Basic HTML Version
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