International Trade - Why Aren't More Students Being Taught About It?

Last night I was over at the New York County Lawyers Association (NYCLA) interviewing candidates competing for judicial clerkship placements as part of the Minority Judicial Internship Program. NYCLA's Minorities and the Law Committee organizes the annual clerkship and as a member of the committee, I was happy to sit and interview 7 candidates out of the almost 30 which were chosen for interviews.

I suppose I shouldn't have found it surprising that only 2 out of the 7 mentioned anything that had to do with issues related to international law, and no one spoke of international trade. Though vaguely described, one candidate spoke of international human rights issues, namely that of human trafficking. The other, while she had an extensive background in overseas activities, had little to share in terms of envisioned future endeavors that related in any way to working with international issues.

Reflecting on my own experience, I realize that as a law student it is difficult to know about international trade as little to no exposure is provided in law schools. Having gone to Tulane Law School with its renowned Admiralty and Maritime L.L.M. Program meant that I was able to partake in courses such as the Law of the Sea and International Sales of Goods. I recall when being in the latter class, wondering when, if ever, I would use any of the INCOTERMS or apply other concepts, such as letters of credit and bills of lading.

The students reminded me that the aspirations of a student do not necessarily coincide with the realities of today. Over 15 years ago, I first learned of the concept of fair trade, and as a trade practitioner, I can safely say that little progress has been made in that realm. “Why is that?” I ask myself. Part of that answer is exposure.

Given the level at which we consume foreign goods and services here in the U.S., not to mention how increasing globalization - whether for better or for worse – is today's reality, it is important to expose and educate America's populace about international trade, and global issues generally, so that there is an awareness as to the impact our consumer decisions have, and we can make informed decisions.

That being said, weaving into an international sales of goods type of course the concept of “fair trade” (not free trade), which addresses equitable wages and worker safety issues, etc., is also something that schools have failed to seriously address for at least two decades. This is surprising given that trade agreements the U.S. considers entering into, which I will write about in my next blog article, appears to strive to address some of these issues, at least on its face.

I came across a blog written by a former attorney, now professor, entitled Trade Voices which discusses more of these issues. I encourage you to check it out if you are interested in learning more about the impact of international trade on everyday people around the world.

Questions or comments? Post below or email me at clark.deanna@gmail.com