From January 12-16, CLDP, in cooperation with Iraq’s Ministry of Industry and Minerals, Ministry of Trade, and the National Investment Commission, hosted 13 government lawyers for the initial phase of a three-phased program to develop a cadre of effective transactional lawyers in the Iraqi government.  In order to support Iraq’s State Owned Enterprises and government agencies in in forming international strategic partnerships, Iraq will need lawyers who understand how to draft and negotiate contracts that are consistent with international best practices.  The first phase of the workshop provided the participants with an overview of business partnerships and the mitigation of risks in partnership contracts. The core objective of the workshop was to build the capacity of the participants to engage in negotiations with foreign parties. Through interactive seminars and case studies, the participants engaged in simulated negotiations for partnerships between an Iraqi company and foreign company, including an entire negotiation dedicated to a joint venture.