On May 15, 2024, CAROLA co-organized a webinar in conjunction with Dr. Yulia Levashova and Dr. Pascale Accaoui Lorfing, CAROLA faculty affiliates, to discuss the implications of the Michael Anthony Lee-Chin v. the Dominican Republic (2023) arbitral case. The webinar explored the complexities surrounding jurisdiction, expropriation, and fair and equitable treatment within the context of Investor-State Dispute Settlement (ISDS). This case brought to the forefront environmental concerns, the right to regulate in the public interest, and the importance of safeguarding foreign investments.

Speakers Included:
Ms Kiran Nasir Gore (Law Offices of Kiran N Gore PLLC) - "The Right to Regulate - A Sovereign Given in Environmental Matters?"
Dr. José Angel Rueda García (Cuatrecasas) - "The Controversy of Jurisdictional Issues."
Prof. Dr. Pascale Accaoui Lorfing (CREDIMI & ESCP Business School) - "General Exceptions, National Security Exceptions: The Difficult Path of Interpretation"
Ms. Leidylin Contreras de Fernández (Taveras Partners International)- “The issue of Expropriation”
Prof. Dr. Yulia Levashova MCIArb (Nyenrode University): "The Reasoning of the Tribunal on the Fair and Equitable Treatment Standard vs. a Minimum Standard of Treatment'
Prof. Alvaro Galindo (Georgetown Law): "Concluding Remarks"
Dr. Enrique Boone Barrera (CAROLA): Moderator

The LAPEG project held its first conference "Towards an Inclusive and Sustainable Model of Globalization", on April 19, 2024, at Georgetown Law Center. The 2024 LAPEG Conference brought together scholars, policymakers, local community leaders and other stakeholders to explore innovative approaches to international trade and industrial policy for Latin America.

Launched in August 2023, the Latin American Political Economy and Globalization (LAPEG) program aims to serve as an incubator for imagining alternative models of globalization in the post-neoliberal world, bringing the voice of Latin America into global discussions on climate change and the future of international trade, foreign investment, and labor. Established with a grant from the Hewlett Foundation, LAPEG is a joint project by the Center for the Advancement of the Rule of Law in the Americas (CAROLA) at Georgetown Law and the Center on Law, Regulation, and a Sustainable Economy (CEDRES) at Universidad de Valparaíso.

On October 25, a pivotal event saw the unveiling of a comprehensive white paper titled “Turning the Tide: How to Harness the Americas Partnership for Economic Prosperity to Deliver an ISDS-Free Americas.” This presentation brought together notable figures, including Sen. Elizabeth Warren and Prof. Joseph Stiglitz.

In addition to a fireside chat between Prof. Stiglitz and Prof. Santos, the event provided an overview of the different options for Latin America to leave the ISDS regime.

In September, CAROLA and the Latin American Leadership Program (LALP) partnered with ThinkHuge, a business and investment council of companies in Central America and the U.S. to launch the “Nearshoring and Sustainable Investment in the Americas Program.” This five-week online program followed Georgetown’s mission of promoting leaders who will make a significant difference in the world. The program brought senior leaders and executives from companies' operational, financial, and legal areas.
The program analyzed the changing regulatory landscape and the practical implications of implementing nearshoring practices, explored challenges and opportunities with real-world examples, examined supply chain paradigm shifts and the actors involved, and helped create a network of business leaders from the Northern Triangle and the United States.

In 2022, CAROLA and the Latin America Leadership Program (LALP) at Georgetown University launched the Young Lawyers for the Rule of Law in the Americas Program, an innovative virtual program for young lawyers with a vocation and commitment to thinking critically about and promoting the Rule of Law in the Americas. Drawing on the first edition's success, in 2023, CAROLA and LALP hosted the program's second edition, which lasted for five weeks, from May 2- June 1, 2023.

The 2023 Young Lawyers cohort included 40 attorneys aged 23 to 35, representing more than 17 countries in Latin America and the Caribbean. Through the use of case studies, lectures, and panels of experts, the participants learned about several pressing topics and problems, including Globalization, Competitiveness and Governance, Migration, International Investment Law, Business and Human Rights, and Drug Policy and Violence. Participants were also introduced to Leadership, Peer Coaching and Project Management skills. During the program, each participant worked with a mentor who guided them on a project identifying a Rule of Law problem.

This program was made possible thanks to the generous support of Philippe Stiernon (B'03, MBA'15).