John Oliver Takes a Stab at Investor-State Dispute Resolution

By Kristen McCannon

On his HBO show Last Week Tonight, the comedian and satirist John Oliver poked fun at investor-state dispute resolution in international law. Mr. Oliver was particularly critical of the extent to which large tobacco companies have used investor-state dispute resolution to combat public health regulations in developing nations. Mr. Oliver’s criticisms are not new, and negotiators of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) have already considered preventing tobacco companies from participating in investor-state disputes under the TPP.