News Article

(SPOKANE, Wash.) — If you are interested in the World Trade Organization, the North American Free Trade Agreement or the impact that either has on United States’ international trade, Gonzaga University School of Law has the ticket for you.

Prominent attorneys and legal scholars — including two professors from China and one from Japan along with an attorney from Nepal — will be among the speakers at the Gonzaga Journal of International Law’s international trade symposium next week.

Titled, “International Trade: Law or Politics?” the two-day symposium will take place Feb. 28-29 in the Barbieri Courtroom at the Gonzaga University School of Law.

The event is open to the public and Continuing Legal Education credit is available. The cost is $100 for attorneys, $10 for students who do not attend Gonzaga, and free for GU faculty, staff and students. The public may pre-register for $25 or pay $35 at the door. Pre-registered attendees are guaranteed seats for the symposium; those paying at the door will be seated on a first-come, first-served basis. Donations will be greatly appreciated.

The symposium will focus on international trade, which has become a hot-button topic the last few years, especially with China. Most of the speakers are scholars and professors with intimate knowledge and experience with the World Trade Organization and other international groups concerned with economics and interborder trade issues.

The distinguished speakers include Willamette College of Law Professor James Nafziger, a former Fulbright Scholar who will discuss arbitration of the North American Free Trade Agreement: UPS vs. Canada; Itron Corporate Attorney and GU Law school alumnus John Holleran, who will discuss the realities of international trade; University of Montana Professor David Aronofsky, who will discuss the World Trade Organization and international trade relations with China; Brian Pangrle, a managing patent attorney with the Spokane law firm Lee and Hayes, will discuss patent law in emerging markets; Nepalese attorney Hem Mohan Bhattarai who will discuss Nepal and the WTO; Heng Wang, a law professor at the Economic and Trade Law School, Southwest University of Political Science and Law, China, will discuss China WTO issues; Japan’s Ichiro Araki, a law professor at the International Graduate School of Social Sciences, Yokohama National University, will address Japan-U.S. Trade; Gonzaga Law Professor Upendra Acharya will examine the WTO and the least developed countries; and Law Professor Xinjuan Zhang from the China Youth University for Political Sciences, will discuss WTO Membership from China’s perspective.

Panelists will include attorney Monica Holland (ITA) and Gonzaga Law Professors George Critchlow, Mike McClintock, Mary Pat Treuthart, Gerry Hess, Brooks Holland, Nadine Farid and Megan Ballard.

The symposium begins with GU Law School Dean Earl Martin’s welcome address and closes with remarks by GU President Rev. Robert Spitzer, S.J. On Friday, Feb. 29, Mark Peters from the International Trade Alliance will tie speakers’ comments together and discuss the effects of these issues on the greater Spokane community.

The International Trade Alliance, the primary co-sponsor for the symposium, is a local nonprofit association that supports and promotes international businesses in Eastern Washington and in helping local businesses enter global markets. The ITA also is the primary conduit for bringing a local flavor to an international topic.

For more information, please contact Katie Claghorn via e-mail at or Susan Harmon at the Gonzaga School of Law at (509) 323-3700. Following is a conference schedule of events.

CONFERENCE SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

THURSDAY, FEB. 28
8:30-8:45 a.m.: DEAN’S REMARKS:
GU Law School Dean Earl Martin

8:45-8:55 a.m.: GU Journal of International Law Remarks

9-9:30 a.m.: Prof. Xinjuan Zhang
WTO and China

9:30-9:50 a.m.: [panel, open discussion]

10-10:30 a.m.: Prof. David Aronofsky
WTO and the United States

10:30 10:50 a.m.:[panel, open discussion]

11-11:30 a.m.: Prof. Heng Wang
China and the WTO

11:30-11:50 a.m.: [panel, open discussion]

11:50 a.m.-12:50 p.m.: LUNCH

1-1:30 p.m.: Prof. Upendra Acharya
WTO and L.D.C.

1:30-1:50 p.m.: [panel, open discussion]

2-2:30 p.m.: Hem Mohan Bhattarai
WTO and Nepal

2:30-2:50 p.m.: [panel, open discussion]

3-3:30 p.m.: John Holleran (ITRON)
International Trade in Reality

3:30-3:50 p.m.: [panel, open discussion]

4-4:30 p.m.: President’s Closing Remarks:
GU President Rev. Robert J. Spitzer, S.J.

FRIDAY, FEB. 29
9:30-9:55 a.m.: OPENING REMARKS

10-10:30 a.m.: Prof. James Nafziger
NAFTA

10:30-10:50 a.m.: [panel/open discussion]

11-11:30 a.m.: Prof. Ichiro Araki
Japan-United States Trade

11:30-11:50 a.m.: [panel/open discussion]

11:50 a.m.-12:50 p.m.: LUNCH

1-1:30 p.m.: Brian Pangrle
Trips: United States-India

1:30-1:50 p.m.: [panel/open discussion]

2-2:30 p.m.: Mark Peters
International Trade Alliance

2:30-2:55 p.m.: [panel/open discussion]

3-3:30 p.m.: CLOSING REMARKS