2016 Small States conference programme and videos

Integration and International Dispute Resolution in Small States

19 & 20 May 2016
Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr LLP
49 Park Lane, London, W1K 1PS United Kingdom

Programme

The aim of this 1 1⁄2 day conference is to bring together representatives of Small States, as well as lawyers litigating in or for Small States (defined as those states with a population of 1.5 million or less) and academics, to discuss the particular issues these jurisdictions face in regard to international dispute resolution and regional integration.

Small States are a micro-cosmos and allow the study of some legal phenomena more easily. On the other hand, Small States face specific issues due to their demographical, geographical size, and the size of their economies. Of particular interest are the commercial relations between large economies and Small States, the role of Small States as financial centres as well as B2B and State to State dispute resolution involving Small States.

DAY 1, 19 May 2016: SETTING THE SCENE

12.30–13.00: Registration

13.00–14.45: Integration in Small States

Opening Petra Butler [video]

Keynote Panel:

• Edwini Kessie, Office of the Chief Trade Advisor, Pacific Island Countries, Vanuatu [video]
• Mele Tupou, Chief Executive, Ministry of Justice, Tonga [video]
• Dr David S Berry, Dean of Law, University of the West Indies, Barbados [video]

Commentators:

• Professor Francesco Schurr, University of Liechtenstein
• Professor Baldur Þórhallsson, Centre for Small States, University of Iceland
• Elizabeth Bakibinga-Gaswaga, Commonwealth Secretariat
• UNCITRAL

Chair: Steven Finizio, partner Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr LLP, London [video]

14.45–16.30: Commercial Relations with Small States

• WTO & Free Trade
  Dr David S Berry, Dean of Law, University of the West Indies, Barbados [video]
  Dr Jan Yves Remy, Sidley Austin LLP, Washington [video]

• Anti-dumping & Competition Policy
  Professor George Barker, Australian National University, Canberra & research fellow BIICL [video]

• Intellectual Property Consequences - a View from the Pacific
  Professor Sue Farran, University of Northumbria, Newcastle [video]

• Integrated Energy Programmes of Small Island Developing States
  Agnieszka Ason, Technische Universität, Berlin Chair: James Bridgeman, FCIArb, Dublin [video]

Panel questions and answers [video]

16.30–17.00: Coffee break

17.00–18.15: Small States as Financial Centres

• Regional Frameworks for the Supervision and Regulation of Financial Entities
  Professor Gordon Walker, Hamad Bin Khalifa University, Doha
• Tax Law
  Françoise L.M Hendy, Special Advisor & Lead Treaty Negotiator, Barbados High Commission, London
• Influence of Big States on Small States
  Professor Francesco Schurr, University of Liechtenstein [video]

Chair: Dr Eva Lein, Herbert Smith Senior Research Fellow in Private International Law, BIICL [video]

Questions and Answers conclusion day 1 [video]

18.15: Concluding Speech Professor Robert G Volterra, University College London, partner Volterra Fietta [video]

from 19.00: Reception

DAY 2, 20 May 2016: DISPUTE RESOLUTION AND SMALL STATES

09.30–11.30: Dispute Resolution involving States

• Experiences of Small States in State-to-State Dispute Resolution
  Stephen Fietta, partner Fietta, London [video]
• Cost-Efficiency in State-to-State Dispute Resolution
  Brian McGarry, Director, Centre for Diplomacy & International Security, London Centre of International Law Practice [video]
• The politics of investment treaties involving Small States
  Lauge Poulsen, University College London [video]
• Investor-State Disputes involving Small States
  Dominic Roughton, partner Herbert Smith Freehills LLP, London [video]

Chair: N. Jansen Calamita, Director, Investment Treaty Forum, BIICL

Panel [video]

11.30–12.30: Key Note Speech by Gary Born, partner Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr LLP, London
International Commercial Arbitration: Law for Small States? [video]

12.30: Lunch break

13.30–17.00: International B2B Dispute Resolution

1) International Litigation

• Justice Winston Anderson, Caribbean Court of Justice, Port of Spain, Trinidad & Tobago [video]
• Barbara Dohmann QC, Blackstone Chambers, London [video]
• Alex Layton QC, 20 Essex Street, London [video]

2) International Arbitration

• International Commercial Arbitration in Pacific Island States Desley Horton, Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr LLP, London [video]
• International Commercial Arbitration involving Small States Conway Blake, Debevoise & Plimpton LLP, London [video]
• The Bilateral Arbitration Treaty Regime- the Answer for SMEs in Small States Jack Graves, Touro College of Law, Central Islip, New York [video]

3) International Mediation

• Commercial Mediation in the Asia Pacific Geoff Sharp, Clifton Chambers, Wellington [video]
• Mediation in the Channel Islands Michel Kallipetis QC, Independent Mediators Limited and Quadrant Chambers, London [video]

Chair: Tony Willis, Brick Court Chambers, London

Commentators:

• James Bridgeman FCIArb, Dublin;
• Edwini Kessie, OCTA, Vanuatu;
• Elizabeth Bakibinga-Gaswaga, Commonwealth Secretariat;
• Professor Nadja Alexander, Singapore International Dispute Resolution Academy;
• UNCITRAL

Final discussion panel [video]