Although the hearings began live-streaming yesterday, Simon Lester over at the International Economic Law and Policy Blog, has reported that the International Center for the Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID) is webcasting a hearing in the Pac Rim CAFTA-DR investment arbitration (via Luke Peterson): A hearing on preliminary objections in the above case will … [Read more...]
International Litigation: Could BP Be Sued in a U.S. Court by Foreigners Harmed by the Gulf Oil Spill?
Being an international litigation attorney based out of Miami, I see a great deal of lawsuits filed by foreign plaintiffs here in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida. By virtue of its close proximity to Latin America and the Caribbean, Miami is one of the busiest places in the country for foreigners to file lawsuits against multinational … [Read more...]
International Litigation: Why Isn't the BP Oil Spill an International Matter if it Occurred in International Waters?
As an international litigation attorney, I’m frequently contacted to advise or comment on international business disputes that are of great interest to the media. Why isn't the BP Oil Spill an International Matter? On several occasions in the past few weeks, I’ve been asked the same question: Why is the BP oil disaster a U.S. domestic matter when the spill … [Read more...]
6 Key Provisions You Should Include in Your International Licensing Agreements.
Ipsen , a global biotechnology company headquartered in Paris, and Rhythm Pharmaceuticals, a Boston-based biotechnology company that is developing peptide therapeutics for metabolic diseases, announced recently that they entered into a license agreement for Ipsen’s proprietary processes . Under the terms of the agreement, Ipsen granted Rhythm an exclusive worldwide … [Read more...]
Singapore and Hong Kong Surpass U.S. As World's Most Competitive Economies. This Year.
I'm a big fan of annual surveys and lists that rank the U.S. economy and business environment in one way or another. They usually do a good job of capturing a moment in time in our nations' economic history. It's always interesting to look back and see how the U.S. ranks from one year to another. This leads me to a new survey just out ranking the world's most competitive … [Read more...]
International Arbitration: Florida Adopts UNCITRAL Model Law, Miami to Benefit the Most
As an international litigation and arbitration attorney based in Miami, I’m thrilled that the Florida Legislature just passed a bill that standardizes the rules of international arbitration. The language of the new legislation mirrors a model law developed by the U.N. Commission on International Trade Law, or UNCITRAL. Florida is the sixth state to pass the measure … [Read more...]
International Arbitration: The Wild West of Ethics?
International Arbitration has made great advances in the past several decades in becoming the mechanism of choice to resolve international disputes. Give me any court system in the world and nothing approaches the dynamic pragmatism of international arbitration. The relative costs, speed and predictability of this dispute resolution regime are unbeatable. While … [Read more...]
How to Avoid International Disputes: First, Be Good to Your Suppliers.
At a round table there is no dispute about place –Italian Proverb Every company, whether in the product or service business, depends on its suppliers. In today’s highly globalized business environment, it is likely that at least one of these suppliers is located overseas. While reducing costs is the main motivator for companies to source value chain components … [Read more...]
Doing Business in Peru. There's Never been a Better Time.
I just arrived back from Lima, Peru, where our firm has an office. I last visited about a year ago and I’m incredibly pleased with the level of development that has taken place since then. It seems everywhere you look, there is another building going up. We’re not talking a property bubble here folks. The growth taking place in Peru is real and it’s … [Read more...]
How to Structure an International Distribution Agreement.
Although I enjoy the day-today challenges of international litigation, I’m often called upon to structure international business deals. These are fun too, as I get an inside look at the business side of many different kinds of industries. Lately, I’ve seen a considerable increase in the number of distribution deals being forged. Distribution agreements are simply contracts to … [Read more...]