There was nothing preordained about arbitration becoming shorthand for investor-state dispute settlement. The ICSID system was built on the assumption that disputing parties would choose conciliation to settle their disputes. Those expectations went unrealized as arbitration rose to prominence,...

The equality of the parties is a fundamental element of a fair system of adjudication. As such it is applicable to international investment arbitration. Yet the application of the equality principle in this context has given rise to much recent debate both at the procedural and at the...

There is a growing interest for joint interpretations (JIs) of international investment agreements (IIAs) by state parties. Correct legal characterization of the vast array of JIs is critical to their proper use by tribunals in interpreting IIAs. This Perspective argues that a streamlined...

Estimating two-step selection models, we find that more democratic governments are more likely to conclude preferential trade agreements (PTAs) and to agree to stricter investment provisions related to pre-establishment national treatment and investor-state dispute settlement in PTAs. This is...