INTERNATIONAL LAW WEEKEND (ILW 2021)

Call for Panel Proposals

Deadline: May 30, 2021

Deadline extended to June 30, 2021

The American Branch of the International Law Association (ABILA) is glad to announce our call for panel proposals for the International Law Weekend 2021 (ILW 2021)—the premier international law event of the fall season. ILW 2021 is scheduled for October 28-30. The conference will be hosted virtually by Arbitration Place, given the continued uncertainty posed by the global pandemic. While we look forward to gathering in person again soon, we recognize that the virtual format brings the benefit of broader accessibility. We aim to make ILW 2021 the most inclusive iteration to date.

The ILW Organizing Committee (Committee) invites panel proposals to be submitted online by May 30, 2021 June 30, 2021. Please note that proposals will only be accepted through the online ILW Panel Proposal Submission Form. CLICK HERE TO SUBMIT A PROPOSAL.

The unifying theme for ILW 2021 is Reinvesting in International Law, a topic of considerable interest under the present circumstances which we hope will allow us to discuss the important role international law can play.

The theme of ILW 2021 is as follows:

Hindered by a retreat from multilateralism, the international legal community is struggling to respond to the global challenges of our day: climate change, economic inequality, impunity for atrocity crimes, and now the pandemic. We are at a key inflection point in crafting our response to these challenges. We must ask ourselves, “where is the international legal order meeting expectations and where is it falling short?” Where should we reinforce the current system and where must we develop new solutions? How can we revitalize our global health, economic, and human rights institutions to make them more durable and impactful? Where do we require more robust legal frameworks and where, perhaps, do we need less regulation? How should we tailor our reinvestment in international law?

ILW 2021 will explore these issues through a diverse set of engaging and provocative panels. As in prior years, given the virtual format, we anticipate over 2,000 participants including practitioners, academics, diplomats, business leaders, federal and state government officials, NGO leaders, journalists, students, and interested citizens. We plan to include a broad array of both public international law and private international law topics in each time slot.

When submitting your proposal, please consider the following points:

• Panel proposals may concern any aspect of contemporary international law and practice including, but not limited to the international law on the use of force, international economic law (including trade and investment), human rights, international humanitarian law, international organizations, international environmental law, national security, cyber law, international criminal law, international intellectual property, the law of the sea and outer space, and legal theory. When submitting your proposal, please identify the primary area(s) of international law that your proposed panel will address.

• Please provide the names, titles, and affiliations of the moderator and panelists. Please also indicate whether these speakers have confirmed their intent to participate if the panel is chosen.

• We plan to promote representation and dialogue among diverse voices at ILW 2021. Per the ILA Guidelines for Gender Diversity, all panels must include at least one woman as a speaker, and preference will be given to panels with gender parity. Further, the Committee will give preference to panels that include representation of historically underrepresented groups and promote dialogue across different professional perspectives, including scholars and practitioners.

• Please identify what format you are proposing for your panel. We welcome various formats, such as debates, roundtables, lectures, and break-out groups, as well as the usual practice of panel presentations.

• Please indicate whether you are an ABILA member and whether your panel is sponsored by an ABILA committee(s). Preference will be given to panels submitted by one or more committees, and particularly to joint submissions. Committees may submit multiple proposals, but a maximum of one panel will be selected.

• CLE credit will be available for certain panels. We encourage you to consider taking the necessary steps to qualify your panel for CLE credit.

For questions regarding ILW 2021, please contact: [email protected].

ILW 2021 Organizing Committee Members:

Julian Arato, Co-Chair
Amity Boye, Co-Chair
Nawi Ukabiala, Co-Chair
Carolina Arlota
Pamela Bookman
Kathleen Claussen
J. Benton Heath
Gabrielle McKenzie
Frédéric Sourgens
Milena Sterio
Peter Tzeng
Isavella Vasilogeorgi
Madaline George, Program Manager
Leila Sadat, ex officio
Michael Scharf, ex officio
David Stewart, ex officio