Mission

The mission of the Institute of International Economic Law (IIEL) is to encourage thoughtful and scholarly attention to a broad range of subjects that concern the relation of law to cross-border economic activity. The Institute emphasizes research of fundamental, long-term, systemic problems and possible solutions, based upon empirical observations and experience, and theoretical and multi-disciplinary approaches. The work of the IIEL could potentially influence actual events and provide important critiques of policies, negotiations, or court and tribunal cases.

Introduction and Description

The Institute of International Economic Law was created in August 1999 with the primary mission of encouraging research on International Economic Law (IEL), defined broadly to include almost any subject involving law as it relates to economic activity crossing national borders. This would include research concerning the World Trade Organization (WTO), trade laws at various levels of government, financial institutions, and numerous regulatory subjects such as taxation, competition policy, corporate activity, securities laws, intellectual property, various services sectors such as banking and brokerage, linkages to human rights and cultural problems, etc.

The Institute has the privilege of being located in an outstanding university setting with the infrastructure advantages of the Georgetown University Law Center, including an exceptionally fine library for IEL, the John Wolff International and Comparative Law Library (arguably one of the two or three best in the world), extraordinary information technology capabilities, an extensive curriculum, including more than 80 courses and seminars relevant to International Law and IEL studies, high quality students interested in IEL subjects, and a faculty that has more than a dozen distinguished full time professors with IEL interests (about half of them devoted full time to IEL subjects) and many more distinguished part time faculty members to offer assistance.

The Institute also has the privilege of the premier location in the world for IEL, namely Washington, D.C., with its extensive governmental activities relevant to IEL (national and international), as well as the presence of numerous outstanding policy research centers, institutes, and non-government organizations (such as the American Society of International Law and the International Section of the American Bar Association).