The International Contracting and the Theory of the Firm initiative combines an in-person scholarly roundtable with a virtual seminar series to advance research and dialogue on cross-border business transactions. The roundtable, scheduled for May 2026 at Washington and Lee University School of Law, will convene a small group of leading scholars to examine how international contracting responds to contemporary global challenges. Participants will explore diverse subject areas—including mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, supply agreements, ESG-related contracts, natural resource development, and insurance—and ground their analyses in primary materials to identify broader patterns in contract design. The goal is to uncover how contracts adapt to issues such as supply chain resilience, national security regulation, and geopolitical risk.
Building on this in-person exchange, the International Business Transactions Virtual Seminar Series provides an ongoing forum to refine and expand these conversations. Each roundtable participant will have the opportunity to present their work in an “incubator” format, engaging with both fellow scholars and a wider community of academics, practitioners, and policymakers who regularly attend the monthly seminars. Together, the roundtable and seminar series create a complementary platform for developing scholarship, fostering collaboration, and bridging the gap between theory and practice in international business transactions.
Read more here: CFP International Contracting