Interview with WTO & U.S. Trade Law and Policy Summer Program Alumna Ms. Roberta Braga
The WTO & U.S. Trade Law and Policy Certificate Summer Program provides students with a medium for interactive panels and discussions with leading trade practitioners, government and WTO officials, leading professors, and fellow students. Hear from Ms. Roberta Praga, a participant in the 2020 Summer Program on her experience and sign up today for the 2021 Program, beginning June 21, 2021. Summer 2021 begins June 21, 2021-- Register today.
Last year you participated in AUWCL’s WTO & U.S. Trade Policy summer program. Were there any particular aspects or lectures in the program that you found most beneficial?
Working in the think tank world, I had previously been exposed to various trade-related themes, but the program allowed me to go much deeper into the technical side of things in a way that was flexible and enabled me to work within my own schedule. In particular, the versatile combination of lectures and video recordings, as well as extra Q&A sessions, was incredibly useful for a working professional like myself. The subjects I found most beneficial included Trade Remedies, Trade in Services, and Dispute Settlements. The classes taught the depth that I had not previously had the time to fully immerse myself into. My educational background was also not in trade, so the courses gave me a much-needed refresher on the history of the WTO and other bodies, as well as some of the basics of the legal framework.
Which lectures or speakers did you find most enjoyable?
I very much enjoyed the USMCA and Regional Trade Agreements lecture as well as the Trade Linkages session on investment, climate change, and labor and the Trade in a Post-Pandemic World session. The practical combination of coverage of the most salient topics being discussed in the moment along with the future trends aspect really added a lot to what I could apply in my day to day. I’d also add that the program brought together a wonderful host of experts from different countries and backgrounds, who provided case studies from regions I hadn't been as exposed to -- that in itself was not only incredibly interesting, but very valuable.
If you were to participate in another trade certificate course, what other sessions or topics would you like to see covered?
I would personally find it very interesting to learn more about the perspectives of other country representatives on USMCA and other bilateral and multilateral trade agreements. For example, having a Canadian and a Mexican expert share the impact of the agreement on their countries and particular industries, as well as their point of view on certain points of contention, would be an added value.
Anything else you would like to add about your experience?
As a non-lawyer, I really appreciated the opportunity to participate in the Summer WTO and U.S. Trade Law program. The quick immersion into the breadth of subjects covered, combined with the in-depth overviews of some of the more technical issue areas were eye-opening, practical, and valuable for me. I was able to apply the lessons learned in the program to my work at the Atlantic Council, and continue to apply it today in my role at Baker McKenzie.
"The quick immersion into the breadth of subjects covered, combined with the in-depth overviews of some of the more technical issue areas were eye-opening, practical, and valuable for me."
Roberta Braga