Showcasing the International Trade Law Student Association

Showcasing the International Trade Law Student Association
INTER PARES December 2008 issue

By Laura Little and Lori Leung

A newly revived student club named the International Trade Law Student Association (ITLSA) or l’Association Étudiante du Droit Commercial International (AEDCI), along with the many other actively involved Common Law Student Society clubs, has plans for a busy school year.

The ITLSA is an organization for students who are interested in international trade law, international commercial law and related linkages between these two practice areas and other key areas of policy and law, including for example, socio-economic development, business/corporate law, consumer advocacy, investment law and government relations. ITLSA intends to build on the Faculty of Law’s unique strengths in this ever-growing field of international law. Being affiliated with a school located in the nation’s capital serves as yet another advantage from an international perspective in terms of accessibility to expertise and resources.

The executive and its members aim to serve as a liaison between students and renowned legal professionals practicing, and academics studying in this unique area, as well as to foster discussion on international trade law issues at the Faculty. Moreover, they seek to enhance the experience of students interested in international trade law by informing them of relevant events and activities throughout the school year, creating networking opportunities and sharing ideas and resources regarding internships and employment possibilities.

In late October of this term, ITLSA organized a panel on “Careers in International Trade Law.” This was a career-focused event aimed at providing students with more information about the specific types of legal work in the area, what it means to practice in international trade law, what career opportunities are available and how interested students can break into this field. The panel included some of Ottawa’s leading international trade and investment lawyers from both the public and private sectors. Professor Debra Steger and practitioners Paul Conlin, Wendy Wagner, Carolyn Elliott-Magwood spoke candidly about their professional experiences and answered students’ career-related questions.

ITLSA has also recently arranged for a number of student members to attend the Canadian Council on International Law’s Annual Conference on “International Law in the 21st Century: Responding to Changes in the Global Landscape” as rapporteurs.

Many student members have expressed an interest in planning an international trade and development themed event for the Winter 2009 term, specifically on issues either related to “aid for trade” or the inclusion of environmental protection provisions in international trade agreements. Furthermore, ITLSA is looking to invite speakers to discuss pressing matters such as WTO appellate body disputes and Doha Round negotiations.

The Association welcomes opportunities to partner with other student organizations in order to pool resources for the purposes of reaching a wider audience both within the law school and throughout the broader legal community, in particular where there are overlapping interests.