Summer International Trade Externship
4 credit hours (3 clinical, 1 academic), Summer
During this 8-week program, Pace students work twenty-one hours per week at the
Institute of International Commercial Law (IICL) at Pace Law School. Students are
required to complete at least one piece of substantial legal work on an international
commercial law topic of their choosing, under the supervision of the Institute, and
will also have the opportunity to participate in program development and Institute
activities. Students are also required to participate in a bi-weekly academic seminar
at the Institute, where special attention is given to international commercial law and
international arbitration topics. With approval, students can work their twenty-one
hours per week in a law firm or corporation specializing in international trade law
(or split their time between the Institute and a firm). Permission of the Institute is
required.
As part of the Externship experience, the IICL and the International Association for
Contracts and Commercial Management (IACCM) (www.iaccm.com) have partnered
to apply their collective expertise to analyze and provide recommendations on contract
clauses in international commercial contracts. Projects with IACCM and IICL can also
continue into the Fall and Spring academic semesters.
For information regarding the International Trade Externship offered in the Fall and
Spring semesters with Professor Valiquette, please click here.
Current Projects with IACCM:
Sustainability Clauses:
The IACCM (www.iaccm.com) and the IICL are partnering on a project to conduct
research regarding sustainability and stabilization clauses in international
commercial contracts. The kinds of clauses examined will include those that
address social issues, human rights, labor practices, and the environment, including
those that set minimum standards for these areas and those that seek to limit the
impact of future laws in order to protect the profitability of investment projects.
This project will examine the current practice and usage of these clauses, explore
different clause variations, investigate the impact of various clause forms, ascertain
academic and industry opinions about said clauses, and make recommendations on
the optimal language for these clauses in various types of contracts.
ADR Clauses:
The IACCM (www.iaccm.com) and the IICL have also partnered to conduct research on
escalation (step) dispute resolution clauses used in international commercial contracts.
Escalation clauses provide for disputes, arising out of said contracts, to be resolved
through a sequence of steps, which are specified within the clause. The types of clauses
examined will contain two or more steps comprised of any or all of the following:
negotiation, mediation, arbitration or/and litigation. This project will analyze the
contemporary usage of escalation clauses, investigate existing variations on these
clauses, evaluate the impact of using one variation over another, explore the role the
industry-type plays in affecting the application and success of such clauses, dissect the
opinions of both professionals and academics with regard to these clauses, and provide
recommendations on ideal language and structure templates for assorted but distinct
industries engaging in these types of contracts.
About IACCM (www.iaccm.com):
Some quick facts:
- Founded in 1999, with support from IBM, British Telecom, Marconi
Communications, Hewlett-Packard, Siemens, Lucent Technologies.
- 2000: Introduced the world's first global professional certification program.
- 2001: Announced web-based skills assessment and organizational benchmarking
tool
- 2003: Developed the first on-line learning syllabus and commercial contracting
'body of knowledge'
- 2004: Introduced Corporate Member program, attracting more than 120
international companies and organizations
- 2005: First Academic Forum
- 2006: Created on-line 'communities of interest' to support targeted
communications and dynamic research
- 2007: Issued Capability Maturity Model to allow robust assessments of
organization and process performance
IACCM Objectives:
- IACCM provides the services and knowledge required to enable organizational
and professional excellence in contracting and commercial management
- Define and promote the role of contracts and negotiation professionals in
industry and commerce.
- Enhance the skills and knowledge of members by enabling information exchange
and ensuring the availability of appropriate, structured education and training.
- Enhance employment opportunities for members and attract and facilitate the
entry of new recruits to the profession.
- Sponsor and support the development of working groups and research projects,
which benefit individual members and their organizations.
IACCM Today
With members from more than 90 countries and over 1,600 corporations, the
association is leading the way in responding to the demands of global
networked markets. Our membership is drawn from many industries and is
made up of contract and commercial managers, negotiators, attorneys and
supply chain professionals. More than 120 companies have now established
Corporate Memberships, gaining enhanced services that support their
performance and understanding of market trends.
IACCM has formed regional member networks for each major geographical
area, and has volunteers around the globe acting as local contacts. Our
working groups address the challenges of change and we undertake on-demand research addressing the burning issues that confront our members.
For example, we have conducted extensive surveys on measurements, adding
value, risk management, functional organization, education and training
needs, and required skills, plus many specialist topics such as trends in global
sourcing, negotiation, global pricing, Most Favored Customer clauses, the
evolution of warranty terms and handling liability limits.
Registered as a "not for profit" organization, the association is managed by a
small staff of dedicated employees, overseen by an elected Board of
Directors. The Board is made up of senior executives from major
international corporations, and includes executives from Europe, Asia and
North America. Current and past Board members have been drawn from
companies such as Accenture, Booz Allen Hamilton, BNSF, BT, Centrica,
Cisco, Chevron, Dell, Fujitsu Services Limited, Hewlett-Packard, Honeywell,
Lucent, MassMutual, Office Depot, Rockwell, Roche, Siemens Business
Services, W.W. Grainger, TPI, and Wachovia. Board members also come
from the academic world, such as Copenhagen Business School, Manchester
Business School, and North Carolina State University.
Through our worldwide presence and networked technology, IACCM
members gain access to the thought leadership and practical tools that are
essential for competitiveness in today's fiercely contested global markets.
We provide insight to the leading-edge contracting and commercial skills,
policies, procedures and methods that are fundamental to managing
enterprise and individual risks. This insight equips professionals and their
leaders to implement best practice governance of contractual commitments
and trading relationships.
By joining, you gain access to:
- Original Research: fast, accurate, authoritative, affordable
- Performance Benchmarks: organizational, procedural and individual
assessments of effectiveness, contribution and improvement opportunities
- Functional and Professional Development: global access to skills, subject
matter experts, networked communities, learning materials, skills assessment
and certification
- Strategic Analysis and Insight: premium advisory and analytical services for
executive audiences aspiring to competitive differentiation and organizational
excellence
- Project and Management Services: methodologies, assessments of tools and
services, recruitment support
For further information, see www.iaccm.com
