海角社区

John E.C. Brierley Memorial Lecture

This lecture series on arbitration commemorates the life and work of John E.C. Brierley, who was Professor and Dean of Law at 海角社区. Brierley was a prominent figure in the discipline of comparative law internationally and the leading Canadian expert on arbitration.

The annual lecture is presented by 海角社区 Law and its Research Team on Private Justice and the Rule of Law, with the participation of the Canadian Bar Association (Qu茅bec branch). The lecture is made possible by the John E. C. Brierley Memorial Lecture Fund established by L. Yves Fortier and the sponsorship of Woods LLP.


2 October 2019
Meg Kinnear: Continuity and Change in the ICSID System: Challenges and Opportunities in the Search for Consensus

Speaking: Meg Kinnear, Secretary General of the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes
Image by Lysanne Larose.

This year, the 海角社区 Private Justice and the Rule of Law Research Group had the honour of welcoming Meg Kinnear, Secretary General of the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID), to deliver the 2019 edition of the John E.C. Brierley Memorial Lecture.

Following an introduction by Prof. Fabien G茅linas and a presentation of the speaker by Prof. Andrea K. Bjorklund, Meg Kinnear delivered the 2019 Brierley Lecture on Continuity and Change in the ICSID System: Challenges and Opportunities in the Search for Consensus. Displaying the rare ability to tackle questions from the perspectives of states, investors, arbitrators and arbitration institutions, Ms. Kinnear addressed many aspects of the international investment arbitration regime. Having drawn up a rich picture of the evolution of ICSID arbitration, Ms. Kinnear addressed key questions being discussed in the field of investment arbitration, including the question of third party funding, and the amendment of the ICSID rules.

After a discussion with the audience, Me James A. Woods delivered the closing remarks and the Lecture was followed by a cocktail generously sponsored by Woods LLP.

Watch her conference


12 September 2017
Lucy Reed, International鈥疍ispute Resolution Courts: Retreat or Advance?

Lucy Reed speaking in the Maxwell Cohen Moot Court, 海角社区.
Image by Giacomo Marchisio.

The Private Justice and the Rule of Law research team, with the support of the John E.C. Brierley Memorial Lecture Fund established by Yves Fortier, and the L. Yves Fortier Chair welcomed Professor Lucy Reed, Director of the Centre for International Law at the National University of Singapore. In her conference, Professor Reed examined the growing role of some international judicial institutions of dispute settlement and describe their evolution. The event was followed by a reception in the Foyer of Old Chancellor Day Hall, generously offered by Woods LLP.

Cocktail reception in the foyer following the Brierley Lecture
Image by Giacomo Marchisio.

Watch her conference:


22 November 2016
Susan Franck, International Arbitration: Between Myth and Reality

Prof. Susan Frank

Professor Susan D. Franck, of the Washington College of Law, delivered the 2016 Brierley Memorial Lecture at 海角社区. The lecture exposed the common but flawed accounts of international arbitration based on anecdotes and myths, and challenged the audience to face reality by paying more attention to facts.

Emphasizing the importance of empirical research and evidence-based policy, she chastised all of those responsible for the 鈥減ost-truth鈥 accounts of investment arbitration that have dominated the media. Professor Franck also discussed some of the cognitive decisional impairment factors that can affect outcomes and valuations in international arbitration. 听The event was followed by a cocktail reception generously sponsored by Woods LLP.


29 September 2014
Dominique Hascher, Les perspectives fran莽aises sur le contr么le de la sentence internationale ou 茅trang猫re.

On September 29, 2014, Dominique Hascher, Judge of the Supreme Judicial Court of France and Adjunct Professor of Law at University of Paris Panth茅on-Sorbonne, delivered a Brierley lecture titled PDF icon Les perspectives fran莽aises sur le contr么le de la sentence internationale ou 茅trang猫re. His presentation can be heard online () or download its as a file (; ; )


3 December 2013
Gary Born,The Law Applicable to International Arbitration Agreements: Past, Present and Future


In December 2013, attorney and noted arbitrator Gary Born, International Arbitration Practice, WilmerHale LLP in London, delivered a talk titled "The Law Applicable to International Arbitration: Agreements Past, Present and Future". You can listen to his presentation as a , an , a , or an , or read the summary.


27 September 2012
George Berman, The 鈥楢rbitrability鈥 Trap



George Bermann, Jean Monnet Professor of EU Law and Walter Gellhorn Professor of Law at Columbia Law School, gave the 2012 Brierley Memorial Lecture, titled 鈥淭he 鈥楢rbitrability鈥 Trap.鈥 Read more about his lecture in , October 2012. You can also listen to his lecture as a , an , a , or an .


6 October 2011
Alain Prujiner, L鈥檃rbitre et le droit

International Law expert Alain Prujiner, a Full Professor at the Faculty of Law of Universit茅 Laval, gave the 2011 lecture on听PDF icon L鈥檃rbitre et le droit [.pdf]


24 September 2009
Emmanuel Gaillard, L鈥檕rdre juridique arbitral: r茅alit茅, sp茅cificit茅 et utilit茅

Emmanuel Gaillard

Emmanuel Gaillard, Professor - Universit茅 de Paris XII; Chairman - International Arbitration Institute (IAI); Head of the international arbitration practice - Shearman & Sterling, PDF icon L鈥檕rdre juridique arbitral: r茅alit茅, sp茅cificit茅 et utilit茅 [.pdf].


28 May 2008
Jan Paulsson, International Arbitration is Not Arbitration

Jan Paulsson

Jan Paulsson, President - London Court of Arbitration (LCIA) & President - World Bank Administrative Tribunal, spoke about how PDF icon International Arbitration is Not Arbitration [.pdf].


30 March 2005
Andreas F. Lowenfeld, Public Policy and Private Arbitrators: Who Elected Us and What Are We Supposed to Do?

Andreas LowenfeldAndreas F. Lowenfeld, one of the world's most highly respected authorities in both public and private international law, holds the Herbert and Rose Rubin Professorship of International Law at New York University School of Law. His presentation was titled PDF icon Public Policy and Private Arbitrators: Who Elected Us and What Are We Supposed to Do? [.pdf]


20 March 2003
L. Yves Fortier, Caveat Investor! Investor Protection Under Investment Treaties

Yves Fortier

Renowned arbitrator and Chairman Emeritus of Ogilvy Renault, L. Yves Fortier gave the inaugural Brierley Memorial Lecture. His presentation was titled PDF icon Caveat Investor! Investor Protection Under Investment Treaties [.pdf].

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