Events

The 2023 Executive Training Brochure is available for download 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, their development objectives, or their human rights or environmental obligations.

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 practice, and investment governance more generally, and understand what those developments mean for them in their respective roles. This program aimed to fill that need, and was aimed specifically at addressing states’ objectives, opportunities and challenges facing governments in treaty reform, and other approaches to investment governance, including dispute prevention and alternatives to ISDS. 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 investment policy, including setting parameters for negotiations, ratifying treaties, and adopting implementing legislation; Government regulators  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 development institutions and inter-governmental organizations working on issues relating to international investment law and policy.

Through this virtual program, government officials increased their knowledge of the international investment law and policy landscape, 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.

When and how will the training be delivered?

The sessions took place live on Zoom from September 18-22, 2023 from 9am - 11:30am EST. They were hosted as a combination of lectures, Q&A, and guided discussions. The program syllabus and background materials were available through the course platform Canvas. Sessions were taught by leading academics and practitioners and were tailored to uniquely address issues relevant to governments.

Who should attend?

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

What are the program fees?

Wwe required a $500 program fee from all accepted participants, with a limited number of partial or full scholarships available for candidates from low-income countries.
 

If you have any questions about the program, or if you would be interested in sponsoring participants in the program, please contact us at [email protected].

Scholarships & Sponsors

Past support for the training has been provided by:

• Arnold & Porter
• Baker McKenzie
• Curtis, Mallet-Prevost, Colt & Mosle LLP
• Dechert LLP
• Foley Hoag LLP
• GST LLP
• International Development Law Organization (IDLO) as part of its Investment Support Program for Least Developed Countries funded by the European Union
• Ignacio A. Torterola Scholarship
• Kirkland & Ellis 
• MSK
• PWC
• Squire Patton Boggs
• Winston & Strawn LLP