Commercial Law Development Program

📍Baku, Azerbaijan 📅 September 17-18, 2026 Consulting startups on U.S. commercialization attracts innovative technologies, investment, and business activity to the United States while strengthening economic and technological leadership. CLDP hosted the U.S. Startup Launchpad at Baku ID, the leading startup and innovation event in Azerbaijan, to provide 30-minute 1:1 consultations with U.S. subject matter experts to startups interested in commercializing in the U.S. The two-day event capitalized on the opening of Sabah.City, Baku's new innovation campus, to provide specific guidance on entering the U.S. market, identify promising U.S.-oriented regional startups for potential commercial transactions, and further support Azerbaijan's integration into the U.S. innovation landscape. A big thank you to our partners at SABAH.HUB and SABAH.city, Farhad Pashayev, Alya Abbaszada, Rovshan Mammadli, and Ms. Amy Carlon (Chargé d’Affaires of the U.S. Embassy in Azerbaijan) and her team for their support of the event; and our insightful experts, Dominique PIOTET and Rick Rasmussen, for their shared knowledge and motivation to support the Azerbaijani innovation and investment ecosystem.

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📍 Sarajevo, BiH 📅 September 16-18, 2026 Efficient dispute resolution is critical to attracting investment and advancing economic goals while creating a favorable environment for U.S. businesses. That’s why a key focus of CLDP’s work in Bosnia and Herzegovina is promoting alternative dispute resolution and the enforcement of arbitral awards. From September 16-18, in partnership with the Center for the Education of Judges and Prosecutors (CEST) in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Republika Srpska, CLDP led a program to train judges on ADR and arbitration topics. These judges will then implement CLDP’s ADR curriculum to train incoming and sitting judges throughout BiH, increasing the understanding of ADR topics to facilitate the enforcement of arbitral awards and allow for more efficient proceedings for U.S. and foreign companies. Many thanks to our partners at CEST for co-hosting the program, the U.S. Embassy in Sarajevo (U.S. Embassy to Bosnia and Herzegovina) for their support, and our experts and the participants who contributed to a productive session! #arbitration #mediation #ADR #Balkans #BosniaandHerzegovina

CLDP's Energy & Minerals Team is hiring! ⚡⛏️🔌 We are looking for an Attorney-Advisor who wants to help shape the future of minerals law worldwide. Seeking lawyers who want to work shoulder to shoulder with ministry officials and regulators across the globe, developing and sharing expert advice on mining and natural resource regulation, permitting and licensing, enforcement, arbitration, insolvency, project finance, or energy and minerals taxation. This role is particularly suited to those interested in engaging with a wide range of international stakeholders and navigating the legal and regulatory frameworks that make complex projects possible. Experience in the energy or power sectors is also a plus. If you want to work at the intersection of law, natural resources, the environment, trade, and infrastructure, please come join us! https://lnkd.in/dgcBbMJ3

📍 Dushanbe, Tajikistan 📅 September 15–17, 2026 On September 15 in Dushanbe, Tajikistan, CLDP, in collaboration with the U.S. Embassy in Dushanbe, formally opened the Technology Transfer Office (TTO) at Tajik Technical University (TTU). Deputy Chief of Mission Joel Ortiz provided opening remarks recognizing TTU as the manager of the central TTO in Tajikistan for continuing collaboration with the US Government. The TTO will serve as a resource for Tajik inventors and innovators seeking to protect their intellectual property and commercialize their inventions. The opening of the TTO is the culmination of years of successful partnership between CLDP and TTU and would not have been possible without the support of the U.S. Embassy in Dushanbe. By strengthening Tajikistan’s capacity to protect intellectual property and move innovative technologies from research and development toward commercialization, the TTO creates a foundation for greater technology and commercial engagement between Tajikistan and the United States. It also provides a mechanism for identifying promising technologies and innovators that could eventually pursue partnerships, licensing opportunities, investment, and market access involving U.S. companies. Following the TTO opening ceremony, CLDP conducted a Technology Startup Coaching Program at TTU that evaluated Tajik technology startups for their potential to enter the U.S. market and license innovative technologies to U.S. companies. Selected startups participated in individualized coaching led by commercialization experts from Cornell University, receiving guidance on intellectual property protection, commercialization strategies, and preparing their technologies for partnerships with U.S. companies and investors. The program advances U.S. commercial engagement by identifying innovative Tajik technologies with strong market potential and helping entrepreneurs develop their intellectual property. 🇺🇸🇹🇯 #CLDP #IntellectualProperty #Commercialization #TajikTechnicalUniversity #CornellUniversity #AmericanTajikpartnership

Supporting Cambodia’s first LNG gas-to-power plant: CLDP x NARUC Peer Review 🔋⚡ In coordination with the U.S. Department of State’s Power Sector Program’s Japan-U.S.-Mekong Power Partnership, CLDP and The National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners (NARUC) met with Electricity Authority of Cambodia (EAC), Cambodia Ministry of Mines and energy (MME), and Electricite du Cambodge (EDC) to share best practices and recommendations in preparation for the integration of LNG and gas-to-power in Cambodia. Cambodia is in the process of constructing its first, 900-megawatt (MW), LNG-fired power plant. Enhancing technical understanding of the functioning of LNG markets and development of regulatory frameworks is key to ensuring successful integration of gas-to-power and reducing risk for U.S. and private sector investment in the natural gas sector. Sound regulations = more investment certainty for U.S. LNG suppliers & a level playing field for American energy firms in the Mekong region.

CLDP is currently accepting applications for Spring 2027 legal interns! ⚖️   Are you a current 2L or 3L and interested in work at the intersection of law, commerce, and diplomacy? Then consider applying for CLDP’s spring 2027 legal internship! CLDP works in more than 85 countries, and legal interns will support one of the following teams: Asia-Pacific; Cyber and Telecommunications; Energy and Minerals; Eurasia; Europe; Latin America and the Caribbean; or Middle East and Africa. Legal interns will conduct legal research to prepare case studies, develop background papers on complex issues of international law, and draft objective and legal memoranda on varied topics such as regional customs unions, trade and investment framework agreements, international franchising, and judicial systems.   Requirements: You must be a U.S. citizen, enrolled in school for the duration of the internship, and able to work at least 16 hours per week for a minimum of 8 weeks. Telecommuting is not permitted, so applicants must be located in the Washington, DC metro area for the semester. The internships are unpaid, but you would be eligible for a transit subsidy (and previous interns have often received academic credit or stipends from their law schools).   Qualifications: Applicants should be interested in international law, to include issues such as compliance with free trade agreements, commercial law reform, protection of intellectual property rights, transparency, government procurement, standards, judicial reform, energy law, mining law, telecommunications, privacy law, and ICT. Foreign language fluency is not required but is preferred by some teams.   Deadline: Rolling.   If interested, please email your resume and a cover letter to CLDP-LawClerks@doc.gov with subject line “Application for Spring 2027 – [First Name Last Name].” For additional information, please visit our website at https://cldp.doc.gov

CLDP is currently accepting applications for Spring 2027 legal interns! ⚖️   Are you a current 2L or 3L and interested in work at the intersection of law, commerce, and diplomacy? Then consider applying for CLDP’s spring 2027 legal internship! CLDP works in more than 85 countries, and legal interns will support one of the following teams: Asia-Pacific; Cyber and Telecommunications; Energy and Minerals; Eurasia; Europe; Latin America and the Caribbean; or Middle East and Africa. Legal interns will conduct legal research to prepare case studies, develop background papers on complex issues of international law, and draft objective and legal memoranda on varied topics such as regional customs unions, trade and investment framework agreements, international franchising, and judicial systems.   Requirements: You must be a U.S. citizen, enrolled in school for the duration of the internship, and able to work at least 16 hours per week for a minimum of 8 weeks. Telecommuting is not permitted, so applicants must be located in the Washington, DC metro area for the semester. The internships are unpaid, but you would be eligible for a transit subsidy (and previous interns have often received academic credit or stipends from their law schools).   Qualifications: Applicants should be interested in international law, to include issues such as compliance with free trade agreements, commercial law reform, protection of intellectual property rights, transparency, government procurement, standards, judicial reform, energy law, mining law, telecommunications, privacy law, and ICT. Foreign language fluency is not required but is preferred by some teams.   Deadline: Rolling.   If interested, please email your resume and a cover letter to CLDP-LawClerks@doc.gov with subject line “Application for Spring 2027 – [First Name Last Name].” For additional information, please visit our website at https://cldp.doc.gov

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🏦 CLDP is working with the National Directorate for Public Procurement (DNCP) in Paraguay to align the national procurement system with international best practices, improving the quality of public services for Paraguayans and promoting reliability in the national procurement system to attract U.S. and Paraguayan companies and investors. 📒 CLDP, with support from the U.S. Department of State and in partnership with the U.S. Embassy in Paraguay, conducted a two-day technical discussion with the DNCP and various ministries to discuss international best practices in the public procurement process.   🏦 El Programa para el Desarrollo del Derecho Comercial (CLDP) colabora con la Dirección Nacional de Contrataciones Públicas para incorporar las mejores prácticas internacionales en el Sistema Nacional de Suministro Público (SNSP), así mejorando la calidad de servicios públicos para los paraguayos y fomentando fiabilidad en el SNSP para los proveedores e inversores estadounidenses y paraguayos. 📒 CLDP, con el apoyo del Departamento de Estado de los EE. UU. y en colaboración con la Embajada de los Estados Unidos en Paraguay, llevó a cabo una discusión técnica con la DNCP y varios ministerios para discutir mejores prácticas en las compras públicas.