can’t actually place a figure on.

‘The alliance provides us and, ultimately, our clients with an immediate global support network offering jurisdictional expertise.

‘By listening to speakers at the conference and picking up what is happening at individual firms, it seems many companies encounter similar issues regardless of their size.

‘This conference was the ideal platform to share ideas and experiences and seek new strategies to implement into our own practices.’

TAG members are carefully selected based on professional competence, commitment to client service, reputation within the business community and recommendations from existing members.

Mark says being able to operate from the Isle of Man and have a global reach with a wealth of reliable contacts worldwide is invaluable.

‘To build trusted relationships with representatives from all continents and share knowledge which can help shape strategy is incredibly beneficial,’ he added.

‘To act as a leader, you have to be respected as a leader. That ability to pick up the phone and speak to a lawyer in any part of world that you have actually met and got to know personally has certainly helped expand our knowledge even further on a global perspective.’

Mark also attended a number of group sessions including diversity and inclusion in leadership in which research showed diversity in leadership results in higher returns, more profitability and increased productivity.

There were also a number of networking opportunities and tours, including one of media giant CNN, the first global news station in the world.

‘This was a truly international gathering and one which has not only provided us with an opportunity to top up our knowledge but also raise awareness of what the Isle of Man can offer in the wider business community,’ Mark added. The next TAG Alliance Conference will be held in London next May.