Washington, DC, truly one of the world’s major hubs for international arbitration, provides an unparalleled advantage for students interested in the field.

Georgetown Law offers students the opportunity to take a wide variety of courses in international arbitration and dispute resolution taught by professors who are known internationally for their experience and expertise in the field. Students gain insight and hands-on practical experience through involvement in moot competitions, student organizations, and networking opportunities with leading practitioners. Students attend events and conferences on-campus and at surrounding law firms and international institutions, do arbitration-related externships, and go on to incredible jobs after graduation.

Certificate Program Requirements

The requirements for the Certificate in International Arbitration & Dispute Resolution are:

• Successful completion of the International Law I course, or its equivalent, either in prior law study in the United States or internationally, or during the first year of study at Georgetown Law. This course does not count toward the 10 specialization credits for the Certificate, but may count toward the overall LL.M. degree program credit requirements.

• Successful completion of at least 10 credits from classes listed under International Arbitration & Dispute Resolution in the Curriculum Guide.  

• A minimum grade point average of "B-" or higher in the courses that are counted toward the Certificate requirements.

Eligibility Requirements

• The Certificate in International Arbitration & Dispute Resolution can be pursued in conjunction with an LL.M. degree.
• J.D. students are not eligible to pursue the Certificate in International Arbitration & Dispute Resolution as part of their J.D. degree studies.
• Students cannot be admitted into the Certificate in International Arbitration & Dispute Resolution program on a standalone basis.
• Students who wish to apply for the Certificate should do so by notifying their LL.M. Program Director no later than the last day of add/drop activity in the last semester before their graduation.

Contact Information

To learn more, please contact:

Anne Marie Whitesell
Faculty Director, International Arbitration & Dispute Resolution
Phone: (202) 662-9036
Email: aw813@georgetown.edu

Please address any questions about admissions to the Office of Graduate Admissions.

Course Offerings

Please refer to the Georgetown Law Curriculum Guide for a current list of curricular offerings related to international arbitration which may be sorted using the International Arbitration and Dispute Resolution Certificate tab under the drop-down menu for Courses in a Graduate Program.

Professor Anne Marie Whitesell is the Faculty Director of the Certificate in International Arbitration and Dispute Resolution Program. Professor Whitesell brings her experience as an international academic, a former Secretary General of the ICC International Court of Arbitration, and a practitioner into the classroom.

Other faculty in the Program include full time and adjunct professors with experience at the highest levels in private practice, arbitral institutions, and government agencies in Washington, DC and throughout the world. Students take classes from arbitration practitioners, including partners working at top international law firms as counsel and arbitrator, lawyers from government agencies, and professors from leading international universities.

The Georgetown International Arbitration Society (GIAS) is one of Georgetown Law’s most active student organizations. Composed of both J.D. and LL.M. students, GIAS is dedicated to providing students the opportunity to learn more about international arbitration and to meet top practitioners in the field. GIAS hosts many events throughout the year, including Georgetown Arbitration Month, conferences in cooperation with other institutions in related fields, and numerous networking events with practitioners and students.

The Georgetown International Arbitration Alumni organization (GIAA) serves as a worldwide professional network and resource for Georgetown alumni interested in international arbitration and dispute resolution. By linking alumni to each other and the Law Center, GIAA plays a key role in supporting initiatives for Georgetown Law’s leading program in international arbitration and dispute resolution.

Each year, a small number of students are selected as Georgetown Law International Arbitration Scholars based on their academic and professional backgrounds and demonstrated interest in the subject area. Designation as a Scholar signals a student’s strong potential in the field.

Scholars receive partial to full tuition scholarships for their LL.M. degree studies.

Over the course of their LL.M. degree study, Scholars participate in the International Arbitration Colloquium with the objective of developing a research topic and producing a paper of publishable quality under the supervision of a professor.

Scholars are awarded the Certificate in International Arbitration & Dispute Resolution upon completion of their LL.M. degree studies.

To learn more about how to apply, please visit the Office of Graduate Admissions International Arbitration Scholars page.