Most of the substantive work of the Section is conducted at the committee level.  This breakfast provides an excellent social atmosphere for leaders of each committee to meet their Division Chair.  Everyone should walk away having built a stronger relationship amongst the committee leadership.

International Trade Committee

The crisis that emerged as food commodity prices spiked in 2008 brought into focus the linkages between trade policy and access to food.  Trade liberalization has had many beneficial effects, including promoting the growth of large middle classes in countries such as China and India.  But with that growth has also come large increases in demand for meat, which has diverted more feed grains to livestock production.  Market access barriers and other non-tariff barriers as well as infrastructure problems have aggravated the difficulties confronting farmers in developing countries.  Meanwhile, the status of the one billion-plus people living on a dollar a day and their ability to find, or afford, food grows ever more tenuous.  This panel of experts will share their views on how trade policies can contribute to the international food crisis but also be part of a solution.

Program Chair:
Eric P. Salonen, Stewart and Stewart, Washington, DC

Moderator:
Elizabeth J. Drake, Stewart and Stewart, Washington, DC

Speakers:
Laurent Javaudin, Delegation of the European Commission to the U.S., Washington, DC
Josette Lewis, U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), Washington, DC
Sandra Polaski, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, Washington, DC
Karen Sendelback, Friends of the World Food Program, Washington, DC

Private International Law Coordinating Committee
International Litigation Committee
International Commercial Dispute Resolution Committee

The Supreme Court’s recent decision in Medellin has re-ignited a simmering controversy over the role of state law in treaty implementation. Medellin highlighted the problems created in our federal system when state law fails to comply with U.S. treaty obligations.  But does (or should) treaty ratification necessarily oust the states from areas traditionally within their purview?   The question has broad future implications.

Private international law treaties increasingly deal with topics that are traditionally regulated by state law.  Examples abound in the commercial, family and transactional fields.  Are there alternatives to federalizing all these areas?  State laws, particularly uniform laws developed by the Uniform Law Commission, can be positive vehicles for implementing treaty obligations consistent with our principles of federalism.  This program will explore the practical aspects of the controversy and identify a variety of alternatives techniques and creative approaches to ensure effective implementation of a treaty.

Program Chair:
William M. Hannay, III, Schiff Hardin LLP, Chicago, Illinois

Moderator:
Harriet Lansing, Minnesota Court of Appeals, Minneapolis, Minnesota

Speakers:
Guy S. Lipe, Vinson & Elkins LLP, Houston, Texas
Kathleen Patchel, Indiana University School of Law, Indianapolis, Indina
David P. Stewart, Georgetown University Law Center, Washington, DC
Louise Ellen Teitz, Roger Williams University School of Law, Bristol, Rhode Island

Africa Committee
Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Issues Network (GIN)

Few U.S. lawyers are familiar with the asylum proceedings conducted by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and by national governments in refugee receiving countries in the global south. This program will help participants develop an understanding of the application of the 1951 Refugee Convention in six countries on four continents (Egypt, Thailand, Senegal, Ecuador, and South Africa), with a special focus on LGBT asylum cases. Presenters will discuss how a hypothetical LGBT asylum case would be adjudicated in each jurisdiction, illustrating asylum issues including access to due process, access to legal assistance, and protection from deportation. Legal advocates with on-the-ground experience will report from the field to give attendees a unique global awareness of the plight of asylum seekers and refugees – the vast majority of whom seek asylum in countries outside the U.S. There will also be a brief comparative analysis to U.S. sexual orientation asylum claims and a discussion of resettlement for LGBT refugees.

Program Chairs:
Lisa Laurel Weinberg, Community Legal Services and Counseling Center, Cambridge, Massachussetts
Paul E. Johnson, The John Marshall Law School, Chicago, Illinois

Moderator:
Paul E. Johnson, The John Marshall Law School, Chicago, Illinois

Speakers:
Emily E. Arnold-Fernandez, Assylum Access, San Francisco, Califorinia
Rebecca N. Eichler, Law Office of Rebecca N. Eichler, Alexandria, Virginia
Rebecca Shaeffer, Human Rights Watch, Washington, DC
Lisa Laurel Weinberg, Community Legal Services and Counseling Center, Cambridge, Massachussetts

Young Lawyers Interest Network (YIN)
Africa Committee
Transnational Legal Practice Committee
Mexico Committee
Law Student, LL.M., and New Lawyer Outreach Committee

Have you ever dreamed of becoming qualified in a jurisdiction outside your home jurisdiction?  But were you unsure of how to become qualified in a jurisdiction outside of your own?  Do you need additional education?  Do you need additional language skills?   Are the character and fitness standards different?  Do you need to sit through another bar exam?  Where do you even find this information?  Our panelists are attorneys who have successfully navigated the procedural waters of non-U.S. qualification and will share their experiences and answer your questions on how to add this additional dimension to your legal credentials.

Program Chairs:
Nancy Matos, Baker & McKenzie LLP, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Russell W. Dombrow, Huron Consulting Group, Ft. Lauderdale, Florida
Kerry Mclean, Human Rights, Law & Development, New York, New York

Moderator:
Hedwin Salmen-Navarro, Salmen Navarro & Associates, New York, New York

Speakers:
Barton Legum, Salans LLP, Paris, France
Steven Plehn, Plehn Abogados, Madrid, Spain
Jacob Saah, Saah & Company, Accra, Ghana
Salli Swartz, Phillips Giraud Naud & Swartz, Paris, France
Edna Udobong, University of Lagos Faculty of Law, Lagos, Nigeria

International Tax Committee
International Private Client Committee

In this program, specialists will examine several bank secrecy-related matters, including: (i) the recent scandal in Liechtenstein in which German tax authorities paid  $4.2 million to a dubious individual for confidential client information on a CD ROM that he stole from his employer,  LGT Bank; (ii) the recent disclosure by UBS Bank’s Swiss office to the U.S. tax authorities of the identity of all 21,000 of its U.S. clients who are knowingly not complying with U.S. tax laws; and (iii) other recent cases such as the  Credit Card cases, the Julius Baer Case in the Caymans and the KB Lux Case in Luxembourg. Additional issues will be addressed such as: What is the future of the banking secrecy in a world that becomes more transparent every day? How far can authorities go in fighting tax fraud? Can they apply pressure, judicially, on the local affiliates or representative offices of a foreign bank? Are they even allowed to buy stolen information and use this information in court (fruits of the poisonous tree  doctrine)? Are the individual tax payers who were framed by an employee of the bank entitled to damages from the bank? What is the role of the individual lawyers in advising individual clients on banking secrecy and trusts? What is the role of the in-house counsel in scandals like these? How to wind up Trusts when the banking secrecy is of no relevance anymore. This program is not to be missed for tax lawyers, commercial fraud lawyers and lawyers who represent private clients.

Program Chairs:
Markus Zwicky, Zwicky Windlin, Switzerland
Frans Duynstee, Van Mens & Wisselink N.V., Amsterdam, The Netherlands

Moderators:
Markus Zwicky, Zwicky Windlin, Switzerland
Frans Duynstee, Van Mens & Wisselink N.V., Amsterdam, The Netherlands

Speakers:
Charles E. Falk, Attorney at Law, Mendham, New Jersey
John McDougal, Internal Revenue Service Special Counsel
Kevin Packman, Holland & Knight, Miami, Florida
Bruce Zagaris, Berliner Corcoran & Rowe LLP, Washington, DC
Neil A.J. Sullivan, CPA, TEP., Scarsdale NY

Environmental Law/Climate Change

Canada Committee
International Environmental Law Committee
International Energy and Natural Resources Committee

Representatives of Canada, Mexico and the US will discuss each country's most recent individual and multi-lateral responses to global warming.  The experts will also discuss what's ahead for North America as "post-Kyoto" approaches.

Program Chairs:
Ivan Gold, Perkins Coie LLP, Portland, Oregon
Paul Wilson, Fasken Martineau, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
David van Hoogstraten, Hunton & Williams, Washington, DC

Moderators:
Ivan Gold, Perkins Coie LLP, Portland, Oregon
Paul Wilson, Fasken Martineau, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

Speakers:
Mark Menezes, Hunton & Williams LLP, Washington, DC
William Pederson, Perkins Coie LLP, formerly EPA Deputy General Counsel for Air and Radiation, Washington, DC
Howard W. Pifer III, CRA International, Washington, DC
Alejandro Posadas Utrtusuastegui, Mexican Embassy, Washington, DC
Jason Tolland, Embassy of Canada, Washington, DC
Jamie Van Nostrand, Pace Energy and Climate Center, White Plains, New York

International Intellectual Property Law Committee
International Antitrust Law Committee

There is a widening gulf among nations in their views and treatment of intellectual property.  The arena where IP rights is most at issue today involves efforts by some nations to limit IP rights through compulsory licenses.  In these recent cases, compulsory licenses are not being used for their traditional purpose of assuring that a product protected by intellectual property rights but essential to a critical public need is put into production.  Instead the latest rounds of compulsory license initiatives seek to lower the prices of patented products that already are being made available in-country.  This program explores from both legal and economic perspectives recent developments, reviews the competing claims, and considers compulsory licensing of both copyright and patent rights and other efforts around the world to restrict or regulate the use of intellectual property rights in ways that push beyond the historically accepted boundaries of IP regulation.

Program Chairs:
Ronald A. Cass, Cass & Associates PC, Great Falls, Virginia
Yee Wah Chin, Ingram Yuzek Gainen Carroll & Bertolotti, LLP, New York, New York

Moderator:
Yee Wah Chin, Ingram Yuzek Gainen Carroll & Bertolotti, LLP, New York, New York

Speakers:
Ronald A. Cass, Cass & Associates PC, Great Falls, Virginia
Jonathan D. Putnam, CRA International, Boston, Massachussetts
Greg S. Slater, Intel Corporation, Chandler, Arizona
Willard K. Tom, Morgan, Lewis & Bockius, Washington, DC

Corporate Counsel/Transactional, Dispute Resolution/Litigation

International M&A and Joint Venture Committee

The demand for legal services continue to grow worldwide and in all practices of law. We are living in a highly competitive environment among lawyers and law firms, while at the same time clients are continuously demanding better services at competitive prices. Technical knowledge, immediate response, reliability, expertise and track record – these are only some of the qualities that good international lawyers must have to attract and keep clients.  But are we delivering to the clients the services that they are really looking for?  This panel will explore the common mistakes that outside counsel make and will address some suggestions for an effective collaboration between in-house counsel and the outside lawyers.

Program Chair:
Albert Garrofé,  Cuatrecasas, Gonçalves Pereira, New York, New York

Moderator:
Albert Garrofé,  Cuatrecasas, Gonçalves Pereira, New York, New York

Speakers:
William E. Bandon, III, GE Money, Stamford, Connecticut
Ingrid Busson, Calyon, New York, New York
Sarah Fandell, Inter-American Investment Corporation, Washington, DC
Sandra González, Ferrere Abogados, Montevideo, Uruguay
Robert B. Robbins, Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP, Washington DC

Customs Law Committee
International Trade Committee
Export Controls and Economic Sanctions Committee

Recently, the U.S. government has adopted an aggressive enforcement posture relating to violations of U.S. import laws, and increasingly, it is electing to file criminal charges for significant violations.  For this reason, it is becoming very important for companies and their in-house counsel and outside counsel to understand what actions can or should be taken to limit potential penalty exposure.  During an interactive program, a panel of seasoned in-house counsel, outside counsel, and U.S. government attorneys will discuss how they would respond to a hypothetical fact pattern involving suspected violations of U.S. import laws and what lessons can be learned and applied.  

Also, for tips on handling suspected export violations, don’t miss the program on “Are There Effective Defense Strategies in Export Control and Economic Enforcement Cases” being held at 4:00 p.m. on April 17!

Program Chair:
Geoffrey M. Goodale, Foley & Lardner LLP, Washington, DC

Moderators:
Geoffrey M. Goodale, Foley & Lardner LLP, Washington, DC

Speakers:
Alan Cohen, U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Washington, DC
Carol Fuchs, Tyco International, Washington, DC
David H. Laufman, Kelley Drye & Warren LLP, Washington, DC
Patricia McCarthy, U.S. Department of Justice, Washington, DC
Teresa M. Polino, Hogan & Hartson LLP, Washington, DC

Public International Law/Rule of Law

U.N. and International Institutions Coordinating Committee
Middle East Committee
International Development and Investment Committee

Pursuant to Goal IV, the Section of International Law is committed to advancing the Rule of Law. The Rule of Law is important to the establishment of a just society in which individual human dignity is honored and the right of the people to pursue prosperity is guaranteed. Since April 2003, the international community, lead by the U.S., has devoted considerable resources to the establishment of the Rule of Law in Iraq. Indeed, Rule of Law efforts in Iraq may represent the most significant devotion of resources to the establishment of the Rule of Law in history. The Government of Iraq has also made great efforts in this area. The time has come to ask the questions, what has been wrought? Where is Iraq now with respect to the Rule of Law? Where is it headed? And what impediments to progress remain? Are Rule of Law conditions present or emerging that foster respect for human rights, economic development and investment in Iraq? Come and listen to this impressive panel anwer these and other related questions.

Program Chair:
James D. Phipps, U.S. Mission - Iraq, Baghdad, Iraq

Moderator:
James D. Phipps, U.S. Mission - Iraq, Baghdad, Iraq

Speakers:
Sermid D. Al-Sarraf, International Institute for the Rule of Law, Baghdad, Iraq
Jason Gluck, U.S. Institute of Peace, Washington, DC
Philip H. Lynch, U.S. Embassy, Baghdad, Iraq, and U.S. Department of Justice, Washington, DC
April Powell-Willingham, U.S. Embassy, Baghdad, Iraq

Foreign Consultants Committee
International Dispute Resolution Committee
International Intellectual Property Committee

Financial service entities from around the world are increasingly finding themselves enmeshed in U.S. litigation arising from the subprime mortgage crisis and its fallout. The need for electronic evidence, especially e-mail, will entail conflicts between non-U.S. privacy laws and the demands of U.S. litigation procedure.  This interactive presentation, featuring attorneys from Europe and the U.S., will explore anticipated discovery landmines and potential legal and procedural solutions to the privacy vs. procedure dilemma.

Program Chairs:
Carole Basri, University of Pennsylvania Law School, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Kenneth N. Rashbaum, Fios Inc., New York, New York

Moderator:
Carole Basri, University of Pennsylvania Law School, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Speakers:
Alex Blumrosen, Bernard-Hertz-Bejot, Paris, France
Kenneth Brothers, Dickstein Shapiro LLP, Washington DC
Martin Jaron, Holland & Knight, Washington DC
Kenneth N. Rashbaum, Fios Inc., New York, New York

International Secured Transactions and Insolvency Committee
International Tax Committee

With an  economy in a downturn a new set of skills and knowledge is needed for lawyers.  What is needed is "reversed thinking."  The following issues will be discussed by an expert panel of corporate, tax and insolvency lawyers:

• Overview of current global markets and of business issues which impact decisions of a multinational in a recessionary economy with a review of selected market transactions and the non-tax issues which arise.
• Loss utilization techniques for the multinational.
• Case studies on reorganizations and divestitures of business sectors and subsidiaries of the multinational - how to do them, the tax issues and tax maximization planning techniques.
• Debt restructuring and debt workouts by a multinational with senior and subordinate lenders at the parent and subsidiary levels both domestic and foreign - how to minimize tax cost for the issuer and the lender - refinancing, amending the terms of financing arrangements, conversion of debt to equity, debt forgiveness, special distress equity and debt instruments.
• Foreign exchange issues in financial planning for the multinational creditor arrangements and bankruptcy.
• Tax issues for the creditors and the multinational that goes into administration or is liquidated for the benefit of its creditors.

Program Chair:
Elinore Richardson, Borden Ladner Gervais LLP, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Moderator:
Elinore Richardson, Borden Ladner Gervais LLP, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Speakers:
Heather Gething, Herbert Smith LLP, London, United Kingdom
Robin Phelan, Haynes and Boone, LLP, Dallas, Texas
Wolf-Georg Rechenberg, CMS Hasche Sigle Rechtsanwalt und Steuerberater, Berlin, Germany
Jody Schwartz, Watchtell Lipton Rosen & Katz, New York, New York

International Environment Law Committee
International Investment and Development Committee

When does government action purporting to protect and preserve natural resources become a compensatory expropriation under an investment treaty?  The issue of takings and environmental protection has long been discussed as a matter of domestic constitutional jurisprudence, with fascinating parallels and differences when the subject of a dispute under international law.  In this program, experts from different sectors will examine recent developments in free trade agreements, trade policy and international arbitrations, including the recent ICSID case Biwater Gauff v. Tanzania, involving the privatization of a water concession, and the ongoing NAFTA Chapter 11 case, Glamis Gold v. United States, in which a Canadian mining conglomerate, Glamis Gold, Ltd., has brought a $50 million claim against the U.S. arising out of a dispute over a proposed gold mine in northern California.  The panel of experts will explore the development of regulatory expropriation law in the hotly-contested and high-stakes arena of environment and natural resource protection.

Program Chairs:
Ethan Shenkman, WilmerHale, Washington, DC
Jim Rubin, Hunton & Williams, Washington, DC

Moderator:
Margrete Stevens, King & Spalding LLP, Washington, DC

Speakers:
Andrea Bjorkland, University of California at Davis, Davis, California
Daniel Magraw, Center for International Environmental Law, Washington, DC
Andrea Menaker, White & Case LLP, Washington, DC

Not sure whether to attend the Committee Business Luncheon Meetings?  If you miss them, you may also be missing the greatest benefit of Section membership.  Our 60 committees cover every possible aspect of public and private international law.  Most of the substantive work of the Section is conducted at the committee level.  The Committee Business Meetings provide a great opportunity to meet your colleagues in the Section, learn about and shape committee plans for the year, and become more active in the Section.  Section members can join as many committees as they wish – and committee membership is free!  Be sure to sign-up at the time of registration to purchase your ticket to sit with committee members for a working lunch.

Intellectual Property Law Committee
Task Force on Piracy

Piracy of intellectual property is one of the most compelling problems in international business today, costing billions of dollars in losses for the entertainment, software, publishing, technology and other industries.  The U.S. government and governments of other “developed nations,” through various negotiations and other initiatives, have devoted substantial law enforcement resources and passed new initiatives to support enforcement of IP rights.  The creative industries also are using new strategies and programs to fight piracy, particularly of digital products.  By the same token, efforts such as the proposed “orphan works” legislation will encourage proper usage of content that previously was – as a practical matter – unavailable to users.

This program will feature a cross section of commentators from government and significant copyright industries, and will discuss significant new litigation, recent legislative initiatives, and the USTR's special 301 process for prioritizing U.S. enforcement resources and negotiation for the protection of IP rights.

Program Chair:
Scott Bain, Software & Information Industry Association, Washington, DC
Jessica Darraby, Darraby Law, Los Angeles, California

Moderator:
Jessica Darraby, Darraby Law, Los Angeles, California

Speakers:
Fritz Attaway, Motion Picture Association of America, Washington, DC
Steven R. Englund, Jenner & Block, Washington, DC
Scott Bain, Software & Information Industry Association, Washington, DC
Steven Tepp, Office of Policy and International Affairs, U.S. Copyright Office, Washington, DC

International Corporate Counsel Forum
International Litigation Committee

What every in-house counsel and outside counsel needs to know about the global subprime crisis:  what are the credit and liquidity issue surrounding the real estate meltdown? What are the legal and ethical dilemmas presented by pursuing cases against rating agencies, banks and financial institutions?  Hear from in-house attorneys as well as regulators and outside counsel about the ramifications of the subprime crisis which has affected credit cards, corporate loans, rating services, money markets, among other areas.

Program Chair:
Carole Basri, University of Pennsylvania Law School, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Moderator:
Carole Basri, University of Pennsylvania Law School, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Speakers:
John Arterberry, Fraud Section, U.S. Department of Justice, Washington, DC
David Boyd Booker, Calyon, New York, New York
Ralph Gonzalez, American Life Insurance Company, New York, New York
Mary Mack, Fios, Inc., Portland, Oregon

International Trade/Customs, Public International Law/Rule of Law

International Trade Committee
International Commercial Dispute Resolution Committee

The proliferation of dispute settlement mechanisms in bilateral, regional and multilateral trade and investment treaties results in tribunals applying different substantive rules to and providing different remedies for the same disputes.  Hear NAFTA, MERCOSUR, BIT and WTO experts analyze the problem and discuss specific case studies (e.g. Softwood Lumber, Brazil –Retreaded Tires, and the U.S. "zeroing" disputes).  A roundtable discussion will utilize hypothetical cases to probe the procedural and substantive problems posed by overlapping jurisdictions and divergent remedies with varying degrees of enforceability as well as possible solutions to the problem, e.g., negotiated settlements, or the use of such concepts as estoppel, res judicata, and forum non conveniens in international and investment disputes.

Program Chairs:
Marisa Goldstein, World Trade Organization, Geneva, Switzerland
Pablo Bentes, World Trade Organization, Geneva, Switzerland

Moderator:
Marisa Goldstein, World Trade Organization, Geneva, Switzerland

Speakers:
Hugo Cayrus, Embassy of Uruguay, Washington, DC
Stacy Ettinger, Joint Economic Committee, Washington, DC
Jorge Huerta Goldman, Mexican Mission to the WTO, Geneva, Switzerland
Barton Legum, Salans LLP, Paris, France

Africa Committee

Africa’s share of world oil and natural gas production is presently about 12.5% and 6.45% respectively. The continent’s proven oil and natural gas reserves stand at 9.49% and 8.22% respectively of the world's reserves. As a result of the instability in the Gulf region, volatility in global oil prices and increasing demand by consumers, particularly China, Africa’s potential is now well recognized.

This program brings together a diverse group of players in the oil and gas industry. . It includes an in-house counsel from a U.S. oil company actively engaged in Africa, an African oil and gas attorney and representatives of OPEC and the U.S. Department of Energy. Panelists will discuss the strategic importance of the region and the major legal challenges that must be overcome to fulfill Africa’s potential as a major oil producing region.

Program Chairs:
Victor Mroczka, Hughes, Hubbard & Reed, Washington, DC
Jacob Saah, Saah & Company, Accra, Ghana

Moderator:
Jacob Saah, Saah & Company, Accra, Ghana

Speakers:
William S. Hayes, Kosmos Energy, LLC, Dallas, Texas
Gbenga Oyebode, Aluko & Oyebode, Nigeria
Lauren Mayne, U.S. Department of Energy, Washington, DC
Ricardo Silva, Miranda Correia Amendoeira & Associados, Lisboa, Portugal
Ibibia Lucky Worika, Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), Vienna, Austria

Public International Law/Rule of Law

International Investment and Development Committee
International Human Rights Committee
International Anti-Corruption Committee
Corporate Social Responsibility Committee
International Corporate Counsel Forum

This program will discuss the practical issues involved in expanding the Rule of Law programs and initiatives around the world, including the role of law firms, corporations, bar associations, various professional disciplines and civil society.  The program will focus on the activities and plans of the World Justice Project (WJP) and identify opportunities for collaboration between the WJP and other Rule of Law efforts, including the ABA’s Rule of Law Initiative (ROLI) and International Legal Resource Center (ILRC).

Program Chairs:
James R. Silkenat, Arent Fox LLP, New York, New York
Carol Mates, International Finance Corporation, Washington, DC

Moderators:
James R. Silkenat, Arent Fox LLP, New York, New York
Carol Mates, International Finance Corporation, Washington, DC

Speakers:
Mark Agrast, Center for American Progress, Washington, DC
Rob Boone, ABA Rule of Law Initiative, Washington, DC
Claudia Dumas, World Justice Project, Washington, DC
Robert Nelson, American Bar Foundation, Chicago, Illinois

International Environmental Law Committee
International M&A and Joint Venture Committee
Latin America and Caribbean Committee

Investors are facing new and unexpected scenarios of regulations that were not in place in the last decade which has impacted their investments. Many emerging countries have passed strict environmental laws that are conditioning the structure of a deal.

What has been the effect of environmental laws on M&A and corporate compliance? Do these laws represent an obstacle to investments? What guidance for corporate governance and environmental management can be derived from recent trends and decisions in litigation? In this program a lively discussion will examine how these development’s impact on the business community, including the roles of local governments, NGOs and lenders, and management liability and parent company liability issues, among other topics. A comparison of the way these laws are addressed in different jurisdictions and how to manage environmental risks in corporate transactions will also be addressed.  The audience will leave with a practical knowledge that will help in structuring and negotiating an investment.

Program Chair:
Guillermo Malm Green, Brons & Salas, Buenos Aires, Argentina

Moderator:
Guillermo Malm Green, Brons & Salas, Buenos Aires, Argentina

Speakers:
André de Almeida, Almeida Law, São Paulo, Brazil
Holly Cannon, Beveridge & Diamond, P.C., Washington, DC
David Harris, International Finance Corporation, Washington, DC
Ken Rivlin, Allen & Overy LLP, New York, New York

Young Lawyers Interest Network (YIN)
Asia/Pacific Committee

You:    (i) An internationalist at heart; (ii) educated outside the U.S. and interested in taking a bar exam or otherwise gaining admission to one of the major commercial jurisdictions in the U.S.; (iii) a law firm manager interested in mobilizing the best group of lawyers where they are needed; (iv) all of the above.
Us:  Representatives of four major markets for legal services in the U.S. (California, Illinois, New York and DC) responsible for interpreting and applying regulations governing rights of practice for foreign law graduates/lawyers and an international law firm partner interested in barriers to mobility.
The Problem:  Understanding the nuances of bar eligibility requirements for non-U.S. law graduates and non-U.S. lawyers
The Plan:  Let’s talk about it!  Using hypotheticals and lots of Q&A, we will aim to reach a shared understanding of rules and policies governing admission rights of non-U.S. lawyers and law graduates.

Program Chairs:
Carole Silver, Georgetown University Law Center, Washington, DC
Laurel S. Terry, Penn State, The Dickinson School of Law, Carlisle, Pennsylvania

Moderators:
Stephen Denyer, Allen & Overy LLP, Frankfurt, Germany
Robert Lutz, Southwestern Law School, Los Angeles, California

Speakers:
Mark Carlin (Invited), Chair of the Committee on Admissions, Washington, DC
Donald H. Funk (Invited), Illinois Board of Admissions to the Bar, Springfield, Illinois
Victoria Graffeo (Invited), New York Court of Appeals, New York, New York
Robert Hawley, State Bar of California, Califorinia

International Commercial Transactions, Franchising, and Distribution Committee
International Secured Transactions and Insolvency Committee
Europe Committee 
Private International Law Coordinating Committee 
Aerospace and Defense Industries Committee
International Transportation Committee
Asia/Pacific Committee

The Cape Town Treaty on aircraft, rail and space financing has been ratified by twenty-five countries with legal systems ranging from common law to civil code to Islamic compliant.  However, the Cape Town Treaty is more than planes, trains and space toys.  It is a new way of doing cross-border business, but it may not work for everyone. Is the understanding of the treaty's benefits the same in Mexico as in India?  In the U.S. as in Pakistan? Why did Mexico adopt declarations so fundamentally different from its largest trading partner?  Did India do everything necessary or advisable to give comfort to financiers?  And for the world's fastest growing economic superpower, why is ratification unlikely in the near term?  An international panel of experts and skeptics will debate the answers to these questions and why one size may not fit all. 

Program Chair:
Douglas Ochs Adler, Vedder Price P.C., Washington, DC

Moderator:
Douglas Ochs Adler, Vedder Price P.C., Washington, DC

Speakers:
Catherine Duffy, A&L Goodbody, Dublin, Ireland
Louis Emery, Export-Import Bank of the U.S., Washington, DC
Wang Ling, King & Wood, Beijing, China
Carlos Sierra, Abogados Sierra y Vazques, Santa Fe, Mexico
Jeffrey Wool (Invited), Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP, London, United Kingdom

International Trade Committee
Export Controls and Economic Sanctions Committee

Confronted with the complexity of U.S. export control laws, the labyrinth of overlapping government agency authority, and the current aggressive enforcement environment, a representational strategy that includes challenging the system may seem ill-considered.  However, recent publicized defense victories and confidential non-penalty dispositions demonstrate that there are strategies that do not necessarily mandate voluntary self-disclosure and negotiated pleas.  This panel of current and former enforcement attorneys and experienced defense counsel will discuss what constitutes an effective defense of export control violations:  from limiting administrative remedies, avoiding criminal referral, to defending the case in court.
 For advice on handling suspected import violations, also don’t miss the program entitled, “Handling Import Violations in a New Enforcement Era,” at 10:30 a.m. on April 17.

Program Chair:
Wendy Wysong, Clifford Chance, Washington, DC

Moderator:
Shanlon Wu, Wheat Wu PLLC, Washington, DC

Speakers:
James F. Barger, Frohsin & Barger LLC, Birmingham, Alabama
David Callaway, AUSA, San Francsico, Califorinia
Bruce J. Casino, Katten Muchin Rosenman LLP, Washington, DC
Thea Kendler, Bureau of Industry & Security, U.S. Department of Commerce, Washington, DC
Wendy Wysong, Clifford Chance, Washington, DC

Regulatory/Regional, Taxation

International Tax Committee

Ongoing U.S. criminal prosecutions, new U.S. and European regulations, and international trade disputes, highlight complexities in the multijurisdictional governmental response to Internet gambling.  This program will discuss the conflict between approaches to Internet gambling, its regulation in Europe and elsewhere, and criminal prohibitions in the U.S.  The panel will focus on new developments under the new Obama Administration and in the U.S.-EU trade relationship.  The panel also will discuss recent issues such as efforts of U.S. courts to analyze the impact of WTO decision on domestic criminal prosecutions; the WTO arbitration claim against the U.S. for compensation; 60 Minutes and Washington Post investigative reports on cheating in Internet gambling; U.S. investigations of Internet gambling; and potential U.S. enforcement of new regulations barring financial institutions from facilitating Internet gambling transactions. A panel of experts will compare  U.S. developments with emerging regulatory schemes in Europe.

Program Chair:
Owen Bonheimer, Steptoe & Johnson LLP, Washington, DC

Moderator:
Jonathan Tickner, Peters & Peters, London, United Kingdom

Speakers:
E. Lawrence Barcella, Jr., Paul, Hastings, Janofsky & Walker LLP, Washington, DC
James Bonham, Steptoe & Johnson LLP, Washington, DC
Frans Duynstee, Van Mens & Wisselink, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Saverio Lembo, Bär & Karrer, Geneva, Switzerland

China Committee
Shanghai Lawyers Association

The reaction of China’s regulators as they seek to steer China through the global economic crisis will prove to be one of the biggest tests to date.  A panel of experienced China practitioners and academics will look at recent regulatory changes in China, including the Anti-Monopoly Law, Bankruptcy Law, Labor Contract Law, Corporate Income Tax Law and changes in foreign exchange and outbound investment regulations and how they are being implemented in practice in light of the economic situation through a hypothetical fact scenario.

Program Chairs:
Elizabeth Cole, Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP, Shanghai, China
Adam Li, Jun He Law Offices, Shanghai, China

Moderator:
Adam Bobrow, Signal Capital Group, Limited, Turkey

Speakers:
Elizabeth Cole, Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP, Shanghai, China
Michael Jacobs, DePaul University College of Law, Chicago, Illinois
David Liu, Jun He Law Offices, Shanghai, China

Environmental Law/Climate Change, Corporate Counsel/Transactional

International Energy and Natural Resources Committee
International Investment and Development Committee

Over the past several years, a dramatic divergence of views has emerged on how developing countries with natural resources should best develop those resources in a socially and environmentally sustainable way; most effectively use those resources to promote long-term growth and development; and involve the private sector and foreign investment, if at all. The program will explore this broad and complex array of issues challenging policy makers, investors, lenders and the lawyers who advise them, through a mock meeting of a panel of advisors representing the views of a potential foreign investor, a host country and a multilateral development bank, who are advising a fictional U.S. government official (moderator) seeking to support a hypothetical oil and gas export project in a fictional country.  Key topics will include an examination of the differing views  of the panel (and resulting tensions) on public-private partnerships, the role of international organizations like the World Bank, environmental and social concerns and FDI.

Program Chairs:
Teresa Maurea Faria, Inter-American Development Bank, Washington, DC
Babatunde Irukera, SimmonsCooper Partners, Lagos, Nigeria
Jorge H. Kamine, Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP, Washington, DC
Ignacio Randle, Estudio Randle, Buenos Aires, Argentina

Moderator:
Jorge H. Kamine, Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP, Washington, DC

Speakers:
H. Odein Ajumogobia SAN,  Minister of State for Energy (Petroleum), Federal Republic of Nigeria
Hala El-Mohandes, Export-Import Bank of the U.S., Washington, DC
Mark C. Gunnin, Hunt Oil Company, Dallas, Texas
Ferenc E. Molnar, The World Bank, Washington, DC

Young Lawyers

Africa Committee
Law Student, LLM, & New Lawyer Outreach Committee
Mexico Committee
Transnational Legal Practice Committee
Young Lawyers’ Interest Network (YIN)

Program Chairs:
Nancy Matos, Baker & McKenzie LLP, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Russell W. Dombrow, Huron Consulting Group, Ft. Lauderdale, Florida
Kerry Mclean, Human Rights, Law & Development, New York, New York

Moderator:
Hedwin Salmen-Navarro, Salmen Navarro & Associates, New York, New York

Speakers:
Barton Legum, Salans LLP, Paris, France
Steven Plehn, Plehn Abogados, Madrid, Spain
Jacob Saah, Saah & Company, Accra, Ghana
Salli Swartz, Phillips Giraud Naud & Swartz, Paris, France
Edna Udobong, University of Lagos Faculty of Law, Lagos, Nigeria

The Chair’s Closing Reception provides one of the few remaining networking opportunities for the 2009 Spring Meeting.  Be sure to sign up to experience the Diplomatic Rooms at the U.S. Department of State and converse in this social setting with Section members as well as senior level department officials and other invited U.S. and Foreign Diplomats.