Three Texas A&M University School of Law professors participated in the 95th Annual Meeting of the American Branch of the International Law Association (ABILA) on Oct. 27-29, 2016, in New York City.

Founded in Brussels in 1873, and now headquartered in London, ABILA’s primary focus is "the study, clarification and development of international law, both public and private, and the furtherance of international understanding and respect for international law.”

Mainly known as International Law Weekend, the events were held at the New York City Bar and Fordham University School of Law.

The meeting, which coincided with the International Law Week at the United Nations, attracted more than 1600 registered participants from 36 countries. It also featured a special reception hosted by the Peru Permanent Mission to the United Nations.

Professor Peter Yu, a world-renowned international intellectual property law expert who co-directs the Center for Law and Intellectual Property at Texas A&M University School of Law, co-chaired the annual meeting. Yu has served on the board of the ABILA for more than a decade and currently chairs its Committee on International Intellectual Property.

"It is a tremendous honor to serve as this year's conference co-chair," Yu said. "With over 1000 student participants, this event has provided a wonderful forum to introduce international law to law students. It has also enabled them to learn more about the diverse career opportunities in this important area."

On Friday, Oct. 28, Yu moderated a panel on "The Investment-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights.” The panel featured academics and non-governmental organizations representatives from different parts of the world. Yu's article on this topic, which is forthcoming from the American University Law Review, served as the panel's background paper.

On Saturday, Oct. 29, Professor Milan Markovic, an expert on professional responsibility and international law, organized a panel on "Empirical Research on International Legal Education." He presented his empirical study on "How Cosmopolitan Are International Law Professors?" The study, which he co-authored with Ryan Scoville of Marquette University Law School, is forthcoming from the Michigan Journal of International Law.

Professor William Magnuson, who joined the law school this fall, organized a panel on "Innovations in International Trade and Investment Agreements." Magnuson is an expert on international business transactions and mergers and acquisitions. The panel was very well-attended, and the question-and-answer format provoked interesting discussions concerning the changing regulation of international trade and investment.

“The International Law Weekend is one of the great conferences in international law, bringing together leading politicians, practitioners and scholars to discuss the most pressing issues in global governance," Magnuson said. "It was my distinct pleasure and honor to participate in the conference, and I was particularly happy to see the growing number of students who attended. It is a promising sign for the future of international law."

The law school will host International Law Weekend—South, an ABILA regional conference, titled "The Global and Local Future of International Trade, Human Rights and Development," on March 2-3, 2017.

The conference will cover a wide range of topics, including trade, sustainable development, resource management, intellectual property, the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act and the role of judges in enforcing international and regional agreements.

Confirmed plenary speakers include: Edward Kwakwa, Senior Director, Global Challenges Department and former Legal Counsel, World Intellectual Property Organization; Dinah Shelton, Manatt/Ahn Professor of International Law Emeritus, The George Washington University Law School; Ricardo Ramirez, Member, World Trade Organization Appellate Body; and Eduardo Ferrer MacGregor, Vice President, Inter-American Court of Human Rights.

International Law Weekend—South is co-chaired by Yu and Professor Charlotte Ku, Associate Dean for Global Programs. Other members of the planning committee are Magnuson, Markovic, Professor Sahar Aziz, Professor Irene Calboli, Professor Gabriel Eckstein and Professor Elizabeth Trujillo.