AtlAS

Six Georgia Law students receive Louis B. Sohn Professional Development Fellowships in fall 2025

This fall, six University of Georgia School of Law students received Louis B. Sohn Professional Development Fellowships to support their attendance of international law conferences. Named after the inaugural holder of the Emily and Ernest Woodruff Chair in International Law at Georgia Law, Sohn Fellowships enable students to attend professional development opportunities related to international law. The Fellowships are administered by the Dean Rusk International Law Center.

Elizabeth Burns (J.D. ’26), Wambui Kamau (LL.M. ’26), Anu Paudel (LL.M. ’26), Kara Reed (J.D. ’26), and Haichen Zhao (J.D. ’27) attended the American Branch of the International Law Association’s International Law Weekend in New York City, New York. Jalyn Ross (J.D. ’27) attended the 14th annual conference of the Atlanta International Arbitration Society (AtlAS) in Atlanta, Georgia.

Zhao was selected to be a 2025 Student Ambassador (detailed here). She was one of eight Ambassadors selected nationwide to assist with International Law Weekend.

Ross shared about her favorite panel from the AtlAS annual conference:

I really enjoyed the panel discussion on the impact of tariffs on international arbitration. This panel was addressing tangible issues regarding how businesses, countries, and counsel are adjusting with the current instability surrounding tariffs in the United States. This panel was applying concepts I recently learned about in my International Business Transactions class, including Incoterms and articles of the CISG, and discussing questions of interpretation and application that brought to life what I have been studying in a very real way.

Reflecting on the experience of attending the ABILA ILW, Paudel stated:

This conference has encouraged me to advance my academics and career in international law. Personally, it allowed me to gain hands-on insights on different arenas of international law. Hearing invaluable thoughts of international legal experts, law professors , judges, partners and directors has increased my in-depth knowledge on international law, that I couldn’t have acquired from any written book or article. Professionally, the conference allowed me to build strong networks with the panelists, and participants from other law schools.

Burns noted her biggest takeaway from the ABILA ILW:

My biggest takeaway was an increased confidence in the future of international law. Many, if not all, of the panelists we heard from were exasperated with recent blatant violations of international treaties and a lack of action from international tribunals. Their frustration and insistence on continuing to push for change was inspiring, and they gave me hope that there are still many high-level international professionals who have not thrown in the towel yet.

To read prior posts about Georgia Law students using Sohn Fellowships to attend professional development opportunities, please click here and here.

Georgia Law Professor Peter B. “Bo” Rutledge presents keynote at annual AtlAS Lecture

University of Georgia School of Law Professor Peter B. “Bo” Rutledge presented “Perpetual Peace Reconsidered: Arbitration and International Law in the 21st Century” as the keynote speaker at the 10th Annual Atlanta International Arbitration Society Lecture earlier this month. In his lecture, Rutledge considered the use of arbitration and alternative dispute resolution to resolve cross-border conflicts in the 21st century.

Rutledge holds the Talmadge Chair of Law. From 2015 through 2024, he served as dean of the University of Georgia School of Law. He is the author of the book Arbitration and the Constitution and co-author with Gary Born of the book International Civil Litigation in United States Courts. His works have been published by the Yale University Press, the Oxford University Press and the Cambridge University Press, and his articles have appeared in a diverse array of journals such as The University of Chicago Law Review, the Vanderbilt Law Review and the Journal of International Arbitration. He also regularly advises parties on matters of international dispute resolution (litigation and arbitration).

Georgia Law students attend Atlanta International Arbitration Society annual conference

Last month, a group of eight University of Georgia School of Law students attended the 13th Annual Conference of the Atlanta International Arbitration Society (AtlAS).

Attendees included 3L Jacob Wood and Master of Laws (LL.M.) students Sara Dorbahani, Michael Faleye, Paria Keramatkhah, Neethu James, Fatemeh Khouei, Samuel Kuo, and Zulma Perez. Five of these students (Wood, Dorbahani, Faleye, Keramatkhah, and Khouei) received Louis B. Sohn Professional Development Fellowships to support their attendance of this conference. Awarded by the law school’s Dean Rusk International Law Center, Sohn Fellowships enable students to attend professional development opportunities related to international law.

Conference attendees attended a number of talks and events designed for practitioners and students involved in international arbitration, including the ICC Young Arbitration & ADR Forum, the AtlAS Young Practitioners Group, networking lunches, and panel discussions. Georgia Law Dean Peter B. “Bo” Rutledge led a fireside chat with alumnus and current President of AtlAS, Christof Siefarth (LL.M. ’86).

Reflecting on the variety of panels and speakers in attendance, Keramatkhah said:

My favorite [discussion] was the panel on the “Top 10 Developments in Arbitration” and Dean Rutledge’s speech. This panel covered key trends in international arbitration, such as the rise of the Borneo Arbitration Center, and UNCITRAL procedural amendments. It also highlighted the growing importance of the new IBA Rules of Disclosure and updates to the 1996 English Arbitration Act. Differences between US and European arbitration were discussed, particularly in witness handling, cross-examination, and the judge’s role. I found this panel very interesting as it was very helpful in understanding the current and future challenges of arbitration. As it regards Dean Rutledge’s speech, since I was involved in [the] research of his speech, I appreciated that it provided deep insights into dispute resolution.

In describing the ways in which this experience benefitted him professionally, Wood said:

Attending the AtlAS conference reaffirmed my desire to practice in the field of international arbitration and aided in my pursuit of this goal. I was able to meet and converse with a variety of practitioners and arbitrators from across the globe.

When asked about her favorite moment from the conference, Dorbahani explained:

One of the standout sessions delved into the art of writing for a multicultural audience. As international arbitration becomes more diverse, mastering the nuances of cross-cultural legal advocacy is vital. It emphasizes how language can either clarify or complicate arbitration across borders. Coming from a Civil Law background, I found this especially relevant, as it highlighted the delicate balance needed to communicate effectively in a global legal landscape.

To read prior posts about Georgia Law students using Sohn Fellowships to attend professional development opportunities, please click here and here.

Ninth Annual AtlAS Lecture speaker, Emory Professor Stacie Strong, considers use of artificial intelligence in international arbitration proceedings

A member of the Dean Rusk International Law Center’s staff, Global Practice Preparation Assistant Catrina Martin, attended this year’s ninth annual Atlanta International Arbitration Society (AtlAS) lecture, “Rage Against the Machine: Governing the Use of AI in International Arbitration.” AtlAS is one of the Center’s institutional partners, and Georgia Law alumnus Dr. Christof Siefarth (LL.M., ’88) is the newly-elected president. Below are some of Martin’s reflections of the event.

Earlier this month, the Atlanta International Arbitration Society co-hosted its 9th annual lecture with the Charlotte International Arbitration Society, held at Wyche Law Firm in downtown Greenville, South Carolina. Stacie Strong, Acting Professor of Law at Emory University Law, presented “Rage Against the Machine: Governing the Use of AI in International Arbitration,” to a hybrid crowd of practitioners, students, and academics.

Her lecture discussed the potential copyright concerns in using AI, such as who owns the created data, as well as privacy concerns given that AI generators have the ability to move past firewalls and other security measures. Discussion included a critique of how the increasing use of AI in arbitration, and across the broader legal field, is training students and young lawyers for the profession, and developing the building block skills of research, writing, and cite checking.

Strong advised that in arbitration, both parties agree during preliminary discussions on the use of AI, and that arbitrators proactively raise the issue with their clients.

Martin reflected on the value of this topic for law students in particular:

“[Strong’s] perspective is helpful for students who are interested in best practices in arbitration, and especially those ‘digital natives,’ for whom AI usage feels like a natural extension of technology already ingrained in their legal education, such as LexisNexis case searches. For students who are interested in international arbitration, generative AI use may offer cost and time savings on the front end, but the pitfalls, especially when arbitrating across common- and civil-law countries, outweigh this potential.”

Strong has taught at law schools around the world and has acted as a dual-qualified (England-US) practitioner with major international law firms in the UK and the US. She has also written over 130 books, articles, and other works and has acted as an expert consultant to a variety of governmental, non-governmental and intergovernmental organizations. A full biography can be found on Emory University’s website.

Invitation to virtual AtlAS Lecture this Thursday, cosponsored by our Center and featuring international arbitration expert Horacio Grigera Naón

The University of Georgia School of Law Dean Rusk International Law Center is honored to host the 5th annual Atlanta International Arbitration Society Lecture at 6 p.m. this Thursday, April 23. The event will be held remotely this year due to the ongoing COVID-19 situation.

Delivering the lecture will be Dr. Horacio Grigera Naón, whose expertise in international arbitration spans more than 30 years, and who is now serving as a Distinguished Practitioner in Residence and the Director of the International Commercial Arbitration Center of the Washington College of Law, American University, Washington, D.C.

Grigera Naón’s previous positions include Secretary General of the International Court of Arbitration of the International Chamber of Commerce and Senior Counsel for the International Finance Corporation. He holds LL.M. and S.J.D degrees from Harvard Law School, LL.B and LL.D. degrees from the School of Law of the University of Buenos Aires, and is a member of the Bars of the Argentine Federal, New York, District of Columbia and United States Supreme Court Bars.

This lecture series began in 2016 in honor of Glenn Hendrix, the founding president of the Atlanta International Arbitration Society, a non-profit organization that seeks to grow the international arbitration community in the southeastern United States. AtlAS sponsors the annual event in conjunction with academic institutions in the region – including Georgia Law, a founding AtlAS member.

This year’s event will begin with introductory remarks from AtlAS President Philip W. “Whit” Engle and Georgia Law Dean Peter B. “Bo” Rutledge.

Joining AtlAS and Georgia Law’s Dean Rusk International Law Center in presenting this year’s event is King & Spalding LLP, a founding law firm of AtlAS.

Registration for the free event is required and available here.

Georgia Law Dean Bo Rutledge, student Katherine Larsen publish commentary on promise of new international mediation treaty

A new treaty seems poised to raise the profile of mediation as a way of resolving disputes, according to commentary by the dean and a student researcher here at the University of Georgia School of Law.

Coauthoring the Daily Report article, entitled “Singapore Convention Presents an Opportunity for Georgia in Mediation,” were international dispute resolution expert Peter B. “Bo” Rutledge, Dean and Herman E. Talmadge Chair of Law at Georgia  Law, and 3L Katherine Larsen.

The United States belongs to a number of treaties – most notably, the UN Convention on the Recognition and Enforcement of Foreign Arbitral Awards, concluded in New York in 1958 and so known as the New York Convention – that make make arbitration awards enforceable. This membership, the article observed, “has given arbitration a comparative advantage over other forms of dispute resolution.”

But that could change once the 2018 UN Convention on International Settlement Agreements Resulting from Mediation – named the Singapore Convention in recognition of the city where it was concluded last December –  enters into force. Some predict that could happen within a year, the authors wrote, then focused on the significance of this for the state of Georgia:

“Much like it adopted an international arbitration code, the state should consider enacting an international mediation law tied to the provisions of the Singapore Convention. Such legislation could enhance Georgia’s appeal as a mediation forum and build upon its reputation as a jurisdiction hospitable to business, including the resolution of business disputes.”

The full commentary is available here. A Global Atlanta news report on a related talk that Dean Rutledge delivered at the annual conference of the Atlanta International Arbitration Society is here.

Georgia Law Dean Bo Rutledge, student Katherine Larsen to speak to Atlanta International Arbitration Society on ECJ ruling, proposed treaty

Later this week, international arbitration expert Peter B. “Bo” Rutledge, Dean and Herman E. Talmadge Chair of Law at the University of Georgia School of Law, will co-present with 2L Katherine Larsen at a luncheon meeting of the Atlanta International Arbitration Society (AtlAS). The lecture, entitled “Achmea and the Proposed International Mediation Convention: Implications for the U.S. Lawyer,” will take place 12 noon-1:30 p.m. this Friday, April 5, at the Atlanta office of King & Spalding.

The presentation will discuss the recent decision of the European Court of Justice in Achmea v. Slovakia, the proposed Singapore Convention on Mediation, and the implication of these developments for lawyers in the United States.

The meeting is open to the public. Persons interested in attending who are not AtlAS members should RSVP to ruskintlaw@uga.edu. 

Atlanta International Arbitration Society to explore skills and cultures in upcoming conference

atlas-logoThe Dean Rusk International Law Center is delighted to serve as a cooperating entity for the 7th annual conference of the Atlanta International Arbitration Society (AtlAS). Next week’s conference will take place on Monday, November 12, and Tuesday, November 13, and will explore the theme “Skills and Cultures: the Road Ahead for International Arbitration.”

The first day of the conference will feature four Tertulia sessions — or roundtable discussions — that will focus on cultural norms in international arbitrations, and how those norms may be distinct in different parts of the world. These conversation will set the stage for the second day of the conference, which will consist of panels exploring the skills useful in today’s multicultural international arbitration practice.

3 photosSpeakers and participants will come to Atlanta from around the world, as detailed in the full program, and will feature keynote remarks by: Ann Ryan Robertson, International Partner, Locke Lord, Houston; David W. Rivkin, Partner, Debevoise & Plimpton, New  York; and Olufunke Adekoya, Partner, AELEX, Lagos.

The conference is bookmarked by two events aimed at young practitioners. On Monday before the Tertulia sessions begin, the AtlAS Young Practitioners Group will present a panel, “Document and Data Management (and Protection) In International Arbitration.” It will feature experts from Accra, Atlanta, Singapore, and Paris. On Wednesday following the conference, the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators Young Members Group and the Alliance for Equality in Dispute Resolution will co-host “Re-wiring the Brain: Practical Steps to Address Inclusion and Diversity in International Dispute Resolution.” It will feature speakers from Chicago, London, and Washington, D.C.

Three University of Georgia School of Law students will serve as rapporteurs for the conference; we look forward to posting their reflections on the conference in due course.

 

Georgia Law hosts Hendrix Lecture by arbitration expert, Geneva Professor Gabrielle Kaufmann-Kohler

The University of Georgia School of Law Dean Rusk International Law Center is honored to host the second annual Hendrix Lecture of the Atlanta International Arbitration Society at 6 p.m. Monday, March 27, 2017, at its Atlanta campus, 3475 Lenox Road N.E.

Delivering the lecture will be Gabrielle Kaufmann-Kohler (left), a Professor of Law at the Geneva University Law School in Switzerland. Known worldwide for her expertise in international arbitration, she has:

► Acted in over 200 international arbitrations, mainly as an arbitrator; and

► Appeared on numerous institutional arbitration panels, including those of the International Chamber of Commerce, International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes, American Arbitration Association, London Court of International Arbitration, Singapore International Arbitration Centre, and the China International Economic and Trade Arbitration Commission.

A partner at the Geneva law firm Lévy Kaufmann-Kohler, she formerly practiced law at Schellenberg Wittmer and Baker & McKenzie. She is a member of the Bars of Geneva and New York and of the American Arbitration Association, and  is the Honorary President of the Swiss Arbitration Association.

The Hendrix Lecture is named for Glenn P. Hendrix (right), a partner in the Atlanta office of Arnall Golden Gregory LLP and a founder of the Atlanta International Arbitration Society, also known as AtlAS. Georgia Law is among the founding member organizations of the Society, a non-profit organization that seeks to grow the international arbitration community in the southeastern United States.

This year’s Hendrix Lecture is jointly presented by AtlAS and the Dean Rusk International Law Center, and is part of the law school’s Georgia Women in Law Lead (Georgia WILL) initiative. It is cosponsored by Georgia Law’s Women Law Students Association and its International Law Society. Cooperating entities include the Atlanta Center for International Arbitration and Mediation, the Washington, D.C.-based American Society of International Law, JAMS, the Vienna International Arbitration Centre in Austria, and the International Institute for Conflict Prevention and Resolution in New York City.

Registration, snacks, and drinks will begin at 6:00 p.m., and the lecture will begin at 6:30. There will be a reception to follow. A few seats still remain; please register and join us!