Welcome to Harvard International Arbitration Law Students Association (HIALSA)

Founded in 2014, HIALSA is the only student-run organization at Harvard Law School (“HLS”) exclusively dedicated to promoting international arbitration among students, practitioners, and academics. Through its continued activities and collaborations with the arbitration community, HIALSA has demonstrated a profound commitment to bridging theory and practice with academic rigor, critical engagement, and a real international perspective.

HIALSA’s leading event is the Harvard International Arbitration Conference. Held each spring, the conference brings together the world’s leading arbitration scholars and practitioners with HLS students.

HIALSA also promotes several other initiatives, including lunch talks, workshops, and networking sessions; masterclass series led by leading practitioners; and the Harvard Vis Pre-Moot, welcoming teams from different regions to the HLS campus in the context of the world’s largest international arbitration moot competition. HIALSA also has a mentorship program, aimed at fostering lasting connections between HLS students (J.D.s, LL.M.s, and S.J.D.s) interested in international arbitration and experienced alumni in the field.

The HIALSA Arbitration Review (“HAR”) is HIALSA’s flagship publication. Launched in 2024, the HAR has provided a platform for leading voices in international arbitration. The HAR has created meaningful opportunities for new generations, featuring fresh perspectives from J.D. students and emerging practitioners from different regions of the world. To ensure a high-quality publication, HIALSA maintains full editorial independence.

The Harvard Arbitration Blog (“HAB”) builds on the foundation established by HAR, with the main objective of showcasing outstanding students and emerging practitioners interested in arbitration. Created in 2024, the HAB provides a platform for new perspectives in a more agile and accessible way, facilitating open discussions on cutting-edge topics and criticisms that arbitration faces today.