 |
|
SIS Professor Michelle Egan was a presenter at the North American Law Conference in February 2006
|
Around Campus
Washington College of Law (WCL)
Scholars Assess the Possibility of a North American Legal System
CONFERENCES ON North America typically address trade and economic issues. Deviating from that pattern, a conference co-sponsored by WCL and AU's Center for North American Studies (CNAS) dealt with "A North American Legal System: Is It Possible? Desirable?" on February 16. The event brought together legal scholars from Canada, Mexico, and the U.S. The conference built on the work of Matt Simpson (WCL/SIS MA '08), who received a CNAS grant to research the subject, and was organized by Dr. James McHugh, the associate director of CNAS.
Though the three economies of North America have become more integrated, the legal systems remain very different. The question before the conference was whether one could conceive of a North American law or a uniform set of laws in particular areas, such as intellectual property or family law. WCL's Durwood Zaelke provided an excellent analysis of what a North American environmental law might look like. WCL's Fernanda Nicola and Professor Michelle Egan of AU's School of International Service, addressed the European Union's experience. Dr. McHugh evaluated the opportunities and obstacles for legal harmonization because of the strong federalist system in Canada and the United States.
The final panel featured WCL Dean Claudio Grossman, CNAS Director Robert Pastor, Dean of the University of Denver's Graduate School of International Studies Tom Farer, and others who opined on the prospects of legal harmonization. Papers and transcripts from the conference are available at the CNAS web site.
previous