Joseph L. Raia

Overview

Joe Raia represents foreign and domestic individuals and companies in court proceedings, government investigations, and arbitrations relating to commercial, trade and investment matters pending in the United States and abroad. He deals with matters involving multiple jurisdictions, including the treaties and principles that govern jurisdiction, choice of law, service of judicial papers abroad, obtaining evidence for use abroad, and the complexities of obtaining and protecting electronic communications and data. He has worked with the major arbitration regimes, including ICC, ICDR, UNCITRAL and AAA. His practice includes the preparation and enforcement of agreements to arbitrate, as well as the enforcement of arbitral awards and court judgments.

Joe strives to bring a personalized approach to client matters. He also works with clients to assess potential disputes and business strategy, and to identify their options. He regularly works with clients outside the United States, including Europe, Latin America and Asia, and has established relationships with counsel, diplomats and government representatives throughout the world.

Joe is the Former Chair of the ABA International Law Section, which has approximately 11,000 members from over 100 countries worldwide. Joe is also the former Chair of the ABA Section Officers Conference, which is comprised of officers from all ABA Sections, Divisions and Forums, and now serves as a delegate from the International Law Section to the ABA House of Delegates. As Section Chair, he represented ABA International around the world; regularly worked with international NGOs, Law Societies, private and public international lawyers; contributed to ABA policy and to comparative work on international legal and policy issues of the day; and, participated in the development and execution of projects and programs on international law around the world. As Chair, he also served on the board of ABA’s Rule of Law Initiative and served as an ABA representative to the World Bank’s, Law Societies Compact and Forum on SDG 16. He served for several years on the board of the Italy America Chamber of Commerce Southeast, Inc., a member of the Italian government’s Assocamerestero network. He is a member of the International Advisory Committee of the Beacon Council, the economic development agency for Miami-Dade County, Florida. He frequently speaks on matters relating to international dispute resolution.

In recent years, Joe has been working with Florida charter schools. As that sector has experienced explosive growth, Joe has dealt with the cutting-edge issues presented by sponsors, state and federal departments of education, as well as other regulators. This practice includes dealing with sponsors in connection with charters, local and state rule making, dispute resolution, legal reform and strategic planning for growth oriented schools.