Executive Training on Investment Treaties and Arbitration for Government Officials

Date: July 31-August 10, 2017
Location: Columbia University

Download the 2017 Executive Training Brochure here. 

Governments around the world are facing complex and pressing issues relating to their international investment treaties. Investor-state arbitrations based on those treaties are on the rise, involving ever-more novel and wide-ranging claims, and often claiming staggering sums in damages. Negotiations of new treaties continue, with many of these agreements being unprecedented in terms of the issues they seek to cover and the complexity of their provisions. States are also facing significant questions about what to do with their stocks of existing investment treaties, many of which no longer reflect the states’ treaty policies and practices.

Against that background, there is an important need for officials in all branches and at all levels of government to learn about and stay up to date on new developments in investment treaty content and investor-state arbitration law and practice, and understand what those developments mean for them in their respective roles. This course aims to fill that need, and is aimed specifically at addressing the issues, opportunities, and challenges facing governments. It is relevant for:

• Treaty negotiators responsible for shaping the content of new agreements or revising existing ones;
• State attorneys responsible for defending the state in investor-state arbitral proceedings or overseeing outside counsel;
• Members of parliament or congress responsible for setting parameters for negotiations, ratifying treaties, and adopting implementing legislation; as well as those with questions about whether and in what circumstances their actions may give rise to investment arbitration cases;
• Government regulators – whether responsible for areas of taxation, environmental regulation, investments in mining and infrastructure, or other areas – whose actions are often challenged in investor-state arbitration and for whom the content of investment treaties can have important practical implications;
• Officials in investment promotion agencies who may be asked about investment treaties, and whose actions can also give rise to investment treaty claims;
• State and local officials who want a better understanding of how investment treaties and investment arbitration can be relevant for and impact their roles and responsibilities; and
• Representatives of government development institutions and inter-governmental organizations working on issues relating to international investment law and policy.

Through an intensive course, government officials will increase their knowledge of crucial procedural and substantive aspects of investment law, better equipping them to deal with this complex and ever-evolving field with wide ranging implications for myriad areas of law and policy, and direct consequences for host-state liability.

Participants elected to attend only Module 1, which relates to substantive issues of investment law, only Module 2, which focuses on procedural and practical issues regarding resolution of investment disputes and handling investment arbitrations, or both.

A Certificate of Attendance was provided by Columbia University upon successful completion of the course.

For more information about the program, please download the 2017 Executive Training Brochure here.  

Who should attend?

The program is designed for public sector officials whose responsibilities relate to investment treaty negotiation or investor-state arbitration.

All participants must be able to read and communicate in English.

If you have any questions about the program or if you would be interesting in sponsoring participants in the program, please contact us at ccsi@law.columbia.edu.

Faculty

Sessions are taught by leading academics and practitioners and are tailored to uniquely address issues relevant to governments. 2017 Faculty bios are available here.

CCSI wishes to thank the following benefactors for scholarships granted to participants of the 2016 Executive Training on Investment Arbitration for Government Officials: