Recent Events

Speaker: Geoffrey S. Berman, Partner, Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson LLP and Ilan T. Graff, Partner, Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson LLP

The collapse of FTX, a Bahamas-based cryptocurrency exchange, has been described by federal prosecutors as “one of the biggest financial frauds in American history”.   In November 2023, Sam Bankman-Fried, chief executive of FTX, was convicted of defrauding customers and lenders of Alameda Research, a trading firm affiliated with FTX. His swift conviction was largely attributed to the cooperation of key co-conspirators, who received either significantly reduced sentences or avoided incarceration altogether. FTX serves as a powerful example of how cooperation…

Speaker: Edwin S. Maynard, Of Counsel, Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP and Alexander Papachristou, Executive Director, Cyrus R. Vance Center for International Justice

Since its founding in 2002, the Cyrus R. Vance Center for International Justice (the “Vance Center”) has made pro bono legal services available to hundreds of clients and strengthened the legal profession worldwide through sustained long-term initiatives, responsive structures, and international networks.  Join Ted Maynard, an Executive Committee member and immediate past Chair, and Alex Papachristou, Executive Director, for a discussion on the mission and work of the Vance Center.  

Speaker: Professor Nadine Strossen, the John Marshall Harlan II Professor of Law Emerita, New York Law School and Pierre Ciric, Founding Partner, the Ciric Law Firm, PLLC

The perennial worldwide debates about “hate speech” (and other controversial speech, such as “disinformation” and “extremist” speech) reflect many myths and misconceptions, even among lawyers. During this presentation, Nadine and Pierre will seek to dispel some of these, including that U.S. law is rigidly “absolutist,” and that U.S. law is an international outlier.    

Speaker: Dr. Ehab Elsonbaty, Partner and Chair (US/Middle East Initiative), DLA Piper LLP

Middle Eastern investments in the U.S. are influenced by stringent regulatory environments, particularly regarding national security and compliance with sanctions. There is a notable focus on sectors like real estate, technology, and sustainable investing, often facilitated through partnerships with U.S. firms. Geopolitical relations and legal structures also play significant roles in shaping investment strategies and opportunities. Join Dr. Elsonbaty for a discussion on the latest legal trends for investments from the Middle East in the U.S.

Speaker: C. Evan Stewart, Partner, Cohen & Gresser LLP

The U.S. Supreme Court has handed down numerous consequential decisions. With respect to international law and the reach of the executive branch’s powers, the Court has not been reticent about issuing sweeping rulings; many of those rulings are not studied, however, and most Americans (and American lawyers) are unaware of them. Join Mr. Stewart, who recently published “The Worst Supreme Court Decisions, Ever!”, for a discussion on several of these consequential decisions.

Speaker: Noah A. Rosenblum, Associate Professor of Law, New York University School of Law

Noah Rosenblum will examine two recent, parallel developments in French and American administrative law.  First, in both countries, judicial review has increasingly become a way to pursue politics by other means. Second, courts have increasingly reviewed less formal administrative materials, such as press releases and tweets. In the United States these two developments seem related, as politicization has contributed to deformalization; in France the two developments seem to have been initially disconnected. Join Noah for a discussion on these trends,…

Speaker: Professor Martin S. Flaherty, Fordham Law School

In the past several decades, there has been a growing chorus of voices contending that the Supreme Court and federal judiciary should stay out of foreign affairs and leave the field to Congress and the President. Join Professor Martin Flaherty as he challenges this idea by arguing instead for a robust judicial role in the conduct of U.S. foreign policy. In this presentation he will draw upon constitutional history, international relations theory, and legal doctrine to demonstrate that the Supreme…