March 26, 2013 (New York) – Global law firm Proskauer, in partnership with Columbia Law School’s Center for International Commercial and Investment Arbitration Law, the ICC  International Court of Arbitration and the United States Council for International Business, has announced a new series of annual lectures devoted to international arbitration. The inaugural lecture will be held March 27, 2013, from 6:00 pm-7:00 pm, at Proskauer’s New York office at Eleven Times Square.

The “Proskauer Lecture on International Arbitration” will provide a public forum to expand horizons and spark discussion about issues and trends in international arbitration. Speakers in the annual lecture series will be leading thinkers and practitioners who have demonstrated through their life’s work preeminent stature on topics of contemporary importance in international commercial and investment arbitration.

“Collectively, the lectures will aim not merely to inform, but also to engage and stimulate audiences,” said Peter JW Sherwin, Proskauer Partner and head of the firm’s International Arbitration Group. “The lectures will offer a forum for original thinking, insightful observation and lively discussion that we trust will foster a deeper appreciation and understanding among participants regarding a broad range of international arbitration issues.”

The inaugural lecture will feature David D. Caron, International Visiting Professor of Law at Columbia Law School and incoming Dean of The Dickson Poon School of Law at King’s College London. He will be speaking on the topic: "The Genetic Divide between International Investment and Commercial Arbitration: Understanding Seat and Autonomy."

“We are honored and excited to have Professor Caron as the keynote speaker for our first lecture,” said George A. Bermann, Director of Columbia Law School’s Center for International Commercial and Investment Arbitration Law, Jean Monnet Professor of EU Law and Walter Gellhorn Professor of Law. “Professor Caron is widely regarded as one of the world’s foremost experts in international arbitration who brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the subject, including public and private international dispute resolution, international courts and tribunals, the United Nations and international environmental law.”

“The lecture series represents real and meaningful collaboration among the bar, the academy and the institutions, while honoring individuals who have distinguished themselves importantly in our field," said Josefa Sicard-Mirabal, Director of Arbitration and ADR in North America for the ICC International Court of Arbitration. “Over time, we expect the lectures to make an important contribution to the field of international arbitration as it continues to grow and become more prevalent as a highly effective means of resolving cross-border disputes.”

About Proskauer

Founded in 1875, Proskauer is a global law firm serving clients’ critical legal needs from offices in Beijing, Boca Raton, Boston, Chicago, Hong Kong, London, Los Angeles, New Orleans, New York, Newark, Paris, São Paulo and Washington, DC. Additional information about the firm can be found at www.proskauer.com.

About Columbia Law School

Columbia Law School, founded in 1858, stands at the forefront of legal education and of the law in a global society. Columbia Law School combines traditional strengths in corporate law and financial regulation, international and comparative law, property, contracts, constitutional law, and administrative law with pioneering work in intellectual property, digital technology, tax law and policy, national security, human rights, sexuality and gender, and environmental law.

About ICC International Court of Arbitration

Established in 1923 as ICC’s arbitration body, the International Court of Arbitration pioneered international commercial arbitration as it is known today, initiating and leading the movement that culminated in the adoption of the New York Convention, the most important multilateral treaty on international arbitration. Since its inception, the Court has administered more than 19,000 cases involving parties and arbitrators from some 180 countries.

About USCIB

USCIB promotes open markets, competitiveness and innovation, sustainable development and corporate responsibility, supported by international engagement and regulatory coherence. Its members include U.S.-based global companies and professional services firms from every sector of our economy, with operations in every region of the world. With a unique global network encompassing leading international business organizations, including ICC, USCIB provides business views to policy makers and regulatory authorities worldwide.