Tim Samples

Tim Samples is an Associate Professor of Legal Studies at the Terry College of Business. His research on international law focuses on sovereign finance, investor-state disputes, and frameworks for foreign investment. Another area of his research deals with emerging issues in law and technology.

His research has appeared or is forthcoming in the American Business Law Journal, the Harvard International Law Journal, the Yale Journal of International Law, the Berkeley Technology Law Journal, the Columbia Journal of Transnational Law, the University of Pennsylvania Journal of Business Law, the Cornell International Law Journal, and the Columbia Journalism Review, among other outlets.

In 2017, Samples received a Fulbright research/teaching grant in Argentina, where he taught courses on sovereign debt at the Facultad de Derecho (School of Law) at the Universidad de Buenos Aires. Samples has been quoted by media outlets such as the Wall Street Journal, Financial Times, New York Times, Reuters, Barron’s, Bloomberg, Los Angeles Times, and BBC Mundo, and has also appeared on CNN en Español, BBC World Service, and National Public Radio.

Samples is fluent in Spanish and proficient in Portuguese.

• JD, Law, University of Texas, 2010
• MA, Latin American Studies, University of Texas, 2010
• BA, International Affairs, University of Georgia, 2004

• Sovereign debt
• Law and technology
• International investment law
• Latin America

Journal Articles

• Stephen Kim Park and Tim R Samples. Promises and Perils of Sovereign Debt Transparency. Yale Journal of International Law, 49 (forthcoming 2024).
• Tim R Samples, Katherine Ireland and Caroline Kraczon, TL;DR: The Law and Linguistics of Social Platform Terms-of-Use, Berkeley Technology Law Journal, 39 (forthcoming 2023).
• Lindsay Sain Jones and Tim R Samples. On the Systemic Importance of Digital Platforms. University of Pennsylvania Journal of Business Law, 25(1): 141-207 (2023).
• Sebastian Puerta and Tim R Samples. Investment Law’s Transparency Gap. Cornell International Law Journal, 55 (forthcoming 2023).
• Tim R Samples. 2021. Investment Disputes and Federal Power in Foreign Relations. Columbia Journal of Transnational Law, 59(2): 247-297.
• Stephen Kim Park and Tim R Samples. 2021. Distrust, Disorder, and the New Governance of Sovereign Debt. Harvard International Law Journal, 62(1): 175-221.
• Tim R Samples. 2019. Winning and Losing in Investor-State Dispute Settlement. American Business Law Journal, 56(1): 115-175.
• Stephen Kim Park and Tim R Samples. 2017. Tribunalizing Sovereign Debt: Argentina’s Experience with Investor-State Dispute Settlement. Vanderbilt Journal Of Transnational Law, 50(4): 1033-1063.
• Stephen Kim Park and Tim R Samples. 2017. Puerto Rico’s Debt Dilemma and Pathways Towards Sovereign Solvency. American Business Law Journal, 54(1): 9-60.
• Juan José Cruces and Tim R Samples. 2016. Settling Sovereign Debt’s “Trial of the Century”. Emory International Law Review, 31(1): 5-47.
• Stephen Kim Park and Tim R Samples. 2016. Towards Sovereign Equity. Stanford Journal Of Law, Business & Finance, 21(2): 240-285.
• Tim R Samples. 2016. A New Era for Energy in Mexico? The 2013-14 Energy Reform. Texas International Law Journal, 50(4): 603-643.
• Tim R Samples. 2014. Rogue Trends in Sovereign Debt: Argentina, Vulture Funds, and Pari Passu Under New York Law. Northwestern Journal Of International Law & Business, 35(1): 49-86.
• Tim R Samples and Jose Luis Vittor. 2013. The Past, Present, and Future of Energy in Mexico: Prospects for Reform Under the Peña Nieto Administration. Houston Journal Of International Law, 35(3): 697-734.
• Tim R Samples and Jose Luis Vittor. 2012. Energy Reform and the Future of Mexico’s Oil Industry: The Pemex Bidding Rounds and Integrated Service Contracts. Texas Journal Of Oil, Gas & Energy Law, 7(2): 215-240.

Book Chapters

• Tim R Samples. Consumer Contracting in the Smartphone Era: New Challenges, An Old Conundrum, in The Cambridge Handbook on Emerging Issues at the Intersection of Commercial Law and Technology (Eds. Stacy-Ann Elvy and Nancy Kim, forthcoming 2024).

• Staff Editor, American Business Law Journal

• Distinguished Early Career Faculty Award, Academy of Legal Studies in Business, 2021
• Bunche Award for Best Paper in International Business Law, Academy of Legal Studies in Business, 2020
• Russell Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching, University of Georgia, 2020
• Junior Scholar Award, Southeastern Academy of Legal Studies in Business, 2018
• Runner-up, Holmes-Cardozo Award for Best Submitted Conference Paper, Academy of Legal Studies in Business, 2018
• Outstanding Teacher Recognition, Student Government Association, 2018
• Core Fulbright U.S. Scholar (Teaching/Research Grant), Council on the Exchange of Scholars, 2017
• Teacher of the Week, UGA Center for Teaching and Learning, 2017
• Holmes-Cardozo Award for Best Submitted Conference Paper, Academy of Legal Studies in Business, 2016
• Terry College of Business Outstanding Teacher, University of Georgia, 2016
• Bunche Award for Best Paper in International Business Law, Academy of Legal Studies in Business, 2015
• Lilly Teaching Fellow, UGA Center for Teaching and Learning, 2015
• Teaching Academy Fellow, UGA Center for Teaching and Learning, 2014

• Representative, University Council, 2018 – present, University
• Parliamentarian, 2018 – present, Terry College
• University of Georgia, Diversity Advisory Council, Member, 2014 – 2019, University
• Lilly Fellows Advisory Board, Member, 2018 – present, University
• International Business Committee, Chair, 2016 – present, Terry College
• Academy of Legal Studies in Business – International Section, Secretary, Vice-President, President, 2015 – 2018, Professional
• Latin American and Caribbean Studies Institute, Academic Programs Committee, Member, 2015 – 2019, University

• Associate (M&A/Corporate and Latin America Practice Groups), Hogan Lovells LLP, 2011-2013
• Associate (Energy and International Practice Groups), Bracewell LLP, 2010-2011
• Analyst (Industrial Cooperation Program - Santiago, Chile), Latinvalley, Ltda., 2005-2006