ISDS: Perspectives from New York, London, and Beyond

The event will be a lunchtime panel discussion by seasoned arbitration practitioners from Debevoise & Plimpton NY and A&O Shearman London on Investor State Law and Arbitration, a course that is already offered and taught at Columbia Law School. However, going beyond the curriculum, the panel will discuss emerging strategies (national security defence, counterclaims, and enforcement challenges etc.) employed by sovereign states. The discussion will explore in-depth practitioner perspectives, tribunal decision-making, and judicial norms beyond the basics. We may also discuss some recent trends, such as both ICSID and PCA opening Singapore offices. The payoffs of this event include 1. introducing novel but relevant perspectives for arbitration students who are likely to find the insights immediately workable for exam preparation; 2. for students unacquainted with arbitration as a firm practice area, an unrivalled opportunity to hear from seasoned practitioners upfront; 3. for domestic and international students looking to break into arbitration and public international law, relatively unconventional here in the US but extremely lucrative and internationally mobile, concrete pathways towards making this career work in NYC, London, Europe, and APAC.