Fordham Law alumna and international arbitration lawyer, Jadranka Jakovcic ’16, was interviewed by the Kluwer Arbitration Blog for her specialized work in Investment Treaty Arbitration.
- What drew you to the world of International Arbitration?
Before moving to the United States, I practiced law in Croatia where I gained litigation experience, among other. I love the dispute resolution aspect of legal work, and especially that of advocating for clients before a court or tribunal. During my Bluebook traineeship at the Legal Service of the European Commission, I had the invaluable opportunity of attending a hearing before the Court of Justice of the European Union, which inspired me to continue my professional development as a dispute resolution lawyer.
As the number of cases against EU member states started increasing, I saw an opportunity to develop specialized knowledge in the field of Investment Treaty Arbitration, an emerging field that not many in Croatia had knowledge about.
What first drew me to international arbitration remains the reason I keep being drawn to it. Practicing international arbitration requires knowledge beyond solely legal expertise; starting with knowledge of a particular industry to understanding the geopolitical background of disputes. One is continuously exposed to new subject matters and issues, thus perpetually challenged into learning something new.