This course introduces the principles of international trade law as set forth in the legal instruments of the World Trade Organization (WTO). After setting forth the organizational structures and processes of the WTO as an international organization, it turns to the provisions of the General Agreement on Trade in Goods (GATT). Students will learn of the rules and the exceptions that govern trade in goods in the WTO system and get an understanding of how those principles may arise in the context of regional trade agreements. Building on this understanding, we turn to the rules set forth in the General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS) and the Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) before turning to the procedures and law of dispute settlement set out in the Understanding on the Rules and Procedures Governing the Settlement of Disputes (DSU). The students will end the course with a brief look into the specialized agreements of the WTO and/or a preferential trade arrangement.

Students of the course will gain the knowledge necessary to understand the trade rules behind many of today’s most pressing questions – from environmental degredation to war. They will also learn to work with cases and to think about legal problems in a holistic manner. Finally, students will be encouraged to participate actively in discussions designed to highlight the interconnections among the principles and rules of international trade law, general international law, and domestic regulation.