• As part of an extensive Administration Committee report on the Section’s periodicals and books, Publications Chair Mark Wojcik announced the establishment of a new ten-member Book Publications Board.
• Membership Chair Gabrielle Buckley delivered the good news that Section membership has increased in all categories; we now have nearly 15,250 members! Gabrielle also confirmed that the Section has reached a cooperative agreement with the International Law Students Association that promises to raise the Section’s profile and recruit new members from among law students worldwide.
• The Administration Committee approved the creation of a Diversity Officer position. The Diversity Officer will be responsible for the development and effective implementation of a diversity plan for the Section to increase the numbers in the Section and particularly, in leadership roles and positions, of lawyers of color, women lawyers, younger lawyers, lawyers with disabilities, lawyers with non-traditional sexual orientations and gender identifications, and lawyers from around the world and in different international practice areas.
• The 2007 ABA Day at the U.N. will take place in New York on April 17. For additional information, please contact Rule of Law Associate Christina Heid at heidc@staff.abanet.org.
• ABA Day on the Hill will take place on April 18, 2007. This is an annual tradition in which ABA leaders meet with members of the U.S. Congress and Senate on Capitol Hill to discuss the most pressing issues for the legal profession. Thanks go to Council Members John Magnus and Eddie Dick, who are drafting a summary for participants on the topics of treaty ratification and the international operations side of the U.S. budget.
• Section Secretary Glenn Hendrix reported that the Section is developing a proposal for the ABA’s new Enterprise Fund, which will award grants to bring together ABA entities in innovative and sustainable joint projects.
• Financial Officer Salli Swartz reported that the 2006–2007 Section budget is coming in above projections and that the Finance Committee is developing a new investment policy for Section funds. Chair-Elect Jeff Golden reported that the Section is in ongoing negotiations with LexisNexis to renew our sponsorship agreement.

For updates on programming and events, visit our Section calendar on-line at www.abanet.org/intlaw/calendar.


Register today for the 2007 Spring Meeting — Early Bird Rates End April 10. Take advantage of our Early Bird rates, available until April 10, and our NEW reduced rates for government/NGO lawyers. For a complete agenda, list of ticketed events, and hotel information, please visit www.abanet.org/intlaw/spring07. We look forward to seeing you in May!

March 9, 2007
Breakfast at the Bar with Demetrios Marantis, Chief International Trade Counsel Democratic Staff Senate Finance Committee(Rescheduled from February 9) Washington, D.C.
Mr. Marantis will discuss the Senate Finance Committee's agenda for 2007, the impact the Democratic Congress will have on the Bush Administration's trade agenda, and the interaction of trade and agricultural legislative initiatives. Registration forms can be found at www.abanet.org/intlaw/calendar/breakfast.pdf.

March 13-14, 2007
The South American Legal Environment: Legal Practice, Reality and Trends in Changing Scenarios
Buenos Aires, Argentina
Few regions in the world undergo such profound and constant change as Latin America. This first ABA-SIL seminar in the region — to be held in Buenos Aires on March 13-14 2007 — will focus on various legal aspects, which international practitioners need to know and understand when dealing in the region. Leading practitioners from throughout the Americas will examine foreign investment, trade, antitrust, investor-state arbitration, natural resources and other timely topics of interest. Register today for the first-ever ABA International South American regional meeting!

Sponsorship Opportunities Available! Contact: Marcelo Bombau at marcelo.bombau@bomchil.com.

April 10, 2007
Breakfast at the Bar with John Veroneau – Deputy U.S. Trade Representative
Washington, D.C.
Ambassador John K. Veroneau serves as Deputy U.S. Trade Representative, nominated by President George W. Bush and confirmed by the Senate on September 29, 2006. His portfolio includes trade relations with Europe and Eurasia, the Middle East, and the Americas, as well as matters involving the World Trade Organization (WTO). He also oversees USTR’s functional offices handling intellectual property, telecommunications, pharmaceuticals, services, and market access. Registration forms can be found online at www.abanet.org/intlaw.

August 8-12, 2007
Leadership Retreat and ABA/Section Annual Meeting – San Francisco, California
Mark your calendar for the 2007 ABA/Section Retreat and Annual Meeting in San Francisco, California. A leadership retreat will take place August 8-9, and the Annual Meeting will take place August 10-12. The Section will be headquartered at the lovely and centrally located Westin St. Francis Hotel. Register for the meeting and be sure to make your hotel reservations at the St. Francis.

SAVE THE DATE for the 2007 Fall Meeting in London, England, October 3-6 at The Grosvenor House Hotel. Click here to see what this meeting will offer you!

ABA International hosts CLE teleconferences every month. We need your suggestions and ideas for future events. For more information about the Section’s CLE teleconference program, please contact Tally White at whitet@staff.abanet.org or by phone at +1 (202) 662-1672.

Register now for this month’s teleconference program:

Wednesday, March 21, 2007
1:00 p.m. EST
Sarbanes-Oxley/Codes of Conduct/Protection of Whistleblowers
This program will review the main areas of regulation for U.S. and non-U.S. employers operating in Europe and the protection available to employees in the new European corporate compliance era.  In particular, the program will look at how U.S. and EU employers deal with corporate compliance, intellectual property, protecting privileges, establishing codes of conduct, complicity of silence, and other related issues faced by employers and employees alike face. It will also focus on protection available to whistle blowers under Sarbanes Oxley and other similar legislation.

Mark your calendars for these upcoming teleconference programs:

Wednesday, April 18, 2007
1:00 p.m. EST
Employment Discrimination Law Outside of the United States: An Overview of Anti-Discrimination Law in the European Workplace

Tuesday, May 8, 2007
Time TBA
Cross-Border Employment, Discrimination, Non-Competition, and Privacy: A Practical Look

ABA Section of International Law would like to inform you of changes in the leadership of Divisions within the section. We hope that you will join us in welcoming all of our new leaders.

Public International Law Division I
Isabel Franco, the current Division Chair of the Public International Law Division I, has graciously agreed to become a Council Member-at-Large, completing the unexpired term of former Council Member Dan Price. The Nominating Committee is very pleased to report that they have asked Louise Ellen Teitz to take Isabel’s place and she has agreed. Louise Ellen Teitz is a very active Section member, having served most recently as Co-Chair of the Private International Law Coordinating Committee, Co-Editor of the Year-in-Review and on the Section Council. 

Constituent Division
Kate Wilmore recently welcomed a new addition to her family. Unfortunately, the demands on her time are such that she has resigned as Chair of the Constituent Division.

The Nominating Committee is very pleased to report that they have asked Dixon Miller to take Kate’s place and he has agreed. Dixon Miller is a very active Section member, having served most recently as Committee Chair for the International Investment & Development Committee.

Corporate Division
Javier Villasante, the current Division Chair of the Corporate Division, has resigned. The Nominating Committee is very pleased to report that they have asked Sara Sandford to take Javier’s place and she has agreed. Sara Sanford is a very active Section member, having served most recently as Division Chair for Africa/Eurasia.

Africa/Eurasia Division
The Nominating Committee asked Robert L. Brown to take Sara’s place and he has agreed. Robert L. Brown is a very active Section member, having served most recently as Committee Chair for the Asia/Pacific Committee.

ABA International would like to thank those who had to resign for all their help and support over the years. We look forward to their continued support in other capacities with the Section.

Thanks!


ABA INTERNATIONAL COMMITTEE HOME PAGES
Check out all of our committee home pages — not only will you find more content, you’ll find updated leadership rosters have already been posted. Recently updated home pages of particular interest include:

International Tax Committee
Asia/Pacific Committee
International Employment Law Committee
International Trade Committee
China Committee

ABA INTERNATIONAL COMMITTEE NEWSLETTERS
ABA International offers no less than 18 substantive newsletters. Links to the most recent edition of several newsletters are set forth below:

International Trade Committee: Winter 2007 Newsletter
China Committee: China Law Reporter - January 2007
International Human Rights Committee: Weekly E-Briefs
International Health Law Committee: February 2007 Newsletter
Legal Developments in Latin America: November 2006 Newsletter
International Employment Law Committee: The International Employment Lawyer - Winter 2007
Anti-Corruption Initiatives & Compliance Issues Committee: February 2007 Newsletter

If you wish to join any other committees, you can do so on-line, as well.  To be active and get on the more limited steering group listserve, you will find the proper coordinates on-line.