The International Law Section Gazette |
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Dear ILS Members,
The New Oxford American Dictionary defines “cer-ti-fi-able” as 1) able or needing to be certified or 2) officially recognized as needing treatment for mental disorder. Based on that definition and my years of association with the ILS, I respectfully submit that all of our members could safely be labeled as such. While I would be glad to share some stories with you regarding the second prong of the definition over a Kalik in Bimini at our upcoming Retreat in October, I would prefer to stay focused today on prong one. That is, if you are not already Board Certified in International Law or International Litigation and Arbitration, thanks to the tremendous efforts of a few of our key Committees and their Chairs, I can assure that you are most certainly “certifiable.”
Our International Certification Chair, Jennifer Diaz, together with Past-Chair Clarissa Rodriguez, is doing an amazing job of making the process and the exam more accessible, approachable and up-to-date. In fact, she is in the process of revamping the exam specifications, the exam outline, and the exam questions. It has been at least 7 years since the last overall. So, this re-vamp is long overdue. Perhaps, most importantly, especially for someone trying to study for the test, she is in the process of making sure the exam aligns as much as possible with the current version of the ILS Desk Reference Book, a wonderful and comforting luxury that none of the current Board Certified Specialists had when they took the exam. She is doing great work and racing against the exam clock to get this gargantuan task finished in time.
For those who have already been “Certified” under prong one of the definition above with expertise in international business transactions, travel law or e-commerce, you can help by volunteering to write new questions for the upcoming exam. If you are interested, please contact me right away at [email protected] or Jennifer Diaz directly, and we will put you to work immediately on this important project.
For those who are interested but still in the process of qualifying to take the exam, our wonderful and amazing CLE Chair, Katherine “Katie” Sanoja has you covered. She is currently working with Jennifer and Clarissa on a “How to Earn CLEs” link and spotlight in the ILS Desk Book link (see in the Gazette below and on the website) as well as a webinar on “How to Become Certified (Prong One)” (parenthetical added). Please let any of us know if you would like to participate in either of those projects as well.
Finally, if your international practice is not of a general or transactional nature but more focused on disputes and such, I am glad to report that Gary Davidson is doing a great job as Chair of the International Litigation and Arbitration Board Certification Committee, and that the program has been an unmitigated success despite youth and inexperience (for avoidance of doubt, I am referring to the program, not Gary). CLE and “How To…” programs will also soon be available for this certification process as well.
With regard to those members also qualifying under the second prong of the definition, and with our Retreat in Bimini still fresh in mind, just remember what Jimmy Buffet told us in one of his ageless anthems, Changes in Latitudes, Changes in Attitudes. “If we weren’t all crazy, we’d go insane.”
Very truly yours,
James M. Meyer
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ILS Retreat in the Bahamas |
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Dear ILS Members:
We are in full planning mode for the ILS Retreat, which will take place October 8-10, 2021 in Bimini, Bahamas. To be better able to coordinate logistics, we would appreciate if you could help us by completing this VERY SHORT (2 question) survey:
Thank you in advance. We can't wait to see you all in the Bahamas in a few months!
Best,
The ILS Board
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iLaw2022: Call for Proposals and Steering Committee Members |
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Save the Date for iLaw! The ILS's flagship event, the iLaw2022 Conference, will take place on Friday, February 18, 2022, at the JW Marriott Marquis in Downtown Miami. Trust us, you will not want to miss it this year!
The planning for iLaw2022 has started - Get involved! If you have an idea for a topic to be featured at next year's iLaw, please send us a proposal including (i) the title of the proposed panel, (ii) a short description of the topic, and (iii) proposed panelists and moderator. We are also looking for steering committee members. The first steering committee meeting will be in September. If you have a topic proposal or if you would like to get involved with the planning of the iLaw2022, please send an e-mail to Cristina Vicens at [email protected].
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Call for Articles: Legal Globalization
The editors of the International Law Quarterly are soliciting articles for the Fall 2021 edition, which will focus on Legal Globalization. Possible topics include (but are not limited to):
• global anticorruption efforts,
• international judgment recognition,
• environmental issues, such as global trading in carbon credits,
• international security issues,
• treaties and public international law,
• treatment of refugees,
• and more!
PLEASE NOTE, timely articles not specifically dealing with Legal Globalization will be considered for inclusion in this edition.
Please submit a short Statement of Interest in writing an article on a specific topic to the ILQ Editors at [email protected] by Wednesday, July 21, 2021.
The Fall edition of the ILQ will be distributed at and in connection with the annual ILS Retreat. Final drafts will ve due from the authors by Friday, August 20, 2021.
If you have any questions, please fell free to reach out to [email protected] or to one of the editors directly: Ana Barton, Neha Dagley, Jeff Hagen, or Laura Reich.
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International Law Deskbook 2020
The International Law Section is proud to announce that its International Law Deskbook 2020 is now ready for shipping! Get yours today!
To purchase the International Deskbook 2020, please click HERE to log into your account on the Florida Bar's website. Once logged in, please click HERE to search for the International Deskbook 2020 by entering the course number 4039. You will then find the International Deskbook 2020 under "Course Materials."
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Call for New Members - Law School Liaison Committee
The Law School Liaison Committee (LSLC) is seeking to expand its membership to energetic individuals who can help strengthening the relationship between the ILS and law schools from Florida and beyond. We are particularly keen in adding young members (i.e., having graduated from law school within the last two years). Anyone interested in joining the committee should email Professor Manuel Gomez at: [email protected].
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International Law Section - Call for Member News
The Executive Board of the International Law Section calls for all Members to share news about their professional achievements, endeavors, and successes to be published in the Gazette and on the International Law Section website.
To share your professional achievements with the ILS Network, please submit all relevant information to Davide Macelloni, Editor of the ILS Gazette, at [email protected].
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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.
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Priscila Bandeira Lessa Joins Shutts & Bowen |
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Priscila Bandeira Lessa has joined Shutts & Bowen's International Dispute Resolution Practice Group. as an Associate. At Shutts, Priscila will focus her practice on complex litigation matters, international arbitration, and international business transactions. A member of the Florida Bar and Brazilian Bar, Priscila is fluent in Portuguese, French, and Spanish. For more information, please follow this link.
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Meet the 34 Florida Bar Members Board Certified
in International Litigation and Arbitration
Gilbert K. Squires
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Gilbert K. Squires, B.C.S., P.E., FCCA, CIArb, is a native of the Republic of Panama. He is Board Certified in both International Law and International Litigation and Arbitration. Born and raised in Panama City, Panama, Gilbert (aka “G” by his close friends and “Kirk” by family) grew up with martial arts, chess, debate, track & field athletics, math, history, literature, geography, philosophy, and science. In addition, he has an affinity for music and languages. Spanish is his first and formal language. He studied English and Latin in secondary school (7th through 12th-grade equivalent). While in school, extracurricular, he studied French at the “Alliançe Francais.” His parents planned for him to study in Switzerland. However, on the untimely accidental death of his father, Gilbert came to the United States instead to pursue undergraduate engineering studies. A Roku Dan (6th Degree Black Belt) in Tomiki Ryu Aikido, Gilbert, recently celebrated 50 years in the Martial Arts. In addition, he is an over 20-year Yogi and lifelong Mindfulness Meditation practitioner.
In 1980, Gilbert earned a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering, emphasizing Material Science at Texas A&M University. His career started as an Offshore Drilling Engineer with Exxon Company USA in New Orleans, Louisiana. Next, Conoco, Inc. recruited him to Ventura, California, where he served as a Senior Drilling Engineer and Assistant Drilling Manager. Conoco later transferred him to Oklahoma City as California Operations Engineering Manager. There, he started night Law School at Oklahoma City University School of Law. Next, the company transferred him to Houston, Texas, as Chief of Staff to the worldwide Vice-President of Exploration and Production Technology. He continued attending night Law School at the University of Houston Law Center while serving in other executive international positions in acquisitions, new ventures, and business development postings in Indonesia, The Netherlands, and Brazil.
In 1993, Squires completed his law studies at the University of Houston and earned the Juris Doctor from Oklahoma City University Law School. In 1994, he was promoted and transferred to Mexico City, Mexico, as President of Conoco Mexico Limited. In 1996, he left Mexico to come to Miami, Florida, and form a Consulting Company seeking and promoting oil and gas and energy deals throughout sub-Saharan Africa and Latin America. In addition, he consulted with Universal Music Latin America to set up the region’s Content Management Organizations. He lived and work for a short term in Barra de Tijuca, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
He later sat for the Florida Bar Exam. He began his practice as a Florida Bar attorney specializing in International Litigation, Arbitration, Oil and Gas, and Cross-Border Business and Probate matters. Admitted to practice law in the District of Columbia and New York, Gilbert litigates and arbitrates cases throughout the United States. He represents individuals, businesses, and foreign governments in a variety of matters. Squires has been an American Arbitration Association and International Centre for Dispute Resolution Arbitrator for nearly twenty years of complex commercial, construction, maritime, and energy matters. A Fellow of the College of Commercial Arbitrators, he is a Texas Registered Professional Engineer (Petroleum) and Diplomate in International Arbitration from the UK Chartered Institute of Arbitrators.
Squires currently serves as a managing member and co-founder of Squires International Law, PLLC. Gilbert is a native Spanish speaker fully bilingual in English and fluent in Portuguese, French, and Italian. Additionally, he is conversational in Dutch, Afrikaans, Hebrew, Japanese, and Greek. Squires is the (’19-’20) Past President of the Dade County Bar Association (now Miami Dade Bar Association). He’s a longtime Florida Bar International Law Section member and is on ADR Section’s Executive Council. Squires is a Florida Super Lawyer and Florida Legal Elite, among other accolades.
Why did you become Board Certified in International Litigation and Arbitration? In 1990, I took a Law School course in International Litigation and Arbitration and knew that I wanted to be an International Litigator and Arbitrator someday. I have been an Arbitrator for nearly twenty years. Florida Bar Presidents Michael Hager and Michelle Suskauer appointed Squires to the Inaugural Certification Committee of International Litigation and Arbitration. To which I brought my professional expertise to complement my outstanding committee colleagues. This specialization dovetails nicely with my International Law Certification and helps distinguish me from those colleagues without these certifications practicing in the field. One of Stephen Covey’s Seven Habits of Highly Successful People, by which I live is to “Sharpen the Saw” — The Seventh Habit: “Seek continuous improvement and renewal professionally and personally.”
What are some benefits you received from being Board Certified? First, it has brought valued professional notoriety domestically and abroad. Colleagues and potential clients desire to associate with me and seek my counsel. Second, it has made a difference when speaking in national and international media. Third, although I am the same person that I was before certification, it seems to cause some people to view me differently.
Any best tips or advice to ILS Members preparing for the Certification Exam? One, learn the certification requirements and prepare early. Two, Get a Certification Mentor, a person who does not have a conflict and can guide you through the preparation process. Three, expose yourself to the active practice of intranational litigation and arbitration. Four, learn about the Conventions, Arbitral Rules, Rules of Evidence and Procedure including their application to international matters, motions, complaints, discovery, and another practice point in the field. Make it your point to Google, Pacer, and find cases in the milieu. Five, find ways either individually or through your firm if you are at a significant firm to work and learn in the arena. Finally, do not discount pro bono opportunities. Additionally, you can join and become an active member of the Florida Bar’s International Law Section and Alternative Dispute Resolution Section.
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ILS Regional Sponsor, Geoffrey M. Wayne, P.A., is looking to hire an associate attorney and administrative assistant.
Candidates for the associate attorney position should have 3-5 years of experience in the areas of Estate Planning and Probate. The ideal candidate will have experience in complex estate planning for high-net-worth individuals and families, estate tax planning, probate and trust administration (preferably with experience with non-U.S. estates). The candidate must be a self-starter with a strong work-ethic, organizational skills, and excellent oral communication skills. LLM in Taxation is preferred. To apply, please email your résumé and salary requirements to Geoffrey M. Wayne at [email protected] and Cindy E. Calderon at [email protected].
Geoffrey M. Wayne, P.A., is also seeking a motivated individual to join the firm as a full-time administrative assistant (entry level applicants welcome to apply). The candidate will be intensely mentored to acquire new and improve existing skills. Proficiency in Spanish preferred, although not required for the right candidate. To apply, please provide résumé, cover letter (optional), and contact information to [email protected].
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The International Law Quarterly - Spring 2021 |
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The Spring 2021 Issue of the International Law Quarterly - Shifts in International Law Under the Biden Administration is now available. Click on the image above to download! For all previous issues of the International Law Quarterly, please follow this link.
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ILS Thanks its Sponsors
In light of what we accomplished this past year, we hope you will continue to support the Section as a sponsor. In 2019-2020, various firms, companies and suppliers sponsored the Section.
We look forward to another year of innovative programs where we can advance international law and further promote our sponsors. To learn more, read the Section's sponsorship package. You can also contact our Treasurer, Ana Maria Barton at [email protected], or Vice Treasurer, Cristina Vicens Beard at [email protected] for more details.
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The ILS Gazette
Editor: Davide Macelloni
Chair: James M. Meyer
Immediate Past Chair: Robert J. Becerra
Chair-Elect: Jacqueline Villalba
Secretary: Richard Montes De Oca
Treasurer: Ana Barton
Vice-Treasurer: Cristina Vicens Beard
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© 2021. All Rights Reserved. |
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