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internationallawsection.org                                                        Wednesday, June 7, 2017
The International Law Section Gazette
Florida Bar Convention

Message from the ILS Chair

Dear Section Members,                                                           
 
People often ask me, "What's the best way to get more involved with the ILS?"  My answer is always the same, "Start by attending the Executive Committee meetings at the Bar convention." 
 
Our next meetings will be on Thursday, June 22 - Friday, June 23, at the Florida Bar's annual convention at the Boca Raton Hotel & Club.  Note that these meetings are not exclusive to the executive committee; we strongly encourage everyone to join us.  This is the best way to meet your fellow Section members, learn about what the ILS does, and make friends and professional contacts that will last a lifetime.
 
First on the agenda, beginning Thursday June 22, at 10 a.m. to noon, will be the Section's panel on Escalation Clauses in Cross Border Dispute Resolution:  Why Your Client Wants Mediation.  This panel, organized by ADR Committee Chair Ricardo Cata, will feature true heavyweights from the corporate world, including in-house corporate counsel for GE Oil & Gas, Fluor, and Bechtel, and others.  Truly, this will be a must-attend panel for anyone interested in the international arbitration process.
 
Then, Thursday night we will hold our storied annual party in the Chair's suite from 8 p.m. to whenever.  Again, all Section members are invited and encouraged to attend what will not doubt be an excellent evening of social networking!
 
On Friday, June 23, we begin at 9 a.m. with committee meetings (a great time to join one), then proceed to the formal executive committee meeting at 10 a.m.  Following the formal meetings we will have our annual section luncheon.  This year's luncheon will feature a presentation on the Section's recent trip to Havana that I think everyone will really enjoy.  There's a small fee associated with the luncheon (so be sure to sign up with Angie Froelich at the Bar ( AFroelich@floridabar.org), but otherwise there is no charge to attend any of the Section's events (and you certainly don't need to register for the entire Bar convention).
 
These events will be a great culmination to a great year, and an even better beginning to what promises to be another fantastic year under our incoming Chair, Arnie Lacayo. 
 
Look forward to seeing everyone there!



EOIR Meeting with Assistant Chief Immigration Judge

On May 10, 2017, Larry Rifkin attended a liaison meeting on behalf of the Florida Bar International Law Section at the Miami Immigration Court to meet with Assistant Chief Immigration Judge (ACIJ) Christopher Santoro. Mr. Santoro's role was to present at the end of his year-long tour a list of recommendations to the Chief Immigration Judge in Falls Church, Virginia to address some of the concerns and deficiencies in the current procedures and policies of the Immigration Courts nationwide. For more details about the meeting, you can refer to Mr. Rifkin's notes.


Meeting with the Department of Labor - Office of Foreign Labor Certification

On May 10, 2017, Larry Rifkin participated in a meeting with the Office of Foreign Labor Certification (OFLC) with regard to the Program Electronic Review Management (PERM) system used for applying for labor certification.  The objective of the meeting was to improve the quality of applications submitted to the OFLC. For more details about the meeting, you can refer to Mr. Rifkin's notes.

Section News

ILS Tax Committee - Planning Meeting

The ILS Tax Law Committee will be holding a planning meeting on June 15th at the offices of Aballí Milne Kalil located at 1 SE 3rd Avenue, Suite 2250, Miami, FL 33131.  The meeting will take place at 6:00pm and refreshments will be served.  Please RSVP to the Committee Chair Megan Campos at  mcampos@aballi.com  by Monday, June 12th.


Escalation Clauses in Cross Border Dispute Resolution: Why  Your Client Wants Mediation

On June 22, the ILS will hold a CLE program at the Annual Convention of the Florida Bar in Boca Raton.  The topic of the program will be  Escalation Clauses in Cross Border Dispute Resolution: Why  Your Client Wants Mediation.  Ricardo Cata, chair of the ILS' Mediation Committee will  moderate the panel. 

Learn from your corporate clients about what they want and why. For those engaged  in cross border practice whether from the standpoint of a transaction attorney or a  litigator, whether in-house or outside counsel, join us for this important discussion of  evolving trends in managing disputes more economically and efficiently. Learn new  developments that may inform your drafting of dispute resolution clauses for cross  border deals as well as your approach to resolving cross border disputes. For more information, please refer to the event brochure .



Members News
Glenn Cooper to Serve as Chair of GMCC Governmental Affairs Group

Business immigration attorney Glenn M. Cooper, shareholder in GrayRobinson's Miami and Fort Lauderdale law firm offices, was elected to serve as chair of the Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce Governmental Affairs Group. Mr. Cooper, who previously served as vice-chair of the group, has served in various capacities at the chamber, including vice-chair of public policy and has served on the board of directors since 2013.



 
Peter Quinter Featured in the Florida Trend Magazine

Peter Quinter, Shareholder, Customs and International Trade Law Group, GrayRobinson, P.A., Miami, was profiled in the June 2017 issue of The Florida Trend magazine. The article is entitled: "Accustomed to Trade: Miami Attorney Represents Importers and Exporters". 



 
MDO Partners Brings International Business And Legal Insights To Beijing On GMCC China Mission 

MDO Partners' International Advisor for the Asia Pacific Region, Moying Xing, participated in an international mission trip in China coordinated by the Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce (GMCC). Ms. Xing , who serves as a liaison for the firm and its U.S. clients to establish and develop business in mainland China, Hong Kong, Japan, Singapore and other countries in the region, joined the Tianjin and Beijing portion of the ten-day mission.
 
The GMCC America's Linkage China & Hong Kong Mission took place from April 15-25, 2017 and included visits to several cities in China in addition to Hong Kong.
 
"This trade mission was an excellent opportunity to further our firm's international presence and facilitate our clients' growing interest in the Asia market,"  said MDO Partners' Managing Partner Richard Montes de Oca. "We are pleased to continue to provide our clients with experienced and reliable expertise in this important market."
 
Jennifer Diaz Speaking Engagements

Jennifer Diaz, President of Diaz Trade Law was a featured speaker in the seminar entitled "ABC's of AD/CVD & CBP Enforcement" also featuring U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) on May 10th, 2017 at the Miami Free Zone and a featured speaker in the seminar entitled "FDA FSMA Compliance Seminar for Importers" also featuring the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on May 18th, 2017 at the Miami Free Zone.


Peter Quinter to Speak at "Redirecting Real Estate" Seminar

Peter Quinter of GrayRobinson PA will be a speaker at the CREW Miami Redirecting Real Estate luncheon, which will take place at the Four Seasons Hotel in Miami on Thursday, May 18 at 11.30. For more information, please refer to the event's brochure.
 
Upcoming Events


June 8-9, 2017
The New York State Bar Association International Section will hold a seminary on Cross-Border Mergers and Acquisitions June at the offices of Pepper Hamilton in New York City, 620 Eigth Ave, 37th Floor. The cross-border mergers and acquisitions (M&A) market is one of the most active areas for international lawyers. Affected by elements ranging from conflicting laws, traditions and cultures to restrictions on foreign investments, this critical area of international practice is a driving force for many lawyers and their clients. Like any relationship however, a typical international M&A transaction will progress through a series of stages before the parties arrive at a union. For more information, please refer to the event's brochure.

June 11-13
The annual ABA Section of International Law Europe Forum will be held in Barcelona this year at the Fairmont Rey Juan Carlos I Hotel. This popular annual conference will address hot topics and recent developments in Europe and the United States.  The presentations will be relevant to practitioners who already work in an international environment and to those who want to enhance their cross-border exposure.  The programs will examine legal issues related to both cross-border transactions and international dispute resolution.  In addition, participants will enjoy valuable networking events in unique and memorable venues. For more information, please refer to the event's website




June 15, 2017
The ILS Tax Law Committee will be holding a planning meeting on June 15th at the offices of Aballí Milne Kalil located at 1 SE 3rd Avenue, Suite 2250, Miami, FL 33131.  The meeting will take place at 6:00pm and refreshments will be served.  Please RSVP to the Committee Chair Megan Campos at  mcampos@aballi.com  by Monday, June 12th.

June 22, 2017
The ILS will hold a CLE program at the  Annual Convention of the Florida Bar.  The topic of the program will be Escalation Clauses in Cross Border Dispute Resolution: Why  Your Client Wants Mediation.  Ricardo Cata, chair of the ILS' Mediation Committee will  moderate the panel. For more information, please refer to the event brochure.

June 27, 2017
The Florida Bar International Law Section, together with Moscow International University of Foreign Relations (MGIMO) have organized a legal seminar in Moscow in June 27, 2017, focusing on American-Russian Business and Investment topics, dedicated to furthering US-Russian business relations for mutual economic benefit, despite political disagreements. This event is planned to be the first of a series of annual symposiums between attorneys in the US and Russia, alternating in venue between North America and Russia. MGIMO will provide facilities including direct translation and on-line session video & broadcasting, so that US attorneys will have ample opportunities to participate remotely. Course book and video will be available. Outstanding lecturers include eminent legal practitioners and academics involved in international investment, tax and business law. The event is free of charge and the organizers have applied for 5 CLE Credits with the Florida Bar. This event will be also feature a cultural program (for which attendance charges will apply). For more information click here for the event program.

 
October 8-13, 2017
The 2017 IBA Annual Conference in Sydney, Australia will feature around 200 conference sessions. These vary widely in style and, with the core substantive committee sessions at the heart of the conference programme covering most sectors and practice areas, the conference will provide the opportunity to focus on your own areas of interest. Click here to download the event brochure.

October 22-23, 2017
Will the push or pull of nationalist sentiments affect where and how businesses resolve cross-border disputes? Might the relationship between national courts and arbitral tribunals shift?  Will the backlash against globalism encompass or impact the world of international arbitration? These and more questions will be topics of debate at the ATLAS - Atlanta International Arbitration Society 6th annual conference titled  International Business Disputes in an Era of Receding Globalism. Additional details will follow soon.

October 24-28, 2017
The ABA Section of International Law Fall Conference on the Americas will be held in Miami at the JW Marriott Marquis, October 24- 28, 2017 with the topic "Doing business in the Americas in the New Global Economy: A New Dawn in the Hemisphere".


Winter 2017 ILQ
ILQ Spring 2017 Issue - Message from the Editors
Dear Members of the International Law Section:
 
We are gearing up for our Spring 2017 International Law Quarterly ("ILQ"), and we wanted to reach out to see if any of you would like to submit an article for the publication. 
 
The ILQ, now in its 33rd year, is one of the premier journals covering international law topics and is distributed to the ILS's 1,000 or so members.  Links to our Fall 2016 and Winter 2017 Editions may be found here ( https://www.dropbox.com/s/sogd0t09q4enh18/IL-2016%20Fall%20-%20FINAL.pdf?dl=0) and here ( https://www.dropbox.com/s/1bndkigtibzajt3/IL-2017%20Winter%20-%20final.pdf?dl=0).
 
The Spring 2017 ILQ will focus on international aspects of cybersecurity and data privacy law.  The deadline for submission of articles is 31 March.  Articles should be 8-10 pages, double-spaced, and should conform with the provisions of the ILQ Style Guide.
 
Currently, we already have authors discussing the following topics, so please choose another topic:
 
  • The EU's increasingly aggressive enforcement of data protection laws.
  • Cross-border cooperation in criminal cases and some unique considerations presented in the cybercrime context.
  • Homeland Security and Data Privacy.
 
Please let us know if you are interested in submitting an article, and, if so, your proposed topic. 
 
Regards,
 
Rafael Ribeiro - ILQ Editor-in-Chief
Javier Peral - Editor
Loly Sosa - Editor
 
International Law Quarterly (ILQ)
The Winter 2017 ILQ - Focus on International Internal Investigations is now available to view and download here.



If you are interested in submitting an article in the next ILQ or have questions, please contact Rafael Ribeiro: rafael.ribeiro@hoganlovells.com.

Visit our Sponsors                                             
ILS thanks its sponsors for the 2016-2017 cycle
 
Global
Hemispheric
Regional
  • Aballi Milne Kalil, P.A.
  • Sequor Law 
  • Hogan Lovells
  • Akerman
  • Bilzin Sumberg
  • Greenberg Traurig
  • White & Case
  • Bryan Cave
  • Coffey Burlington
  • Fowler White Burnett
  • MDO Partners
  • Harper Meyer
  • Kobre & Kim LLP 
  • Stokes McMillan Antunez
  • Tenzer PLLC
  • Wilberforce

In light of what we accomplished this past year, we hope you will continue to support the Section as a sponsor. In 2016-2017, various firms, companies and suppliers sponsored the Section. We look forward to another year of innovative programs where we can advance international law and further promote our sponsors.  Contact Elizabeth Ortega at  eco@ecostrats.com   for more details.

  Become a Sponsor  for the 2017-2018 Cycle
The ILS Gazette

Editor: Fabio Giallanza

Chair: Alvin F. Lindsay, III
Immediate Past Chair: Eduardo Palmer
Chair-Elect: Arnoldo B. Lacayo
Secretary: Carlos F. Osorio
Treasurer: Clarissa Rodriguez