Professional Training Program in International Trade Law Practice

This module examines the legal and institutional environment within which international trade operates, studying the relationship between national laws, international conventions, trade usages, and contractual practices. Trainees learn about the roles of the World Trade Organization (WTO), the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC), and other relevant institutions, distinguishing between entities that establish binding rules or conventions for states and those that issue model rules or professional guides that merchants adopt by agreement. It also covers general principles of cross-border trade and the impact of differing legal systems on defining obligations and interpreting contracts. Participants apply these concepts by analyzing a hypothetical transaction between two companies in different countries, identifying questions regarding applicable law, jurisdiction, and relevant conventions, and then drafting an initial roadmap of legal sources to verify before finalizing the deal.

This module focuses on the transition from initial commercial understanding to drafting a clear contract that defines the parties' rights and obligations. It covers the preparation of offers, acceptances, and negotiating correspondence, as well as specifying specifications, prices, quantities, currencies, delivery schedules, and payment mechanisms. Trainees learn the importance of documenting interim agreements, verifying the authority of corporate representatives to enter into commitments, and identifying clauses that require specific negotiation due to their value or risk. It also studies clauses related to warranties, liability, indemnification, termination, force majeure, applicable law, and dispute resolution, keeping in mind that the impact of these clauses varies based on the chosen law and the facts. The application includes reviewing a draft international commercial contract, preparing a contract review table, and classifying findings into substantive issues, editorial remarks, and questions requiring expert legal counsel before finalizing the draft.

This module addresses the legal and operational aspects of executing international sales contracts, linking the obligations of the seller and buyer to packing, transport, delivery, and insurance operations. Trainees learn about Incoterms rules and their role in defining certain costs, responsibilities, and transfer-of-risk parameters for goods, emphasizing the need to choose the appropriate term and precisely state the specific location and rule version in the contract. It also studies the relationship between the sales contract, carriage contract, and insurance policy, as well as the differences between the transfer of risk, transfer of ownership, and payment eligibility, as these events do not necessarily occur at the same moment. The module covers cases of cargo damage, loss, or delay, highlighting the importance of identifying when the damage occurred, who was responsible for the obligation, and the documents needed to substantiate a claim. Trainees are tasked with mapping the cargo journey, allocating obligations between parties, and identifying risk points to be addressed contractually and operationally.

This module studies the documents used in international trade transactions, such as commercial invoices, packing lists, certificates of origin, and transport and insurance documents, explaining the function of each in verifying transaction data or facilitating transport, payment, and clearance procedures. It also covers international payment methods, including bank transfers, documentary letters of credit, and documentary collections, explaining the risks that may arise from discrepancies between documents and contract terms or bank instructions. Participants practice reviewing hypothetical document templates, verifying party names, quantities, descriptions, dates, and delivery terms, while maintaining a log of notes and discrepancies. The module also discusses the role of banks in executing payment instructions and checking documents under applicable rules, alongside the importance of coordination between financial, commercial, and logistics departments. The module ends with drafting a document review checklist prior to shipment or presentation, without treating it as a substitute for official or banking requirements specific to each deal.

This module aims to develop the trainee's ability to identify regulatory requirements that may affect the legality or feasibility of executing a transaction, including customs classification of goods, origin, licensing, technical specifications, import/export restrictions, and counterparty screening requirements where applicable. It covers the importance of screening the product nature, country of origin, final destination, and intermediary parties prior to making a commercial commitment, noting that certain goods or technologies may be subject to specific controls. It also discusses the impact of sanctions, trade restrictions, anti-bribery and fraud rules, and other relevant compliance obligations under the regulations applicable to the transaction. Participants are trained on drafting a regulatory checklist, documenting review results, and identifying missing data and the official authorities to consult. The application focuses on building a repeatable internal procedure that helps companies reduce errors, without assuming that a single checklist fits all countries or cargo types.

This module focuses on analyzing the legal and commercial risks that can face an international transaction during negotiation or execution, such as non-payment, non-conformity of goods, delayed delivery, supply chain disruption, document discrepancies, and failure to meet regulatory requirements. Trainees learn to distinguish between risks that can be mitigated through precise contractual drafting and those requiring operational procedures, insurance, credit checks, or additional verification. It also studies general principles of contractual liability and potential remedies, noting that determining compensation or the right to terminate depends on the contract, the applicable law, and the facts. Participants apply a methodology to assess each risk based on its probability and impact, identifying early warning indicators, preventive actions, and the person responsible for monitoring. The module concludes with drafting a risk register for a hypothetical deal, linking each risk to an actionable and documentable practical procedure.

This module addresses structured approaches to handling disputes that arise during the execution of international trade transactions, starting from discovering the problem and documenting facts and correspondence, through identifying the disputed obligation, up to evaluating available resolution options. It compares negotiation, mediation, arbitration, and litigation before courts in terms of procedure nature, flexibility, costs, potential confidentiality, and enforceability of outcomes, avoiding the assumption that one method is superior in every case. It also covers the importance of the dispute resolution clause in the contract, and specifying procedural rules, the competent institution, seat, and language when choosing arbitration. Trainees work on a hypothetical file containing a contract, correspondence, and documents proving delay or non-conformity, preparing a factual timeline and a list of evidence and questions to resolve. The training aims to prepare an organized case file that can be referred to an attorney or specialized counsel, rather than enabling the trainee to issue an independent final legal judgment.

This module represents the final practical application that synthesizes the skills acquired across previous modules into an integrated file for a hypothetical international commercial transaction. Trainees begin by identifying the parties, products, markets, and core obligations, then organize the draft contract, correspondence, delivery terms, payment methods, documentation, and regulatory requirements. Following this, they prepare a contract checklist, a document schedule, a risk register, and a follow-up plan outlining deadlines, responsibilities, and preventive measures. A test scenario involving a problem—such as delayed shipment, document discrepancies, or non-payment—is added to the file, requiring the trainee to identify facts, evidence, and initial options for handling the issue. The project is evaluated based on document completeness, the accuracy of linking obligations to risks, clarity of recommendations, and the ability to identify matters requiring specialized legal review. Trainees are required to deliver a brief presentation explaining their methodology, the decisions made, and the boundaries of their analysis.