The International Law Section Gazette | | |
Dear ILS Members and Friends,
Our fall ILS calendar offers plenty of opportunities to connect—on land, at sea, and online!
We are especially excited to set sail for the Bahamas on October 23-26 aboard Royal Caribbean’s “Wonder of the Seas” for our ILS Annual Retreat. Our Fall Executive Council Meeting will take place on October 24, with a Zoom option available for those who cannot join us aboard the ship. Whether in person or online, we look forward to a productive conversation.
Back on dry land, our ILS Webinar Series continues on November 4, from noon to 1:00 p.m., with “EB5 Program Update and the Trump Visas,” featuring Larry Rifkin, Juan Carlos Freire, and Elaine Weiss. The program will explore practical considerations for preparing cases and advising clients, including the potential benefits, pitfalls, and legal issues surrounding the Trump Visa Program. Please see the flyer below for registration information and available CLE credit.
Then, on November 19 at noon, we will gather at the Citrus Club for our Annual Orlando Luncheon. I love this annual event, and I am looking forward to spending time with our Central Florida members and friends. These gatherings are an important part of building connections across our statewide Section, and I encourage you to bring a colleague who would enjoy getting to know the ILS. Please RSVP to Deborah Kallas at dakallas@bmdpl.com by November 13.
There are also some important deadlines approaching. The editors of the International Law Quarterly are seeking articles for the Winter 2027 issue, focused on Art and Media in International Law. Please submit a short statement of interest to Jennifer Mosquera at jmosquera@sequorlaw.com by October 30 (note, final drafts of articles are due November 27). And for members interested in pursuing International Litigation and Arbitration Board Certification, remember that the application deadline is October 31.
The best part of a busy ILS calendar is the chance to spend time with the people who make this Section such a welcoming and engaging community. I look forward to seeing you this fall!
Onward together,
Laura M. Reich
Florida Bar ILS Chair
lreich@harpermeyer.com
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October 23 - 26, 2026 - ILS Annual Retreat aboard the Royal Caribbean "Wonder of the Seas" Bahamas 3-day cruise
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October 24, 2026 - Fall ILS Executive Council Meeting as part of the ILS Annual Retreat (Zoom option available for those not attending the Retreat)
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October 30, 2026 - Deadline to submit Statement of Interest for the Winter 2027 edition of the International Law Quarterly to Editor, Jennifer Mosquera jmosquera@sequorlaw.com
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October 31, 2026 - Deadline to submit application for International Litigation and Arbitration Certification
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November 4, 2026, 12pm-1pm ILS Webinar Series EB5 Program Update and the Trump Visas featuring Larry Rifkin, Juan Carlos Freire, and Elaine Weiss
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November 19, 2026, 12pm ILS Annual Orlando Luncheon at the Citrus Club 255 S Orange Ave, Ste. 1800, Orlando FL 32801
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November 28 - December 4, 2026 - Miami Arbitration Week 2026
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December 2, 2026 - MIAS 5th Annual LATAM Investor-State Arbitration Conference at University of Miami - Shalala Student Center
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February 12, 2027 - iLaw 2027 at JW Marriot Marquis
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February 13, 2027 - Richard DeWitt Memorial Vis Pre Moot at JAMS's Miami Office
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Save the Date! Join us for iLaw 2027! | |
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Mark your calendars: The Florida Bar International Law Section’s flagship conference returns February 12, 2027, at the JW Marriott Marquis in Miami.
Expect to join legal practitioners from 20+ jurisdictions for plenary sessions, a stand-out keynote, incredible networking, and three breakout tracks: International Litigation, International Business Transactions, and AAA-ICDR International Arbitration.
| The Application Period for Board Certification in International Litigation & Arbitration is Open! | |
Did you know that only about 30 Florida Bar members are Florida Bar Board Certified Specialists in International Litigation & Arbitration. If you are an international litigation or arbitration practitioner, you should consider the advantages of Board Certification by the Florida Bar. Board Certified International Litigation & Arbitration Lawyers can objectively state to their clients that the Florida Bar has certified that they are experts in International Litigation & Arbitration and that they have been rigorously vetted and tested for expertise! Board Certified lawyers earn the title “B.C.S.” meaning “Board Certified Specialist”.
Minimum standards for international law certification, include:
- Practice of law as a Bar member for at least five years, in either the United States or abroad, or four years with an LL.M. in international law or a related field;
- Substantial involvement in the specialty of international litigation and arbitration during the three years immediately preceding application;
- Substantial involvement in a minimum of 16 contested international litigation and arbitration matters during the eight years immediately preceding application;
- 50 hours of continuing legal education in the field of international litigation and arbitration in the five years immediately preceding application;
Peer review;
The application filing period runs September 1 - October 31 of a given year to determine eligibility to sit for the exam in March of the subsequent year. Applications must be postmarked by October 31. Eligible applicants who pass the exam will be officially certified in June. Certifications are valid for 5 years, the expiration upon which the expert must be re-certified.
Concerned about getting enough International Litigation and Arbitration Certification CLE credits to apply? No worry! The International Law Section provides ample opportunities to earn those credits through its CLE programs, including the annual iLaw ILS Forum on International Law, speaking opportunities and the ability to earn certification credit by writing articles for the ILS’ International Law Quarterly magazine.
The Florida Bar Board of Legal Specialization has found that the likelihood that a client will choose a Board Certified lawyers over one that is not Board Certified is between 25 and 40%! Don’t miss out on getting a step ahead of the competition! For more information, consult the Florida Bar website at International Litigation & Arbitration Certification – The Florida Bar or the International Law website at Board Certification – International Law Section.
| Call for Articles for the Winter 2027 Edition of the International Law Quarterly! | The editors of the International Law Quarterly are now accepting articles for the Winter 2027 edition with a focus on Art and Media in International Law! If you're interested, please submit a short statement of interest to Editor, Jennifer Mosquera jmosquera@sequorlaw.com by October 30, 2026. | Join us for an ILS Webinar on the EB5 Program & the Trump Visas! | |
Join us on November 4, 12pm - 1pm, for the next installment in our ILS Webinar Series, EB5 Program Update and the Trump Visas featuring Larry Rifkin, Juan Carlos Freire, and Elaine Weiss
Register here: EB5 Program Update and the Trump Visas
| Join us for the ILS Annual Orlando Luncheon! | |
Join us on November 19, 12pm, for our Annual Orlando Luncheon at the Citrus Club 255 S Orange Ave, Ste. 1800, Orlando FL 32801!
RSVP to Deborah Kallas dakallas@bmdpl.com by November 13.
| Save the Date: MIAS 5th Annual LATAM Investor State Arbitration Conference in Partnership with ICSID! | |
LISA 2026: MIAS 5th Annual LatAm Investor-State Arbitration Conference, in partnership with ICSID
Wednesday, December 2, 2026 | University of Miami School of Law
This year, the Miami International Arbitration Society (MIAS) is presenting its flagship investor-state conference in partnership with ICSID. Martina Polasek, Secretary-General of ICSID, will give the keynote.
The conference falls on the Wednesday right after ICC Miami and just before Art Basel Miami Beach, so it's a natural anchor for anyone in town for a full week of arbitration, art, and the Miami December calendar. The program brings together practitioners, arbitrators, government counsel, and academics working across Latin American investment disputes.
Early-bird rates are available through October 31.
Register: [https://www.mias.org/event-details/5th-annual-latam-investor-state-arbitration-conference]
| University of Miami International Moot Court Team Takes Home World Championship at Sports Arbitration Moot! | |
Congratulations to the University of Miami's International Moot Court team for winning the World Championship at the Sports Arbitration Moot in Madrid last month!!
Read more about their outstanding achievement here:
From sole U.S. finalist to world champion in Madrid highlights International Moot Court Program
| The Spring 2026 International Quarterly is Here! | |
The Spring 2026 International Law Quarterly is here!
This issue focuses on compliance under a variety of legal frameworks across various jurisdictions including foreign investments under U.S. law, E.U. sustainability and franchise law compliance matters, and compliance with immigration law developments in the United States.
Read the full issue here: https://bit.ly/3PSwa0N
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The International Law Deskbook (Second Edition) is Here! | |
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The International Law Deskbook 2026 (Second Edition) is finally HERE! The Second Edition of the International Law Deskbook features 31 in-depth chapters: From international business, trade, finance, tax, immigration, and family law to litigation, arbitration, mediation, ethics, IP, environmental law, e-commerce, human rights, and international criminal and travel law, this edition covers it all.
This Deskbook is not only for Florida practitioners or those seeking Board certification in International Law. The Deskbook provides real-world guidance for navigating today’s complex international legal landscape, and includes highly anticipated “Doing Business” chapters, which offer jurisdiction-specific insights on Mexico, Canada, China, India, the European Union, and Africa. You can see the Deskbook’s table of contents and a sample chapter on our website.
Get your copy today!
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| Call for Member Submissions for the ILS Gazette! | |
Join the International Law Section! | | |
If you are reading the Gazette, chances are that you are a practitioner or a student with an interest in International Law, one of the most wide-ranging, exciting and challenging legal specialties. Everyone in our field knows how crucial it is to stay on top of diverse and evolving national legal regimes, and at the same time, the difficulty of keeping meticulously up-to-date on developments around the world.
The International Law Section (ILS) of The Florida Bar is here to help you, the practitioner, navigate both the everyday and big-picture challenges of our field. Our Section is your forum to share knowledge and best practices, and to meet and mingle with peers in professional collaborations that can only enhance your grasp of the specialty and your standing among clients and peers.
Let ILS membership assist you in developing a thriving international practice through peer network development that includes important shared learnings and reciprocal referrals of clients and casework.
If your practice transcends borders, join us in making this the authoritative, go-to forum for Florida and the gateway to the region for anyone practicing International Law. Our Section is open to lawyers from other states and countries, full-time faculty at U.S. law schools, and full-time U.S. law students, all of whom may participate as associate members. For more information regarding membership with the ILS, click HERE.
Turn in your membership application TODAY!
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The ILS Thanks its 2026 Sponsors
We look forward to another year of innovative programs where we can advance international law in Florida and further promote our sponsors.If interested in sponsoring the ILS, please contact our Treasurer, Adrian Nuñez at nuneza@gtlaw.com or Vice Treasurer, Omar Ibrahem at omar@okilaw.com for more details.
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ILS Board Members and Officers
Chair: Laura Reich
Chair-Elect: Davide Macelloni
Secretary: Jeffrey S. Hagen
Treasurer: Adrian Nuñez
Vice-Treasurer: Omar K. Ibrahem
Immediate Past Chair: Cristina Vicens Beard
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ILS Executive Council
Terms Expiring 2027
Priscila Bandeira
Fabio Giallanza
Penelope Perez-Kelly
Frederic Rocafort
Terms Expiring 2028
Phillip Buhler
Kristin Drecktrah Paz
Prof. Manuel A. Gomez
David O'Steen
Eve Perez-Torres
Lyubov Zeldis
Terms Expiring 2029
Matthew Akiba
Neha Dagley
Gary E. Davidson
Nouvelle Gonzalo
Susanne Leone
Jennifer Mosquera
To learn more about the ILS Executive Council Members, click here!
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The ILS Gazette is a weekly publication of the Florida Bar International Law Section that informs members about upcoming programs, initiatives and resources.
If you have any questions about the Gazette or wish to include an announcement in future publications, please contact our ILS Gazette Editor, Alain Acanda at aacanda@sequorlaw.com.
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