Remi Moncel (JD ’15)
Attending the annual meeting of the American Society of International Law in Washington D.C. on April 4-6 was a fantastic experience. My hope was to build on my understanding of the international law topics I studied this semester in my International Law class, discover new areas, and meet people who could act as a resource for me in the future. The event exceeded my expectations.
I attended seven panels including on the following topics: alternatives to investor-state arbitration; international climate change cooperation; human rights in the context of the up-coming Supreme Court decision in the Kiobel case; retrospective on international law in the first Obama Administration; and the American approach to treaties.
One panel which I found particularly enlightening focused on the topic of anti-corruption initiatives. I recently wrote a blog for Berkeley’s Journal of International Law on the international regulations that corporations face when doing business overseas. I was able to build on this knowledge by learning from panelists from the OECD, Transparency International, the World Bank, and the private sector.
I met many people who will be resources for me in the future. I spoke to several panelists after their sessions, attended ASIL receptions, introduced myself to familiar faces in the halls, and joined a Berkeley alumni reception in honor of Professor Caron. Several prominent practitioners and judges offered to talk to me in the future about general career advice, and possible work in their organization, including at the International Court of Justice, the Permanent Court of Arbitration, the World Bank, the State Department and several private firms. I was also able to speak with several professors and practitioners about publishing their research in the Berkeley Journal of International Law.
I am incredibly grateful for the support of the Miller Institute. It is clear to me that the Annual Meeting of ASIL is a very important gathering for students, practitioners and academics in the field. I am very much hoping to find a way to return next year.