1. Bridging the Divide

Bridging the Divide W&L Law Professor Kish Parella Launches Inaugural National Security and International Business Roundtable in Washington D.C.

By Griffin Boutwell '27L
November 18, 2024

Professor Kish Parella, the Class of 1960 Professor of Ethics and Law at Washington and Lee University, launched the inaugural roundtable of her triad roundtable series. The series aims to bridge the divide between academic theory, industry realities, and real-world practice. The first roundtable, "National Security & International Business," demonstrates how collaboration between academia and industry can address the challenges businesses encounter in the globalized economy within the context of national security and international business. The D.C. roundtable was divided into four academic sessions, a policy panel, and an industry panel. The four academic session topics were:

• "Untraceable: Customs Tax Evasion and Banking Interventions in International Trade"
• "Can De-Risking Avert Supply Chain Precarity in the Face of China-US Geopolitical Tensions? From Sanctions to Semiconductor Resilience and National Security"
• "Combating Maritime Perils in the Global Supply Chain: An Analysis of Force Majeure Clauses, and the Doctrine of Commercial Impracticability in the Wake of 'State- Sponsored' Piracy"
• "Recognition, Section 25B of the Federal Reserve Act, and the Strategic Regulation of Foreign State Business in the United States"

Professor Parella emphasized that the generous support from W&L Law was instrumental in the roundtable's success, which was held on September 27, 2024, at the Washington D.C. office of Steptoe, LLP.

Genesis of the Roundtable

Professor Parella, a leading business and human rights expert, found motivation for the roundtable out of a desire to foster dialogue between often siloed fields-academia and industry. She recognized the increasing challenges businesses encounter in the 21st-century globalized economy, where business and national security have become more intertwined. The roundtable aims to act as a forum for academics to present cutting-edge and pertinent research while receiving immediate feedback from professionals and policymakers. This facilitates academic research to remain relevant, impactful, and applicable beyond academic circles.

Cultivating Diverse Perspectives

A central aspect of Professor Parella's vision for the roundtable is including diverse perspectives. Following the academic presentation and a brief response by a discussant, the floor opens to all attendees to ask questions. The attendees of the roundtable range from academics to attorneys, policymakers to veterans, and even law students-with approximately 25 W&L 1Ls in attendance! This diverse range of participants fosters not only a multidimensional understanding but also a spectrum of viewpoints on the topics at hand. Professor Parella placed a particular emphasis on the importance of W&L Law students engaging in discussions, and the roundtable attendees were impressed by the professionalism, energy, and questions asked by W&L Law students.

Bridging Theory and Practice

Professor Parella emphasizes the role of the roundtable series in bridging the divide between academic theory and industry realities in the globalized economy. The roundtable committee selected research papers addressing issues of the utmost importance that impact international business. Some of the topics addressed are Iran-Houthi piracy, customs evasion, and supply chain security in the context of US-China geopolitical tensions. Through structuring the roundtable to encourage constructive discussions between academics and professionals, Professor Parella hopes to ensure that the research presented remains pragmatic and applicable to the needs of businesses navigating the complexities of the contemporary global economy.

Impact on Education and Future Careers of W&L Law Students

However, the attendees from the White House, Brookings Institute, or State Department do not capture Professor Parella's attention nearly as much as the W&L Law students in attendance. She views the roundtable as a valuable opportunity for students to participate in the ever-increasing field of international law and business. The roundtable offers students, especially 1Ls, unprecedented access to engage with leading experts, network with potential employers, and learn about new career paths. Moreover, the pragmatic perspective of the roundtable provides students a chance to see how legal principles translate into industry practice. Professor Parella was excited to see so many W&L Law students in attendance. She hopes every student not only enjoyed his or her time in D.C., but also that the roundtable endowed them, the next generation of lawyers, with the skills necessary to navigate and address 21st-century problems.

Shaping Future Dialogue and Research

The Washington D.C. roundtable is the beginning of a greater undertaking. Professor Parella envisions a series of three roundtables to derive three distinct perspectives on the intersection of national security and international business. The second roundtable is scheduled for May 2025 and will be hosted at the Chatham House in London. The third roundtable-unscheduled as of this article-will be in Singapore. To Professor Parella, this roundtable series will provide a global lens through which to evaluate the intersection of national security and international business by synthesizing European and Asian perspectives with our American perspective. Through both her own research and the roundtable series, Professor Parella seeks to shape the future of national security and international business by fostering dialogue, promoting applicable research, and equipping future generations of lawyers with the tools to answer the questions of tomorrow.

This article appeared originally in The Law News, the student newspaper at W&L Law.

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