Half way done at AIA

Not much to report for this week at AIA. I spent most of my time researching UNITRAL reform so that I may begin writing the opening portion for the conference in June. We were recently invited to participate in a conference in Kiev on globalization's effects on economics, politcs, and international law (or something in that broad context). I proposed to my boss that we speak about mediation since it is relevant to our recent projects, and he agreed. Thus, I will be writing a text about the role of party-led dispute resolution in the age of globalization. I am excited to do this, as it will more than just a newspaper article and more of a short essay.

I also finished writing my article on UN mediation, which will appear in our newsletter next week. Finally, I received word from the International Convention for Conflict Resolution and Prevents that they have agreed to include one of my articles on their website. This is very exciting news because it will allow AIA to market itself on a much broader scale to the international community involved with alternative dispute resolution. Lately I have really enjoyed all of the writing I have been able to do, and to see it get published at larger and larger scales is an extremely rewarding experience. Finally, I have been trying to find law professors to help teach a postgraduate course in International Business Arbitration that AIA is organizing at one of the Universities in Brussels.

Other than that, my boss and I have lately been brainstorming ways to expand AIA into other regions in the world. We have some contacts in India and China, and with the right initiative we may be able to set up another conference with them.

My residency is already more than half over, and its very hard to believe that I will have to leave Brussels in the near future. I have become accustomed to work and play here, and will be sad to leave.