International Law

After the fall of the Empire in China in 1912, and before the takeover of China by the Communists in 1949, there was a period in which a number of warlords controlled different areas of China. The United States felt that there was a need for certainty in the dealings of its citizens abroad therefore, for more than two decades in the early twentieth century, the United States maintained an unusual federal court on foreign soil—one that exercised full judicial authority over American citizens living and working in China.

Commercial litigation partner Jacques Semmelman joins Dateline NBC's True Crime Weekly podcast to demystify the complex world of international extradition law. Drawing on his experience as a former Assistant US Attorney, Semmelman explains the legal standards, treaty requirements, and diplomatic considerations that govern how individuals are transferred between countries to face criminal charges or serve sentences.

For foreign litigants and their counsel, a law in the United States known col- loquially as “Section 1782” (28 U.S.C. §1782) offers both an opportunity and a challenge. Section 1782 allows parties to existing or contemplated foreign pro- ceedings—or other persons with an interest in those proceedings—to obtain evidence located in the United States.

Two 2025 ICSID tribunals reached opposite conclusions in mining disputes involving Indigenous consultation rights under ILO Convention 169. This analysis examines whether Lupaka Gold v. Peru and Kappes v. Guatemala represent conflicting precedents or coherent expressions of the same legal framework, revealing distinct factual pathways that determine investor versus state-favorable outcomes in Indigenous rights disputes.

On Friday, September 18, 2026, the U.S. Department of State issued two rules amending the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR).

The Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026 has become law, imposing sweeping sanctions on Russian officials, financial institutions, and shadow fleet vessels while authorizing tariffs up to 100 percent on major purchasers of Russian oil and natural gas. How will these new measures impact global trade relationships, particularly with China and India as the largest buyers of Russian crude?

While corporate FCPA enforcement activity has declined recently, businesses should not interpret fewer cases as a reduction in overall compliance risk. Organizations continue to face significant exposure under export controls, economic sanctions, and other cross-border regulatory regimes, making robust compliance programs and third-party risk management more critical than ever.

The U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) recently took two sanctions actions under Operation Economic Outcast, the U.S. government’s campaign targeting Iran...

The Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026 has become law, imposing sweeping sanctions on Russian officials, financial institutions, and shadow fleet vessels while authorizing tariffs up to 100 percent on major purchasers of Russian oil and natural gas. How will these new measures impact global trade relationships, particularly with China and India as the largest buyers of Russian crude?