International Arbitration Summer Institute

May 27 - June 19, 2025

 REGISTRATION WILL OPEN SOON!

FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT ARBITRATION@WCL.AMERICAN.EDU 

 

About the International Arbitration Summer Institute

Taught by leading practitioners and arbitrators from around the world, the International Arbitration Summer Institute is an intense three-week certificate program that addresses foundational and practical aspects of international commercial arbitration. This program is open to:

• Practitioners and law students from around the world who wish to take the courses for a certificate of participation (without final exam) or diploma (with final exam) from the prestigious Center on International Commercial Arbitration at AUWCL in Washington, D.C.
• Law students from law schools across the United States may apply for credit recognition for their respective J.D. programs, while enjoying classes in the Nation's capital. 
• Law students enrolled in our law school's J.D. or LL.M. programs may join the summer program (from May 27 to June 19, including the exam period) to earn academic credit. 

Networking activities such as special lectures, coffee hours, luncheons, and site visits to D.C. law firms and institutions provide participants with ample opportunities to network beyond the classroom setting.

The International Arbitration Summer Institute is one of the annual events hosted by the Center on International Commercial Arbitration. The Center is directed by Horacio A. Grigera Naón, a renowned independent international arbitrator and former secretary general of the International Court of Arbitration of the International Chamber of Commerce. The rest of the faculty of this Summer Institute is also very prominent. 

The entire 2025 Summer Institute will take place in-person in Washington, D.C. Participants may opt to stay in the American University's East Campus dormitories. Please reach out to us for information on the registration period for the housing, which is a short period during the spring semester. Please note there is only very limited capacity in the student dormitories for our summer institute participants, and alternative housing is recommended. 

Courses

The International Arbitration Summer Institute consists of six courses in English and six in Spanish, offered between May 27 and June 19, 2025. Participants can take all courses, or select only the ones in either language or just pick out the ones they are most interested in. Here is the list of courses with the registration links. The available courses are:

Week 1 - The Big Issues

• Damages & Compensation in International Arbitration
• Construction Arbitration in the United States and in Comparative Perspective
• Corruption, Illegality, and Misconduct in International Arbitration

Week 2 - Practical Skills

• Evidence in international arbitration
• Introduccion al Arbitraje Comercial Internacional
• The Role of the Arbirator in Solving Complex Choice-of-Law Issues

Week 3 - Courses in Spanish

• Mediation: Theory & Practice
• Arbitraje Inversionista-Estado
• Habilidades Prácticas en el Proceso Arbitral

Week 4 - Mediation and Courses in Spanish

Each of the above courses have a duration of 14 hours (equivalent to one academic credit).

Summer guest speaker series

During the Summer Institute we offer several special conferences, open to the public, that address selected topics of interest in arbitration and mediation. These conferences are an extraordinary way to learn more and engage with professionals in the field. Click HERE for the Program.

Diploma and Certificate of Attendance

This program has a Diploma and a Certificate of Attendance track.

To earn the Diploma, participants must be enrolled in at least three courses and pass the exams (24-hour take-home).

Those participants who take less than three courses or do not take the final exams will receive a Certificate of Attendance.

registration and eligibility

Foreign Attorneys and Students, as well as U.S. practitioners

Any foreign or U.S. attorney or student can enroll in the Summer Institute to take the courses to earn the Certificate of Attendance or the Diploma. Please register here. 

AU Washington College of Law and Visiting J.D. and LL.M. Candidates

Any student enrolled in a U.S. law school (ABA accredited) can enroll for academic credit. AUWCL students should enroll through Eagle Service. See Academic Calendar for registration dates. Visiting J.D. students must complete the registration form available here.

CLE credit

AU Washington College of Law is an approved CEL provider for Pennsylvania and Virginia. Attorneys licensed in Alaska, Connecticut, Colorado, Maine, Montana, New Jersey, New York, North Dakota, and Wisconsin may obtain CLE credit for courses approved by Pennsylvania or Virginia.

Upon request, the Continuing Legal Education Program at American University Washington College of Law will provide attorneys with all necessary documents and information to obtain CLE credits for all other MCLE jurisdictions that have not specifically approved this course. Please contact cle@wcl.american.edu if you have any questions.