The Symposium
Each year, the Texas International Law Journal hosts a symposium offering in-depth treatment of an international issue. In years past, symposia have been given in honor of distinguished faculty and in memorial to significant historical events. Speakers at TILJ symposia frequently include leading national and international scholars and practitioners in the topic field.
Register for Symposium
The Texas International Law Journal, the United States Department of State, & the Maritime Law Association of the United States present:
Transport Law for the 21st Century: The New UNCITRAL Convention
March 27–28, 2008
This conference will bring together a group of government and United Nations officials, academics, and practitioners from around the world for an open discussion on issues related to the ratification of the new Convention on the Carriage of Goods by Sea, which will take place January 14–25, 2009, in Vienna.
The new convention will regulate the rights and responsibilities of the principal participants in international shipping transactions. It will modernize and replace three prior international conventions that are currently in force in various parts of the world; the convention currently in force in the United States was completed in 1924, at a time when international shipping was a very different business. Presentations from the conference will provide a rare opportunity for commentary and notes on the articles of the convention from the drafters themselves. Indeed, papers published from the conference will serve as one of the primary sources for interpreting and explaining the new convention.
The event—free and open to the public—will be held in the Law School’s Sheffield Room. Those interested may register to obtain 5 CLE credit hours. Please direct all symposium inquires to the Journal’s Symposium Coordinator.
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Speakers
- Manuel Alba Fernández, Representative of Spain to UNCITRAL; Experts’ Group, UNCITRAL Secretariat; Universidad Carlos III de Madrid
- Lizabeth L. Burrell, President, Maritime Law Association of the United States; Curtis, Mallet-Prevost, Colt & Mosle, L.L.P.
- Mary Helen Carlson, Attorney-Adviser, Office of the Legal Adviser for Private International Law, United States Department of State
- Nicholas J. DiMichael, Thompson Hine, L.L.P.
- José Angelo Estrella Faria, Senior Legal Officer, International Trade Law Division, United Nations Office of Legal Affairs, UNCITRAL Secretariat; Experts’ Group, UNCITRAL Secretariat
- Tomotaka Fujita, Representative of Japan to UNCITRAL; Experts’ Group, UNCITRAL Secretariat; University of Tokyo
- Chester D. Hooper, Delegate of the Maritime Law Association of the United States to UNCITRAL; Holland & Knight, L.L.P.
- Jeffrey Lawrence, Sher & Blackwell, L.L.P.
- Michael McCaul, United States Representative
- David Short, General Counsel, FedEx Corp.
- Michael F. Sturley, University of Texas School of Law
- Gertjan van der Ziel, President, Netherlands’ Association for Maritime and Transport Law; Experts’ Group, UNCITRAL Secretariat; Erasmus University Rotterdam
- Alexander von Ziegler, Experts’ Group, UNCITRAL Secretariat; Schellenberg Wittmer; University of Zurich
Schedule
Thursday, March 27
6:30 p.m.
Opening Banquet
Z’Tejas Southwestern Grill
Friday, March 28
8:30 a.m.–9:30 a.m.
Breakfast at UT Law
Welcoming Remarks
Sheffield Room
9:30 a.m.–10:45 a.m.
Panel 1: Overview of the New UNCITRAL Convention
Sheffield Room
- Mary Helen Carlson: “U.S. Participation in Private International Law Negotiations: Why the New UNCITRAL Carriage of Goods Convention Is Important to the United States”
- José Angelo Estrella Faria: “Uniform Law for International Transport at UNCITRAL: New Times, New Players, New Rules”
- Lizabeth L. Burrell: “Uniformity and the UNCITRAL Convention: Addressing the Problem of Conflicting Conventions and International Law”
10:45 a.m.–11:00 a.m.
Break
11:00 a.m.–12:15 p.m.
Panel 2: Legal Roles of the Principal Players
Sheffield Room
- Alexander von Ziegler: “Liability of the Contracting Carrier”
- Tomotaka Fujita: “Performing Parties and the Multimodal Implications of the New Convention”
- Gertjan van der Ziel: “The Right of Control and the Controlling Party”
12:15 p.m.–1:30 p.m.
Lunch at UT Law
Jamail Pavilion
- Remarks by U.S. Representative Michael McCaul
1:30 p.m.–2:45 p.m.
Panel 3: Industry Perspectives
Sheffield Room
- Jeffrey Lawrence: “The Carriers’ Perspective”
- Nicholas J. DiMichael: “The Shippers’ Perspective”
- David Short: “The Intermediaries’ Perspective: How Far Can You Dream?”
2:45 p.m.–3:00 p.m.
Break
3:00 p.m.–4:15 p.m.
Panel 4: Major Changes in Legal Doctrine
Sheffield Room
- Manuel Alba Fernández: “Electronic Contracting in the New Convention and Future Perspectives”
- Chester D. Hooper: “The New UNCITRAL Convention’s Bright-Line Rules for Forum Selection and Arbitration Clauses”
- Michael F. Sturley: “Modernizing and Reforming U.S. Maritime Law: The Impact of the New UNCITRAL Carriage of Goods Convention”
4:15 p.m.–4:30 p.m.
Closing Remarks
Sheffield Room
Sponsors
Platinum
Akin, Gump, Strauss, Hauer & Feld, L.L.P.
Silver
Tuggey, Rosenthal, Pauerstein, Sandoloski & Agather, L.L.P.
Bronze
Allen & Overy, L.L.P.
Baker Botts, L.L.P.
FedEx Trade Networks, Inc.
King & Spalding, L.L.P.
Donors
Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson, L.L.P.
Holland & Knight, L.L.P.