International Litigation Committee

Mission

The International Litigation Committee is one of the 42 practice groups open to all members of the American Bar Association’s Section of Litigation. Joining the committee entitles a member to a number of benefits (see list below). The committee offers members a structured opportunity to interact through programs, publications, meetings, and social media on matters of common professional interest regarding international litigation and arbitration. Our goal is to provide the highest quality experience for all involved and to ensure our members are kept current on every significant development affecting international legal practice.

To accomplish these goals, the committee provides its members with these benefits:

International Litigation, a quarterly publication;
networking opportunities with leading practitioners;
discounted CLE programs;
invitations to substantive meetings and social events;
online access to case notes, past issues of International Litigation, and other helpful information; and
opportunities to write for committee publications, speak on committee panels, and participate in the activities of our subcommittees.

Whether you want to receive the newsletter, learn from and network with top litigators, contribute to our programs and publications, or all of the above, join us. Section of Litigation members may join up to three committees at no charge.

To join, you must first be a member of the ABA and also a member of the ABA Section of Litigation.

Announcements

Call for Nominations Deadline Extended: 2013 International Human Rights Award

You are invited to submit nominations for the 2013 International Human Rights Award. This prestigious award will be presented during the ABA Annual Meeting, August 8–10, 2013, in San Francisco, CA. Recipients will also receive complimentary registration, air travel, and two-night hotel accommodations. The extended deadline to submit nominations is March 29, 2013.

Click here to complete the application.

New Subcommittees

The International Litigation Committee is pleased to announce the formation of two new subcommittees.

The International Evidence, Discovery, and Privacy Subcommittee will focus on emerging issues including cloud computing, social media, jurisdictional issues, and practical considerations for the collection and management of evidence in foreign states. Erik Laykin of Duff & Phelps will serve as the subcommittee’s first chair.

The Social Media Subcommittee will continue to develop the International Litigation Committee’s Facebook and LinkedIn social media capabilities. Seepan V. Parseghian of Snell & Wilmer will serve as the subcommittee’s first chair.

International Litigation Committee Programs Accepted!

The International Litigation Committee is proud to announce that five of its program proposals were accepted for the 2013 ABA Annual and Litigation Section Annual Meetings!

This represents the most International Litigation Committee programs accepted in recent years, and is a substantial benefit to our members. More details regarding the specific programs selected will follow. If you would like to have input into this process, please contact the Committee’s Program Chairs Harout J. Samra, Betsy Hellman, and Leon Skornicki.

International Litigation Committee Meets Law Society of Hong Kong

On August 2, 2012, members of the International Litigation Committee met with a Law Society of Hong Kong delegation visiting Chicago to participate in the ABA Annual Meeting. Opportunities for increased cooperation between the organizations were discussed, and a member of the Hong Kong delegation published an article recounting his experience in Chicago.

International Litigation Committee members who were present included Co-Chair John J. Mathias, Co-Chairs Bernard Amyot, C. Ryan Reetz, Lawrence S. Schaner, and Harout Jack Samra.

Seeking Contributions

The International Litigation Committee is looking for authors for articles about international litigation and related cases. Contact an editor (below) for more information.

Stay Connected with the International Litigation Committee

The International Litigation Committee has launched Facebook and Linkedin groups! Please join these groups by clicking on the links below.

» International Litigation at Facebook
» International Litigation at LinkedIn

Message from the Chairs

The International Litigation Committee is committed to making 2012–13 a highly valuable and productive experience for all our members.

To take full advantage of what this committee offers, we strongly encourage you to join one or more of our working subcommittees. On a geographical level, we have organized our subcommittees into quadrants as follows: Europe, Middle East and Africa, Central and South America, and Asia. By joining one or more of these geographical subcommittees, you will have immediate opportunities to publish your own original work, receive top-quality publications from others, submit program proposals for Section of Litigation and ABA annual meetings, meet and network with other members, and utilize our own dedicated social media (Facebook and LinkedIn) regarding matters of common professional interest. Contact one of us if you are interested in joining or leading a subcommittee.

Because a strong membership benefits all of us, especially with respect to publications, we will be working hard to expand our membership base in the coming year. If you are interested in assuming a leadership role in our coming membership drive, please contact one of us right away.

Our committee has had great success over the past several years with our programs at the Section of Litigation Annual Meeting and the ABA Annual Meeting. We are committed to continuing this success at the coming Section Annual Meeting in Chicago, Illinois, April 24–26, 2013, and the ABA Annual Meeting in San Francisco, California, August 8–10, 2013.

This year, we will be making a push to develop and present distance CLE and webcast programs, and we intend to give some long-overdue attention to China, India, and other Pacific Rim nations. If you are interested in presenting a program, please contact Harout Samra.

We are very excited about exploring the platform possibilities provided by LinkedIn and Facebook. If you have not already signed up, you should give it a try. You will almost certainly be surprised at the current level of activity, especially at LinkedIn. Go on, sign up!

Our committee is responsible for nominating the recipient of the 2013 Section of Litigation International Human Rights Award. The nominations process will begin shortly. To learn more about this award and the criteria for the evaluation of nominees, visit the International Human Rights Award page.

We will soon be soliciting our full membership for expressions of interest and qualifications to assume leadership positions in all our subcommittees. Our current chairs are doing outstanding work, but we need to assure succession, transition, and upward mobility to promote the common good. If you are interested, please answer the call when it comes!

As your committee chairs, we welcome you to contact us directly with any ideas or interests you might have.

John Mathias
Bernard Amyot
Ekwan Rhow
Chairs, International Litigation Committee