The International Law Section Gazette | | |
Dear ILS Members and Friends,
Committees are the beating heart of the International Law Section. They are where ideas become programs, where members find ways to get involved, and where so much of the work that makes the ILS such an active and connected organization begins.
Over the last few weeks, many of our committees – including Asia, CLE, Europe, Human Rights, Immigration, Vis Pre-Moot, iLaw, the International Law Quarterly, and more! – have held meetings and begun planning for the 2026-2027 Bar year. It has been wonderful to see so many members coming together and laying the groundwork for the months ahead.
Our Arbitration & Mediation Committee took their energy and enthusiasm a step further on Tuesday evening with an in-person meeting at JAMS. Congratulations to Committee Chair Javier Fernandez-Samaniego for leading a terrific meeting and thank you to Sherman Humphrey at JAMS for hosting! Fifteen members attended, making it a terrific evening of brainstorming and planning. You can see a photo from the meeting below.
On October 24, our committees will have an opportunity to share their plans for the year with the ILS Executive Council. I am looking forward to hearing what each committee has in store for us! If you have not yet found a committee to call your own, there is still plenty of time to get involved. The ILS committees are listed below in the Gazette, and their Chairs would be pleased to hear from you. Please join a committee and help shape what we accomplish together this year!
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 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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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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Yesterday, the Florida Bar International Law Section’s Arbitration & ADR Committee held its 2026-2027 kickoff gathering at JAMS' Miami International Arbitration Center. Thank you to everyone who came and made the gathering a substantive exchange of ideas for growth! | |
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.
| 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.
| 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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