International Law Prof Blog

World Trade Organization

Click on the link for the handbook that provides the first detailed explanation and analysis of how governments become members of the WTO.  http://www.wto.org/english/res_e/reser_e/handbook_acc_e.htm

(mew)

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Illinois State Bar Association Votes to Oppose Death Penalty

The assembly of the Illinois State Bar Association (ISBA) voted on Saturday to oppose the death penalty in Illinois, during the ISBA annual meeting held in St. Louis, Missouri.

International human rights law and the views of other countries were prominently discussed during the debate, including calls for the United States to join the community of civilized nations opposed to the death penalty.

(mew, a member of the board of governors of the ISBA)

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U.S. News Law School Rankings

Should U.S. News law school rankings include the LSAT scores of part-time students? Some law schools force students with weak LSAT scores into part-time programs so that they will not have to report those LSAT scores to U.S. News and World Report. I think the rankings should include the scores of part-time students as well as the LSAT scores of transfer students.

And how should bar passage rates be reported for various jurisdictions? Should it be based only on the scores of those who graduate from law schools that are accredited (or, perhaps, also provisionally accredited), because the magazine is ranking only accredited law schools?

If you have thoughts on either question, you have an opportunity to comment by clicking here.

Hat tip to Tracy McGaugh

(mew)

Optional Protocol to ICESCR Adopted by U.N. Human Rights Council

We thank Houston Putnam Lowry and the American Branch of the International Law Association (ABILA) for the following news.

The U.N. Human Rights Council (you remember, the body that replaced the Human Rights Commission) adopted the Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights (ICESCR).  The Optional Protocol will allow individuals to petition an international human rights body directly about violations of their rights under the ICESCR.

The Optional Protocol was annexed to resolution A/HRC/8/L.2/Rev.1/Corr.1. 

The resolution was adopted without a vote on June 18, 2008, the last day of the eighth session of the Human Rights Council.  The resolution recommends that the UN General Assembly adopt the Optional Protocol and open it for signature at a signing ceremony in Geneva, Switzerland, in March 2009.  The Optional Protocol would enter into effect three months after ten states deposit instruments of ratification with the U.N. Secretary-General.

Hat tip to Houston Putnam Lowry

(mew) 

WTO / GATS: Canada, EU, and US Complain About China's Restrictions on Foreign Financial Information Service Providers

     The listserve for the Canadian Law Committee of the American Bar Association Section of International Law brings us news that Canada has joined the European Union and the United States in a new WTO case brought against the People's Republic of China, to challenge its restrictions on foreign financial information service providers.

The two sides have 60 days to resolve their differences over China's commitments under the General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS).  If they don't come to some compromise, a WTO panel may be established to rule on claims that China is restricting foreign financial information service providers.  At issue is a 2006 administrative order that prohibits foreign financial information services from selling directly to domestic clients in China.  Instead, they have to sell their services through an agent designated by the state-owned Xinhua News Agency.  There are also charges that China requires foreign suppliers to disclose confidential information to the Foreign Information Administration Center (FIAC), a regulatory body within Xinhua.

Hat tip to Marcy Stras, a partner at Baker & Hostetler in Washington DC

(mew)

United States About to Be Sued by the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands

The Saipan Tribune is reporting that Governor Benigno R. Fitial of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) announced that he had hired the law firm of Jenner & Block to review a draft complaint to challenge the new U.S. immigration law enacted for the Northern Marianas. The complaint was drafted by Howard Willens, one of the governor's legal counsels.  Governor Fitial said he will file suit against the United States unless the Chicago-based law firm tells him not to do so.

Hat tip to the East-West Center.

(mew)

Welcome to our New Readers from Benin, Greece, Israel, and Madagascar

One of the great pleasures in working on this blog is knowing that we have readers all over the world.  Welcome to our new blog readers in Benin, Greece, Israel, and Madagascar.  If you would like to see the list of countries where our readers are from, click on the site meter (in the column on the left), and then look for the link to "countries" under "location tracking." 

Don't worry -- we don't know WHO you are, just where you are from.  We are happy to be a place where law professors and lawyers around the world can meet.  To subscribe to this blog, enter your email in the column to the right.

Thanks, everyone!

(mew)

International Law News - Opportunity to Submit an Article on Human Rights or India

The International Law News is the quarterly newsletter published by the ABA Section of International Law.  I have been the editor-in-chief of it for several years now, but I am about to finish that extended term.  (I have since been made the publications officer of the International Law Section, so I will still be involved indirectly.) 

The International Law News is a section mem bership benefit that is sent in print form to the thousands of section members who are lawyers in the United States or in other countries.  It is sent electronically to law student members, who now get section memberships for free (and who probably prefer the electronic version anyway).

Articles do not have footnotes.  They are shorter, often 2000 words or less.  There are also casenotes and city guides. 

Because of its wide circulation, it offers interesting publication opportunities for law professors and law students.  Authors do not have to be based in the United States, and indeed a large portion of the section's membership is based in other countries.

The summer issue about to be published will be on China.  After that is a special issue on the anniversary of the Section of International Law (75 years as a section, and 130 years as an ABA entity).

But after those issues are publication (and targeted advertising) possibilities.  The theme of the Winter 2009 issue will be Human Rights.  The deadline for submission of articles for that issue is September 9, 2008.

The theme of the Spring 2009 issue will be India.  The deadline for submission of articles for that issue is December 11, 2008.

Potential authors can request a copy of the author guidelines and submit manuscripts to the managing editor by clicking here.

(mew)

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ABA Section of International Law - Committee on International Investment and Development

The American Bar Association Section of International Law has a Committee on International Investment and Development. That committee has just published its first newsletter.  Click here to see the newsletter.  Membership in committees is free to those who are members of the ABA Section of International Law.  If you are a U.S. faculty member and your school pays for your ABA membership, consider adding a membership in the section.  Membership is not limited to those in the U.S., and law professors and attorneys from other countries are also encouraged to join as Associate Members.

(mew)

Call for Papers - ASIL International Economic Law Interest Group

The American Society of International Law Interest Group on International Economic Law invites proposals for possible presentation at the Interest Group's biennial meeting to be held at George Washington University in Washington, DC, on Friday-Saturday, November 14-15, 2008.  The date falls just after the U.S. Presidential election, on the timely theme of "The Politics of International Economic Law: The Next Four Years."

Paper proposals are due by July 20.  The Call supplies a wide range of suggested topics, but it is open for "politics-of" topics in any area of international economic law, not just trade, and for both US and non-US perspectives. 

Click here for more information.

Hat tip to Tomer Broude and Amy Porges, ASIL IEL Interest Group Co-Chairs

(mew)

International Commercial Transactions

One of the titles in the ABA Section of International Law deskbook series for international practitioners is Negotiating and Structuring International Commercial Transactions.  The book covers a wide range of issues that may arise when negotiating and managing international business relationships.  The book includes information on these topics: international sales transactions securing payments and protecting investments dispute resolution the impact of trade and customs laws information technology cross-border equipment leasing tax matters, labor and employment law, antitrust aspects, environmental concerns, and other important issues involved in international transactions There are 22 contributing authors in the book, whose experience is drawn upon for practical advice on how to avoid pitfalls in international transactions.  Many sample legal agreements and documents are also included to assist the practitioner. (mew)

Fulbright Award Grants

The deadline for 2009-2010 Fulbright Awards is August 1, 2008.  Over 800 grants are available for lecturing, conducting research (or both) in 130 countries around the world.  Click here for more information.

(mew)

UK House of Lords: New Decision Says Witnesses Can Know Who is Testifying Against Them

The Evidence Prof Blog has posted about a new decision from the House of Lords.  Click here to read more.  The Law Lords decided that defendants have a right to know the identity of witnesses who testify against them.  Professor Colin Miller of The John Marshall Law School notes that the decision is not surprising, but that it is surprising that it took the Law Lords this long to come up with that ruling.  Have a look at his post and leave a comment on the case if you like.

(mew)

ABA Section of International Law Fall Meeting in Brussels, Belgium

The American Bar Association Section of International Law will hold its Fall 2008 Meeting in Brussels, Belgium from September 24-27, 2008.  Click here for more information.

(mew)

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Call for Papers - International Journal of Law in the Built Environment

Another new law journal!  This one is the International Journal of Law in the Built Environment, to be launched in 2009 by Emerald Group Publishing.  Here is their website.  If you would like a copy of the publisher's call for papers, click here Download IntlJBuiltEnvironment.pdf.

The journal seeks high-quality legal scholarship relating to the design, management, and use of the built environment.  The journal particularly welcomes articles that draw comparisons between two or more jurisdictions and articles that offer theoretical legal perspectives that cross jurisdictions.  They will cover many legal areas, but are particularly interested in

• Real Property
• Planning and Development
• The Environment
• Housing
• Construction

Articles should be between 4,000 and 7,500 words.  Submit articles to Paul Chynoweth by clicking here.  You can also write to him to ask about the suitability of potential articles.  Paul is a Senior Lecturer in Property and Construction Law at the University of Salford, Greater Manchester, United Kingdom.

Hat tip to Joe Hodnicki at the Law Librarian Blog.

(mew) 

International Health Law

OK, the headline here is misleading, because this call for papers does not specifically mention international health law among the topics it is seeking.  But the call is broad enough to include almost any aspect of international health law -- and I bet they will be glad to have an article from you. 

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The Annals of Health Law Editorial Board is seeking submissions for the Winter 2009 issue.  Annals of Health Law is the Health Policy and Law Review of Loyola University Chicago School of Law.  The editors are seeking articles relating to health law topics of interest.  Past articles have focused on corporate, regulatory, bioethical, and pharmaceutical issues, as well as patient rights and advocacy.  To submit an article to Annals, please email the article and a curriculum vitae to annalshl@luc.edu by August 15, 2008.

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The Editorial Board is also seeking submissions for the Summer 2009 Colloquium issue.  The theme of the Colloquium will be:  "Do patents inhibit or promote health care access and innovation?”  The Colloquium will identify and explore the key issues connecting patents, innovation, and health care access in both domestic and global arenas.  Please submit any articles on this topic to annalshl@luc.edu.

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For further information on article submission, contact Ann Weilbaecher, Editor-in-Chief, at 312.915.6304 or annalshl@luc.edu.

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(mew)

UNA-USA

The Chicago Chapter of the  United Nations Association for the United States of America  (UNA-USA) is meeting tomorrow at 5:30 p.m. at the Chicago-Kent College of Law, 565 W. Adams Street, Room 305.  They welcome the input of UNA-USA members on upcoming activities and projects.  Contact Anne M. Porowski at 312-819-1996 if you would like to attend the meeting or for more information about how to get involved in the Chicago Chapter of UNA-USA.

(mew)

International Law Institute

The International Law Institute (ILI) in Washington D.C. has just published a newsletter with its latest activities.  Click here to see a copy. 

(mew)

Cape Verde to Join WTO

Cape Verde has announced that it will accept the membership package offered by the WTO.  It will become the 153rd member of the WTO on 23 July 2008.  (cgb)

New Resource for International Law Professors

I am pleased to announce a new resource for persons who teach international law.  The Teaching International Law Interest Group (TILIG) of the American Society of International Law (ASIL) is offering a new website where professors of international law, international business and trade law, and international environmental law may share syllabi, Power Point presentations, simulations, video clips and other teaching materials.  we plan to expand the course coverage of this resource as time goes on.  To post materials you are willing to share, please go to: http://www.asil.org/teachingmaterial/ 

Information about access to materials that have already been posted will follow shortly.

(cgb)