Ronald Brand as CILE Expert Observer at the United Nations

On May 23-27, 2011, Professor Ronald A. Brand represented the Center for International Legal Education (CILE) of the University of Pittsburgh School of Law as an Expert Observer at the United Nations in New York, in meetings of Working Group III of the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL) to discuss proposed procedural rules governing online dispute resolution (ODR).  CILE has been invited by the UNCITRAL Secretariat to provide an expert delegation to assist the UNCITRAL Member States in determining how best to deal with the need for online dispute resolution in high volume, low value cross border transactions.  Recent LL.M. graduate, Cristina Mariottini, also participated in the meetings as part of the CILE delegation.  Along with 2011 J.D. graduate, Jing Peng, Ms. Mariottini assisted Professor Brand in preparing a document on substantive legal principles governing ODR.