The International Law Section Gazette | | |
In today’s Gazette, I’d like to highlight two things:
First, we’ve officially launched our CLE Catalog on the Section’s website! Whether you’re looking to sharpen your litigation skills, explore cross-border tax planning, or dive into international arbitration, our catalog gives you on-demand access to a growing library of programs curated by and for global practitioners.
Second, mark your calendars for October 16–19: we’re going truly International for our ILS Retreat in the Dominican Republic! This will be an unforgettable opportunity to connect with colleagues, earn CLE credit, and enjoy the beauty and hospitality of the Caribbean. Stay tuned for registration details—space will be limited!
Thank you for reading and as always, we’d love to hear your ideas about how the ILS can better serve you.
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July 30 – ILS Webinar on Discretionary Determinations Before USCIS and the Department of State: How to Present the Most Compelling Cases (online)
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August 25 - 30 - AIJA Annual Congress, Washington, D.C.
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August 31 – Application Period Closes for Board Certification in International Law
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September 1 – Application Period Opens for Board Certification in International Litigation & Arbitration
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September 15 - Deadline for Submissions in MIAS Writing Competition
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October 1 – Application Period Closes for Board Certification in International Litigation & Arbitration
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October 16 - 19 - ILS Retreat in the Dominican Republic
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February 12, 2026 - Mid-Year Executive Council Meeting
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February 13, 2026 - iLaw 2026
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February 14, 2026 - Richard DeWitt Memorial Vis Pre Moot
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Episode 1 of the Florida Bar International Law Section Lightning Round Series dropped on July 23rd featuring Jim Meyer! If you haven't tuned in yet, you can still watch it here:
https://www.linkedin.com/posts/internationallawsection_floridabar-floridabarinternationallaw-legalservices-activity-7353789137574891521-4iH6?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop&rcm=ACoAADHbRUUB6W09oFiN1AnzmWtAMh02jBGlTbs
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Second Circuit Holds that Federal Courts Lack Subject-Matter Jurisdiction to Vacate Foreign Arbitral Awards Under the New York Convention
The article written by Reed Smith's Ed Mullins and Juan M. Hernandez, covers the Second Circuit Court of Appeal's recent decision in Molecular Dynamics, Ltd. v. Spectrum Dynamics Med. Ltd., No. 24-2209-cv, 2025 U.S. App. LEXIS 16278 (2d Cir. July 2, 2025) where the court unanimously affirmed that federal courts do not possess subject-matter jurisdiction to vacate foreign arbitral awards. You can read the full article here:
https://www.reedsmith.com/en/perspectives/2025/07/second-circuit-federal-courts-jurisdiction-arbitral-new-york-convention
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Join the Global Legal Community in Washington, D.C. – AIJA Annual Congress | August 25–30, 2025 | |
The 63rd Annual Congress of the International Association of Young Lawyers (AIJA) will take place in Washington, D.C. from August 25–30, 2025. This is the first time in over a decade that AIJA’s flagship event will be held in the United States, and it presents an exceptional opportunity for Florida-based lawyers and firms to engage with a truly global legal community.
AIJA is the only global association dedicated to lawyers and in-house counsel aged 45 and under. Each year, its Annual Congress gathers over 500 young legal professionals from more than 90 countries for a full week of CLE-accredited programming, high-level panel discussions, and dynamic social events designed to foster international relationships and professional development.
Florida attorneys will find the Congress especially rewarding as it offers the chance to meet peers from around the world, learn from experienced practitioners across jurisdictions, and develop new referral relationships with international firms.
Registration is open to both members and non-members of AIJA. Attorneys of all seniority levels are encouraged to promote this opportunity within their firms to support the development of the next generation of international legal talent.
To learn more and register, visit: https://washington-dc.aija.org/register-now
| Call for Submissions to the 2025 MIAS Writing Competition! | | Register Now for the ILS Webinar on Discretionary Determinations Before USCIS and the Department of State: How to Present the Most Compelling Cases Featuring Larry Rifkin, Elaine Weiss and Juan Carlos Freire! | | Get Florida Bar Board Certified in International Law! Deadline to Submit Your Application is August 31, 2025! | | |
Did you know that only about 50 Florida Bar members are Florida Bar Board Certified Specialists in International Law. If you are an international law practitioner, you should consider the advantages of Board Certification by the Florida Bar. Board Certified International Lawyers can objectively state to their clients that the Florida Bar has certified that they are experts in International Law 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 law — 50% or more — during each of the three years immediately preceding application;
- 60 hours of approved international law certification continuing legal education in the three years immediately preceding application;
Peer review; and
The application filing period runs July 1-August 31 of a given year to determine eligibility to sit for the exam in March of the subsequent year. Applications must be postmarked by August 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 Law 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 Law Certification – The Florida Bar or the International Law website at Board Certification – International Law Section.
| | The International Law Quarterly | | The ILQ Publishes its Spring 2025 Issue, Focus on International Law Under the Trump Administration, Available Now! | | |
The Spring 2025 Issue of the International Law Quarterly - "Focus on International Law Under the Trump Administration" is now available, featuring the latest submissions by ILS members, including articles focused on the Trump Administration's effects on immigration, economic security, tariffs, and more!
Click on the images above to download or please click here!
For all previous issues of the International Law Quarterly, please follow this link.
| | 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 2025 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, Jeffrey Hagen at jhagen@harpermeyer.com or Vice Treasurer, Adrian Nuñez at nuneza@gtlaw.com for more details.
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ILS Board Members and Officers
Chair: Cristina Vicens Beard
Chair-Elect: Laura Reich
Secretary: Davide Macelloni
Treasurer: Jeffrey S. Hagen
Vice-Treasurer: Adrian Nuñez
Immediate Past Chair: Ana M. Barton
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ILS Executive Council
Terms Expiring 2026
Matthew Akiba
Lauren Bengochea
Neha Dagley
Gary E. Davidson
Nouvelle Gonzalo
Susanne Leone
Jennifer Mosquera
Terms Expiring 2027
Priscila Bandeira
Fabio Giallanza
Penelope Perez-Kelly
Frederic Rocafort
Terms Expiring 2028
Phillip Buhler
Kristin Drecktrah Paz
Prof. Manuel A. Gomez
Omar K. Ibrahem
David O'Steen
Eve Perez-Torres
Lyubov Zeldis
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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