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February 18, 2011

The most recent round of World Trade Organization negotiations and many other factors, including the most recent global financial crisis, have led some to question the direction in which international trade is heading.  However this question is answered, it is important that decision makers are informed in their framework of analysis.  In order to make progress in the area, the University of Georgia Terry College of Business, Dean Rusk Center, Business-Law Society, and the Graduate Business Association will be hosting a conference intended to bring academics, business professionals, and legal professionals together to facilitate discussion of the topic.  University of Georgia faculty and staff have helped identify topics and speakers that are integral to the issue, which will be brought together to shed light on where the United States is and should be heading with regard to international trade. 

The conference will be held on February 18, 2011.  It will be composed of three panels and a keynote address, delivered by Ambassador Demetrios Marantis, Deputy United States Trade Representative.  The first panel will contemplate the business aspects of international trade, including the pros and cons of increased and open international trade.  The second panel will discuss the challenges for the future of international trade, such as labor relations, environmental regulation, and public perception.  The third panel will deliberate the future of multilateral trade negotiations and dispute settlement, exploring the future role of the WTO and what form future agreements might take.  Upon its conclusion, the conference should further understanding and hopefully shape the discussions regarding international trade moving forward.

Register now >> 

(Registration is necessary to be guaranteed breakfast and/or lunch.)

Location:

Walker Room, 4th Floor, Dean Rusk Hall

Agenda:*

8:00 - 9:00: Registration

9:00– 9:15: Commencement 

9:15- 10:45: Panel 1: Business Aspects of International Trade 

• Panelists include: John Sheppard, former President of Coca-Cola Europe; Chris Papageorgiou, Sr. Economist at the International Monetary Fund; William Gillon, CEO and President of the Cotton Board; and Charles Hunnicutt, International Trade Practice Group Leader at Troutman Sanders, former Assistant Secretary of Transportation
• Moderator: Mark LaPlante, Lecturer, Department of Banking and Finance, Terry College of Business, University of Georgia

10:45 - 11:00: Break

11:00 - 12:30: Panel 2: Challenges for the Future of International Trade

• Panelists include: Audrey Winter, Deputy Assistant to U.S. Trade Representative for China; John Cobau, Chief Counsel for International Commerce, Office of General Counsel for the U.S. Dept. of Commerce; and Ted Kassinger, Partner and Co-Chair of the International Trade Practice Group at O’Melveny & Myers, former Deputy Secretary of Commerce
• Moderator: Marisa Pagnattaro, Associate Professor, Department of Legal Studies, Terry College of Business, University of Georgia

12:30 - 1:00: Break and Start of Lunch

1:00 - 2:00: Keynote Address

• Ambassador Demetrios Marantis, Deputy U.S. Trade Representative

2:00 - 2:15: Break

2:15 - 3:45: Panel 3: Future of Multilateral Trade Negotiations and Dispute Settlement

• Panelists include: Andrew Shoyer, Partner, Sidley Austin, and Chair of the firm’s international trade and dispute resolution practice, former USTR Counsel in Geneva; Shanker Singham, Partner with Squire, Sanders & Dempsey, whose practice focuses on U.S. and European competition and trade; Frank Samolis, Partner at Patton Boggs, who advises in the area of international trade, including policy, legislation, and negotiations; and Ayesha Khanna, International Trade Counsel, Senate Committee on Finance
• Moderator: C. Donald Johnson, Director, Dean Rusk Center, University of Georgia School of Law; former USTR ambassador

3:45 - 4:00: Concluding Remarks

*Schedule subject to change.