COURSE DESCRIPTION 2012 2013

NAFTA and International Trade Seminar

Mr. TBA,

2 credits day; 2 credits evening.

The WTO is at the legal center of globalization. NAFTA is the prototype for an eventual Free Trade of the Areas of the Americas. The first part of the course will focus on general issues of globalization and international trade as embodied in U.S. legislation, the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT), and the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). The second part of the course will introduce you to the NAFTA treaty and survey a few emerging legal issues surrounding the treaty. We will study various NAFTA provisions, its dispute settlement process, and NAFTA's methods of addressing environmental and labor controversies in the three countries. We will also look at NAFTA in the context of multilateral agreements such as GATT and the WTO as well as its impact on the economic and political structures of the three participating countries. The course will explore the distinctions between fair and unfair trade, and definitions and remedies concerning dumping, subsidies, safeguards, voluntary restraint agreements and similar practices. The course will also focus on international investment, including investment in developing countries, the role of the World Bank, the spread of Bilateral Investment Treaties, and the investment provisions of the North America Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). Both parts of the course will emphasize the interrelation between legislation (national and international) and the opportunities and techniques of dispute settlement. The class will be structured around a course book; however, extensive reading of theoretical articles may be required. Grading will consider class participation.

Prerequisite: There are no prerequisites for this course, though a course on international trade either prior to or in conjunction with this course is recommended.

Enrollment is limited: 20

Elective Course

On List of Recommended Perspectives Courses

Meets Financial Services Concentration Requirements

Meets International Law Concentration Requirements

May Fulfill Legal Writing Requirement

Take Home Exam or Paper Required

LLM Course