Global Law and Business

International Trade Law – Greg Shaffer

In Episode #80, we are joined by Gregory Schaffer, author of Emerging Powers and the World Trading System. We discuss:

• Greg's career path, from an early interest in history and foreign affairs to being a regular visitor at the WTO in Geneva.
• How the development of international trade law capacities helped make Brazil, China, and India supporters of the international trade system established at the behest of the United States.
• Was China's accession to the WTO cause or effect?
• What consitutes international trade law capacity? What role do lawyers play?
• The U.S.'s paradoxical shift from shaper of the international trade system to revisionist power that undermines said system.
• Emerging powers in the international trade law sphere.
• The economic Cold War between China and the United States.
• Listening, and watching recommendations from:
  • Greg
    • Country Driving and Oracle Bones, by Peter Hessler
  •  Jonathan
    • Emerging Powers and the World Trading System: The Past and Future of International Economic Law, by Gregory Shaffer 
    • "'Reversing Gears': China Increasingly Rejects English, and the World," The New York Times, by Li Yuan
  • Fred
    • "How the Bobos Broke America," The Atlantic, by David Brooks
    • River Town, by Peter Hessler

We’ll see you next week for another exciting and informative episode when we sit down with David Sargsyan to learn more about Armenia.

Cannabis in Uruguay and Latin America – Marco Algort

In Episode #79, we are joined by Marco Algorta, Public Relations Manager at Khiron Life Sciences and a cannabis activist in Uruguay. We discuss:

• Why Marco is less bullish about Uruguay's cannabis sector than he was a few years ago.
• Uruguay's strengths and weaknesses as a cannabis actor.
• What Uruguay needs to do to get its canna mojo back.
• Uruguay's broader political and economic environment.
• Colombia and other countries to watch in Latam when it comes to cannabis.
• Marco's experience setting up CannaPur and selling it to Khiron.
• What makes canna startups thrive (or fail).
• Regional differences in Marco's native Brazil.
• Uruguay's outsized role in world football/soccer.
• Listening, and watching recommendations from:
  • Marco
    • Don Quijote de la Mancha, by Miguel de Cervantes
  •  Jonathan
    • Five Kingdoms, by Brandon Mull
  • Fred

    • Red Roulette: An Insider's Story of Wealth, Power, Corruption, and Vengeance in Today's China, by Desmond Shum

We’ll see you next week for another exciting and informative episode when we sit down with Gregory Schaffer, author of Emerging Powers and the World Trading System.

International Sales – Mareo McCracken

In Episode #78, we are joined by Mareo McCracken, Chief Customer Officer/CRO at Movemedical.

We discuss:

• Mareo's voracious reading habits
• What's different between and what's consistent across sales environments around the world
• How Mareo's company, MoveMedical, "solves" the medical device industry
• Dealing with rejection
• Mareo's upcoming book, Really Care for Them: How Everyone Can Use the Power of Caring to Earn Trust, Grow Sales, and Increase Income. No Matter What You Sell or Who You Sell It To
• Listening, and watching recommendations from:
  • Mareo
    • Sell Different by Lee Sales
    • The Big Leap – Gay Hendricks
    • Conscious Luck – Gay Hendricks 

• • Jonathan
    • My Road to Cancellation by Joel Peterson  
  •  Fred
    • Turning Point: 9/11 and the War on Terror on Netflix

We’ll see you next week for another exciting and informative episode when we sit down with Marco Algorta, Public Relations Manager at Khiron Life Sciences and a cannabis activist in Uruguay.

India – Jayesh Kothari

In Episode #77, we are joined by Jayesh Kothari, associate partner at DSK Legal’s Mumbai office.

We discuss:

• Why foreign companies should consider investing in India
• The role of democracy in making India an attractive business destination
• India's steps to speed up dispute resolution, particularly arbitration
• Preferred and up-and-coming destinations for foreign investment
• The impact of COVID-19 on the Indian economy
• Listening, and watching recommendations from:
  • Jayesh
    • You Can Win by Shiv Khera
    • Coffee Can Investing: The Low Risk Road to Stupendous Wealth by Saurabh Mukherjea
  • Fred
    • The Internet Country by Aaryaman Vir and Rahul Sanghi

We’ll see you next week for another exciting and informative episode when we sit down with Mareo McCracken, Chief Customer Officer/CRO at Movemedical, to talk about international sales.

China, Vietnam and Mexico – Andrew Hupert

In Episode #76, we are joined by Andrew Hupert, professor at Hult International Business School.

We discuss:

• The China where anything was possible, but nothing was easy
• Why there is no going back to "normal" when it comes to China
• How manufacturing destinations like Vietnam, Thailand and Mexico compare (or don't) to China
• China's increasing influence in Latin America
• How neglect of domestic infrastructure complicates U.S. foreign policy
• Listening, and watching recommendations from:
  • Andrew
    • Globalism 2.0, podcast hosted by Andrew Hupert
    • Mexico News Daily
    • MexicoNOW
    •  Vietnamnet
    • The Business Times - Singapore
  • Jonathan
    • Honest Movie Trailers on YouTube
  • Fred
    • Meth, Vanilla and ‘Gulags’: How China Has Overtaken the South Pacific One Island at a Time, Politico, by Susanna Luthi

We’ll see you next week for another exciting and informative episode when we sit down with Jayesh Kothari, associate partner at DSK Legal's Mumbai office to discuss India.

Resilience, Risk Management, and Asset Protection – Ilya Umanskiy

In Episode #75, we are joined by Ilya Umanskiy, director of the Current Consulting Group.

We discuss:

• Ilya's path from Moscow to New York City to Hong Kong
• Case study: Managing a high net-worth family's reputational risks
• Lessons from the Afghanistan withdrawal
• How long stints in Hong Kong help Ilya design solutions in a culturally sensitive way
• The importance of mentorship
• How universities are letting youth down
• Listening, and watching recommendations from:
  • Ilya
    • Upstream: The Quest to Solve Problems Before They Happen by Dan Heath
    • Normal Accidents: Living with High-Risk Technologies by Charles Perrow
  • Jonathan
    • SupChina Newsletter 
  • Fred
    • Sky News on YouTube

We’ll see you next week for another exciting and informative episode when we sit down with Andrew Hupert, professor at Hult International Business School, to discuss his experiences in China, Vietnam, and Mexico, and more!

Puerto Rico and Climate Change – Luis Martínez

In Episode #74, we are joined by Luis Martínez, the Director of the Southeast Energy, Climate and Clean Energy Program at Natural Resources Defense Council.

We discuss:

• How Luis' desire to be the next Jacques Costeau led to a career in environmental law
• Luis' time at the Puerto Rico Environmental Quality Board and his advocacy in support of Vieques cleanup efforts
• The Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, which Luis helped design
• Shifting political winds on climate policy
• How the devastation wreaked by Hurricane Maria sparked a conversation on energy resiliency in Puerto Rico
• Listening, and watching recommendations from:
  • Luis
    • Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge, and the Teachings of Plants by Robin Wall Kimmerer
    • Ted Lasso on Apple TV+
  • Jonathan
    • Darknet Diaries podcast
  • Fred
    • Making Sense podcast with Sam Harris - Episode #258 - The Fall of Afghanistan: A Conversation with Peter Bergen

We’ll see you next week for another exciting and informative episode when we sit down with Ilya Umanskiy, director of the Current Consulting Group, to discuss risk management, asset protection, and related topics.

State Department Lawyer – Niels von Deuten

In Episode #73, we are joined by Attorney-Advisor at the U.S. Department of State, Niels Von Deuten.

We discuss:

• The role of State Department lawyers
• How the Department's legal office, aka "L", is organized
• The difference between L and the legal attaches posted at U.S. missions abroad
• Niels' diverse assignments, from representing the Department on employment matters, to supporting the bureaus in charge of African and Near Eastern affairs
• Clerking for both trial and appeals judges
• Listening, and watching recommendations from:
  • Niels
    • A Memory Called Empire by Arkady Martine
  • Jonathan
    • Foreign Policy’s Africa Brief
  • Fred
    • CIA’s Former Counterterrorism Chief for the Region: Afghanistan Not an Intelligence Failure. It’s Much Worse
    • Cocaine Cowboys: The Kings of Miami on Netflix

We’ll see you next week for another exciting and informative episode when we sit down with Luis Martínez, the director of the Southeast energy, climate, and clean energy program at Natural Resources Defense Council.

Elite Athletics Coaching – Kelly Sullivan

In Episode #72, we are joined by Kelly Sullivan, the current head track and field coach at Seattle University and former Team USA coach.

We discuss:

• Kelly's experiences mentoring 23 Division III All-American athletes
• Coaching at the World Track and Field Championships and the Olympic Festival
• Preparing athletes for competition beyond colleges and universities
• Traveling extensively overseas and engaging with coaches and athletes from around the world
• Whether elite athletes are "born with" innate excellence inside them
• Listening, and watching recommendations from:
  • Kelly
    • Stillness Is the Key by Ryan Holiday
    • Daring Greatly by Brené Brown
    • Chasing Excellence by Pat Melgares
  • Jonathan
    • All Round Champion on BYU TV
  • Fred
    • Sam Harris' Making Sense Podcast - Episode #256 - A Contagion of Bad Ideas

We’ll see you next week for another exciting and informative episode when we sit down with Niels Von Deuten, Attorney-Advisor at the U.S. Department of State.

Cannabis in Taiwan— Zoe Lee

In Episode #71, we are joined by Taiwanese cannabis lawyer Zoe Lee, of Better Call Zoe fame.

We discuss:

• Zoe's path to becoming Taiwan's best-known cannabis lawyer, and what her docket looks like.
• The legal status of cannabis and CBD in Taiwan.
• Zoe's inspirations for her podcast, In the Weeds.
• Legalization efforts in Taiwan and Zoe's prediction on when legalization will come about.
• The incongruity between Taiwan's progressive ethos and the country's restrictive cannabis laws.
• Zoe's foray into politics with the Green Party Taiwan, and the views on cannabis of Taiwan's mainstream parties.
• Listening, and watching recommendations from:
  • Zoe
    • Zoe's podcast, In the Weeds
    • The Taiwan Take podcast
    • Grass is Greener (Netflix)
    • Have a Good Trip Adventures in Psychedelics (Netflix)
  • Jonathan
    • Foreign Policy South Asia Brief
  • Fred
    • The Endless Trench (Netflix)

We’ll see you next week for another exciting and informative episode when we sit down with Kelly Sullivan, Seattle University's head track and field coach.