Curriculum Guide · Courses

Professors John Jackson and C. Christopher Parlin

J.D. Seminar 285 (cross-listed) | 3 credit hours

In 1995, the World Trade Organization (WTO) was established as a result of the Uruguay Round Trade Negotiations (1986-94). The treaty rules that came into force provide a very complex legal framework for international economic relations.

This seminar explores selected important legal and "constitutional" subjects concerning international economic legal activity, mostly focusing on the World Trade Organization (WTO), with special attention to its powerful dispute settlement system (DSS). The goal of the seminar is to develop a fundamental understanding of the WTO DSS procedures and the extensive and intricate jurisprudence that has been developed during its nineteen year existence. Attention will be directed to how the WTO DSS principles and rules affect and influence the way diplomacy and policy making address major problems of international economic relations in the current globalized environment. Consideration will be given to the significance of bilateral and plurilateral agreements and their impact of the multilateral system, with appropriate attention to the agreements being negotiated in the Trans Pacific Partnership and the prospect of an EU-US Free Trade Agreement.

The seminar is privileged to have distinguished co-teachers with extensive government and private sector experience. Various other invited experts will visit the seminar for discussion of these and other related problems.

Students are required to write a paper relevant to the materials discussed.

Prerequisite: This course is designed to attract students interested in developing proficiency in this subject matter and therefore there is no prerequisite. However, students will benefit from a basic understanding of international trade and the WTO, either through a course or independent study.

THIS COURSE REQUIRES PROFESSOR PERMISSION TO ENROLL. Interested students should email Professor Christopher Parlin at parlinc@law.georgetown.edu by 5:00 p.m. on June 3, 2013 to request permission. Please use the subject line, “REQUEST FOR PERMISSION TO ENROLL: LAPIER” in your email.