10th Annual USC-JAMS International Arbitration Symposium: Arbitration in the Pacific Rim

Join us in Los Angeles on September 10, 2026, for the 10th Annual USC-JAMS Arbitration Symposium: Arbitratin in the Pacific Rim, presented in collaboration with CalArb, the ITA Americas Initiative, and the Centro de Arbitraje de México (CAM).

Now entering its second decade, the Symposium is a leading U.S. forum dedicated to Arbitration in the Pacific Rim, bringing together arbitrators, counsel, in-house lawyers, and institutional leaders from across the region. With Los Angeles positioned at the crossroads of Pacific-facing commerce and dispute resolution, the program convenes voices from key jurisdictions to examine the disputes, industries, and institutional developments shaping arbitration along this dynamic corridor.

The day will feature:

• A keynote address by Abby Cohen Smutny, Partner and former Global Head of White & Case’s International Arbitration Practice
• A corporate counsel roundtable luncheon
• Panels organized around industry and practice-specific developments
• A networking reception
• Designed to encourage candid exchange and meaningful engagement, the Symposium provides a setting for cross-border perspectives and direct dialogue among those active in Pacific Rim disputes.
   

Featured Panels:

Session 1: Same Rules, Different Expectations: Navigating Arbitration Practice Across Borders
Presented by California Arbitration (CalArb) 
This panel brings together experienced arbitrators from across the Pacific Rim to explore the often-unwritten assumptions that shape arbitration practice in different jurisdictions and legal traditions. Through practical examples and personal experience, the discussion will examine where expectations align, where they diverge, and what arbitrators and advocates can do to navigate these differences more effectively in international proceedings. 
Moderator: Marcus Salvato Quintanilla, FCIArb; Independent Arbitrator, Mediator & Counsel; MSQ Dispute Resolution – San Francisco 

Session 2: Initiative  Energy Transition Disputes in the Pacific Rim
Presented by the Institute for Transnational Arbitration (ITA) Americas
The Pacific Rim is the epicenter of the global energy transition—home to the world's most ambitious renewable energy deployment programs, its largest markets for critical minerals, and some of the most complex regulatory environments for foreign investment in the energy sector. From regulatory rollbacks on renewable incentives in Southeast Asia and Latin America to stranded asset claims arising from coal phase-outs and lithium nationalization, the region is producing a new generation of disputes that will define how arbitral tribunals address energy policy risk, legitimate expectations, and the contractual consequences of decarbonization. This panel brings together international arbitration practitioners and energy industry specialists to examine these disputes, the cases shaping the field, and the challenges that lie ahead.” 
Moderator: Alberto Acevedo Rehbein, Partner, Garrigues - Bogotá D.C.

Session 3: Corporate Counsel International Roundtable
How are multinational companies adapting their dispute resolution strategies in an increasingly complex business environment? This interactive discussion will provide a unique opportunity for senior in-house counsel to exchange perspectives on managing cross-border disputes, balancing legal and commercial objectives, selecting the right dispute resolution mechanisms, and preparing for emerging risks affecting international business throughout the Pacific Rim and beyond.
Moderator: Laura C. Abrahamson, C.Arb, FCollArb, Arbitrator & Mediator, JAMS 
 

Session 4:  The Architecture of Resolution: Designing Better Outcomes in International Arbitration
Presented by JAMS
International arbitration has become extraordinarily sophisticated in how disputes are adjudicated. The next frontier is how they are strategically managed. As client expectations evolve and cross-border disputes grow more complex, parties, counsel, arbitrators, institutions, and third-party neutrals are increasingly exploring how procedural innovation and complementary dispute resolution mechanisms can be integrated throughout the arbitral lifecycle to improve efficiency, preserve commercial relationships where appropriate, and achieve better commercial outcomes. This panel examines how thoughtful collaboration and strategic procedural choices—from the drafting of arbitration clauses through post-hearing resolution opportunities—are reshaping international arbitration without altering its fundamental role as the preferred mechanism for resolving complex international disputes.
Moderator: Hiro N. Aragaki, Ph.D, C.Arb, Arbitrator & Mediator, JAMS – San Francisco

Session 5: The New Geography of Arbitration: Why Companies Are Reconsidering Seat, Venue, and Enforcement Strategy in the Americas
Presented by Centro de Arbitraje de México (CAM)
Companies are increasingly reassessing where cross-border disputes should be resolved as geopolitical developments, enforcement considerations, and evolving commercial relationships reshape the Americas. This panel will explore the strategic factors influencing the selection of arbitral seats and venues, and the practical implications for parties seeking efficient and enforceable dispute resolution.
Moderator: Sylvia Sámano Beristain, Secretary General, Centro de Arbitraje de México (CAM) – Mexico City