Sidley Lawyers to Speak at the 6th Edition of Washington Arbitration Week 2025

Washington Arbitration Week 2025 brings together practitioners, academics, and policymakers to discuss and examine developments in international and investment arbitration. This year, two lawyers from Sidley’s international arbitration practice will be presenting.

On October 9, Sidley partner James Mendenhall will join a distinguished panel in Washington, D.C., to discuss “Exceptions in Investment Chapters of Free Trade Agreements” as part of a five-day international forum on investment arbitration. Together, James and his co-panelists will explore:

• General exception clauses in investment treaties – how are tribunals interpreting them, what lessons arise from cases like Eco-Oro and Bear Creek Mining, and are modern FTAs offering clearer regulatory pathways?
• Exception clauses in investment arbitration – do they provide governments real regulatory space, how effective are they in disputes, and what do new agreements like CETA and CPTPP signal for the future?
• The effectiveness of exceptions in investment law – are tribunals applying them effectively, what do divergent rulings show about their limits, and can modern treaties support a more sustainable framework?
• General exceptions in trade and investment agreements – are they applied in line with treaty principles, what lessons arise from arbitral practice, and do they meaningfully balance investor protection with public policy?

On October 10, Sidley managing associate Angela Ting will serve as moderator for a panel discussion on “Respect for the International Rule of Law in Enforcement.” The presentation will examine how recent rulings, including Achmea and Blasket, have shaped the enforcement of arbitral awards, the diverging approaches of U.S. and international courts on sovereign consent, and the potential for the U.S. Supreme Court to bring clarity.