Russ Racine and Mica Nguyen Worthy, attorneys at Cranfill Sumner LLP (CSH Law), presented on International Trade Business Contracts: 2021 International Arbitration Trends at the April 21st meeting of the Carolina World Trade Association (CWTA) in conjunction with the Charlotte International Arbitration Society (CIAS).
Omar Kazzaz, CWTA member, provided comments on the Suez Canal blockage and the impact it has had on the logistics and global trade industry. Mica commented on the types of disputes that are likely to arise from the blockage and emphasized the importance of international contract drafting. She also discussed the statistics and trends from various international arbitration institutions with record breaking cases over the last year, attributed to the pivot to virtual hearings and Covid-19 safety protocols implemented.
Mica then served as the moderator of a panel that included Russ and an in-house attorney, Andrea Carska-Sheppard based in Raleigh, NC. The panel discussed key trends and developments expected to influence the international arbitration landscape in the year ahead and its impact on international trade business contracts. Andrea talked about her practical experience with virtual arbitration proceedings, data security, trends in the terms negotiated in international commercial contracts, and trends to watch in gender diversity in international arbitration. Russ focused on the key international conventions and treaties that allow companies to protect their IP abroad, and how the use of arbitration can be effective in enforcement of contractual IP rights. He also discussed the “greener” options of virtual hearings that reduce travel needs and the use of paper in the legal practice.
Russ and Mica are Partners based in the Charlotte office of CSH Law. Russ is Chair of the firm’s Intellectual Property Practice Group, and Mica is Chair of the firm’s International Business Law Practice Group.
