Moderated by Thomas Streinz and featuring panelists Adele Barzelay, Nathalie Smuha, and Yirong Sun, the panel addressed Artificial Intelligence, specifically the challenges and importance of regulatory schemes that address the risks associated with AI.
As stated by Krivuts:
“…the uncontrolled usage of AI technologies poses numerous risks to users, governments, and society at large. However, when subjected to appropriate regulations, the use of AI may be beneficial. In today’s world, we can observe how AI technologies have already permeated various aspects of our lives, much like the invention of the internet reshaped the course of human progress decades ago. Therefore, to ensure the effective, and more importantly, safe utilization of AI technologies, international organizations and foreign nations should collaborate in the development of comprehensive AI regulations.”
Krivuts attended ABILA’s ILW along with 7 other Georgia Law students through the support of Louis B. Sohn Professional Development stipends, detailed in a prior post (here). Krivuts’ full blog post can be accessed here.
Top row, from left to right: Aashka Vyas, Bohdan Krivuts, N’guessan Clément Kouame, Savelii Elizarov Bottom row, from left to right: Anna Carolina Mares, Eman Abdella Ali, Shivani Ravi Prakash, Victoria Agbakwuru, and Sarah Quinn
Each fall, the American Branch of the International Law Association hosts its annual International Law Weekend (ILW) conference in New York City. This event features over 30 panels, and many of the world’s leading international lawyers and diplomats participate. Audiences recently have included more than a thousand practitioners, academics, U.N. diplomats, business leaders, federal and state government officials, NGO leaders, journalists, students, and interested citizens.
This year, the University of Georgia School of Law was a sponsor of the event, and eight students attended through the support of Louis B. Sohn Professional Development Scholarships awarded by the Dean Rusk International Law Center. This builds on a tradition of supporting students seeking professional development opportunities (Prior posts here, here, and here). Recipients of the scholarships this year included:
ILW keynote speakers included Ambassador Sheikha Alya Ahmed Saif Al Thani, Permanent Representative of the State of Qatar to the United Nations, and Judge Gatti Santana, President, International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals. The students enjoyed hearing a range of perspectives on the current international law scheme and how its shortcomings and challenges may be met. For example, one of the panels that Vyas attended was “Investment Law and Energy in times of Armed Conflict.” She appreciated the legal framing of the recent events in Ukraine, and noted that these discussions illuminate the “…considerable gaps…in the current legal regime” and how they could potentially be addressed by “…adopting new measures to maintain cross-border investments during armed conflict.” Kouame, meanwhile, enjoyed the panel entitled “Trade, Labor Rights and Forced Labor.” He said that the panelists provided insight concerning the enforcement of labor and human rights provisions of the USMCA directly related to a research project he is conducting under Professor Christopher M. Bruner.
In addition to the ILW programming, students met with LL.M. alumni working in New York. These included Julie Guo (LL.M., ’09), who hosted students in her firm’s New York City office; along with Parham Zahedi (LL.M., ’18) and Tatyana Popovkina (LL.M., ’23), who met with students before the conference on Saturday. In both meetings, students were able to learn about the experiences of Guo, Zahedi, and Popvkina at UGA Law, how they prepared for the New York bar exam, and their advice for conducting domestic job searches. Students appreciated their insights; Mares, for example, commented that her conversations with alumni reminded her of the strength of the UGA Law community. “Alumni spoke about their gratitude for time spent at UGA and mentioned wanting to do as much as possible to help UGA grads entering the legal field,” she reflected. “Though New York is a competitive market to enter, with hard work and support from fellow UGA grads, it appears to be in reach as a dynamic place to establish a legal career.”
Each of the eight UGA Law students who attended the ABILA ILW agreed that being able to attend this type of professional conference is valuable as they learn about the field of international law and consider their professional futures. Ravi Prakash noted the event’s “transformative impact” on her professional aspirations. “This experience introduced me to a network of highly accomplished individuals in the realm of international law, many of whom are prolific writers, professors, ambassadors and successful attorneys in the field,” she commented. “Interacting with these experts not only expanded my knowledge but also provided valuable insights and connections that will be invaluable in my journey. On a personal level, it instilled in me a deeper passion for international law and a sense of belonging within this community of experts. This event has undoubtedly set me on a path to a more promising and fulfilling future in international law.”
exchange of notes 