Judge Stephen M. Schwebel, the legendary international arbitrator and former ICJ judge, was recently the guest of the International Arbitration Institute’s lecture series at the University of Miami School of Law. The title of the highly informative and stem-winding address was “The High Tide of International Adjudication and Arbitration.”
The lecture touched upon the growth of the practice of international arbitration, the public policy provision of the New York Convention, and the unfortunate backlash against the use of Investor-state dispute settlement (ISDS) clauses for investor-state disputes.
Schwebel served in the Office of the Legal Adviser of the U.S. Department of State, was a member of the United Nations International Law Commission, and was a Judge of the International Court of Justice.
Schwebel is the third lecturer in the International Arbitration Institute’s lecture series, which is marking one year since its inception. For the Schwebel lecture panelists included: Bernard Oxman, the Richard A. Hausler Professor of Law and Faculty Chair of the Master of Laws Program in Ocean and Coastal Law; Carolyn Lamm, JD ’73, Partner at White & Case LLP and visiting professor at Miami Law; and Marike Paulsson, director of the Institute and Lecturer in Law.
“One of the satisfactions of working in the field of international law is that it is such an inchoate field so that the individual can make an impact, which is disproportionate to that which he or she is likely to make in a career confined to national law,” Schwebel said. “When one considers the profound need that humanity has for more effective international institutions and for effective international law, both are clearly gravely lacking despite all the advances of the last 50 years. It is an especially challenging career.”
At the close of the lecture, Schwebel was inducted as an honorary member of the International Arbitration Institute’s faculty, following his honorary University of Miami degree bestowed on him in 2010 by President Donna Shalala.
“Steve is truly someone in the international arena who has done it all and done it to perfection,” said Carolyn Lamm, member of the Institute’s leadership team.
