International Law Prof Blog

Comments Sought on Revisions to ABA Standard 106 (Separate Locations and Branch Campuses)

The Council of the Section of Legal Education and Admissions to the Bar has approved for Notice and Comment proposed revisions to Standard 106 (Separate Locations and Branch Campuses) of the ABA Standards and Rules of Procedure for Approval of Law Schools. The proposed revisions and accompanying explanations can be found on the Section of Legal Education’s website.

Written comments on the proposed revisions are invited before Friday, September 22, 2017. A hearing on the proposed changes is scheduled for Thursday, September 28, 2017, at 2 p.m., at the ABA Headquarters in Chicago (321 N. Clark Street, 21st Floor, North Board Room).

Please send your written comments and requests to speak at the meeting to J.R. Clark, jr.clark@americanbar.org, by Friday, September 22, 2017.

(mew)

ABA Section of International Law Fall Meeting in Miami

 

What: American Bar Association Section of International Law 2017 Fall Conference
When: October 24-27, 2017
Where: Marriott Marquis | Miami, Florida

The ABA Section of International Law’s annual Fall Conference will take place in the vibrant city of Miami from October 24-27th at the JW Marriott Marquis.

The ABA Section of International Law Fall Conference is one of the world’s most important gatherings of international lawyers, attracting over 1,000 attendees from 36 countries. 

The theme of the conference is Doing Business in the Americas in the New Global Economy: A New Dawn in the Hemisphere. With over 65 substantive Continuing Legal Education (CLE) sessions on cutting edge topics with word class speakers, the Fall Conference offers an entire year’s worth of CLE.  The Fall Conference will offer exceptional networking opportunities at some of Miami’s most exciting venues, such as evening receptions at Pérez Art Museum and Jungle Island, and an after-hours party at Ball & Chain in Little Havana, the best neighborhood for live music and salsa dancing. Luncheons will feature exceptional keynote speakers including Luis Almagro (Secretary General of the Organization of American States) and Julio Frenk (President of the University of Miami).

The Fall Conference is a “must-attend” meeting for lawyers with a practice or interest in international legal issues.

Events at the 2017 Fall Conference of the ABA Section of International Law include:

• A behind-the-Scenes cargo tour of the port of Miami
• Luncheons with exceptional keynote speakers including Luis Almagro, Secretary General, Organization of American States, and President Julio Frenk, University of Miami
• Tuesday, Council Reception followed by First Time Attendee Welcome Reception, and Private Chartered Yacht Cruise
• Wednesday Reception at the Perez Art Museum
• Thursday, Committee Dinners followed by Women’s Business Law Network Sweet Endings Dessert Reception at Area 31
• Friday Chair’s Closing Reception at Jungle Island
• After Hours at Ball and Chain
• Optional Key West Day Trip

Click here to register for the Fall Conference!

Register before September 8th to lock in early bird discounts. Consider joining the section for additional discounts if your're not already a member of the ABA Section of International Law.

(mew)

The International Criminal Court Issues a 2.7 Million Euro Reparation Order for Destruction of Religious and Historic Buildings in Timbuktu

For deliberately attacking religious and historic buildings in Timbuktu, Mali, the International Criminal Court (ICC) has this week issued to Malian Islamist a nearly three million euros Reparations Order, due on 16 February 2018.

“The Chamber highlighted the importance of cultural heritage and stressed that, because of their purpose and symbolism, most cultural property and cultural heritage are unique and of sentimental value,” said the Court, based in The Hague and the world's only permanent war crimes tribunal. “Their destruction thus carries a message of terror and helplessness; destroys part of humanity's shared memory and collective consciousness, and renders humanity unable to transmit its values and knowledge to future generations,” it added.

ICC Trial Chamber VIII issued the Reparations Order in the case of The Prosecutor v. Ahmad Al Faqi Al Mahdi, concluding that Mr. Al Mahdi is liable for 2.7 million euros (roughly $3.2 million) in expenses for individual and collective reparations to the Timbuktu community for intentionally directing attacks against religious and historic buildings in that city.

Noting that Mr Al Mahdi is indigent, the Chamber encouraged the Trust Funds for Victims (“TFV”) to complement the reparations award, directing it to submit a draft implementation plan for 16 February 2018.

Covering the three categories of damage to the attacked historic and religious buildings; consequential economic loss; and moral harm, the ICC stated: “Reparations may assist in promoting reconciliation between the victims of the crime, the affected communities and the convicted person.”

Reparations for site rehabilitation and wider Timbuktu community

“Reparations are to be collective for rehabilitation of the sites and for the community of Timbuktu as a whole to address the financial loss and economic harm as well as the emotional distress suffered as a result of the attack. It may also include symbolic measures – such as a memorial, commemoration or forgiveness ceremony – to give public recognition of the moral harm suffered by the Timbuktu community and those within it,” the ICC statement elaborated.

The Chamber also ordered individual reparations for those whose livelihoods exclusively depended upon the attacked buildings and those whose ancestors' burial sites were damaged in the attack.

As a symbolic measure, the Chamber ordered the Registry to post an excerpt of the video of Mr. Al Mahdi's apology, which it considers “genuine, categorical and empathetic” on the Court's website.

Given the specific nature of the case, it also ordered one symbolic euro to be received by the Malian State and the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Upon subsequent approval by the Chamber, the TFV will identify projects and discrete implementation partners for the Chamber's final approval.

On 27 September 2016, Trial Chamber VIII – composed of Judge Raul C. Pangalangan (Presiding), Judge Antoine Kesia-Mbe Mindua and Judge Bertram Schmitt – unanimously found Mr. Al Mahdi to nine years in prison for committing a war crime by deliberately destroying in 2012 nine mausoleums and the secret gate of the Sidi Yahia mosque in the UNESCO World Heritage site of Timbuktu in Mali.

(adapted from a UN press release)

(mew)

Save the Dates! Upcoming ABA International Conferences

The American Bar Association Section of International Law, with more than 20,000 members around the world, has some of the most interesting and productive conferences you'll find. Here's a list of upcoming events. Visit the ABA Section of International Law website for more information on any particular conference or forum.

Oct 20-22, 2017:	Pre-Fall Conference Module (San Juan, Puerto Rico)
Oct 24-28, 2017:	Section of International Law Fall Conference (Miami, Florida)
Jan 31-Feb 6, 2018:	ABA/Section Midyear Meeting (Vancouver, Canada)
April 17-21, 2018:	Section of International Law Annual Conference (New York City)
June 10-12, 2018:	Europe Forum (Copenhagen, Denmark)

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Comparative and Trans-Systemic Legal Education

Victor V. Ramraj, Chair in Asia-Pacific Legal Relations and Professor at the University of Victoria Faculty of Law in Canada, spoke this week to students and faculty at the Jigme Singye Wangchuck School of Law in Thimphu, Bhutan. His topic for the JSW Law Faculty was on "Comparative and Trans-Systemic Legal Education."

Professor Ramraj previously taught at the National University of Singapore (NUS). He holds five degrees from McGill University, the University of Toronto, and Queen’s University Belfast, served as a judicial law clerk at the Federal Court of Appeal in Ottawa and as a litigation lawyer in Toronto, and remains a non-practicing membership in the Law Society of Upper Canada. He has held visiting teaching appointments at Kyushu University and the University of Toronto.

His research interests include comparative constitutional and administrative law, transnational regulation, and the history of and regulatory challenges arising from state-company relationships in Asia. He is currently revising a book manuscript on how national legal orders respond to and interact with economic globalization.

His presentation to the JSW Law Faculty included observations about transnational legal practice, legal systems of other legal traditions, and advances in transnational legal education. Among other things, he discussed his home institution's new program in common law and indigenous law. That new program at the University of Victoria is expected to launch in 2018.

(mew)

Reminder: ASIL Women in International Law Mentoring Program - Application Deadline Extended to August 18, 2017

The American Society of International Law (ASIL) and its Women in International Law Interest Group (WILIG) has extended the application deadline for its its fifth year of the Women in International Law Mentoring Program. Since 2013, over 420 women have enrolled in ASIL's Mentoring Program as both mentors and mentees in 10 countries and 28 cities from Tucson to Singapore. The feedback has been extremely positive, and with the enthusiasm of its current participants, the ASIL has built a strong, inter-connected, and global network. It hopes to reach more even women for its 2017-18 program.  The new deadline for applications is Friday, August 18, 2017.

 

The Women in International Law Mentoring Program is the first of its kind in international law and is designed to foster the next generation of female international lawyers. The program connects experienced female international law professionals with female law students and new attorneys interested in professional development in the field of international law. Mentoring takes place locally, in a group setting, with a maximum of four mentees for every mentor. Mentors and mentees meet in person every other month during the course of an academic year to discuss topics and engage in activities designed to help junior women enter and be successful in the field of international law. Mentors will be provided with optional pre-planned meeting topics to structure meetings for their groups. Upon finishing the requirements of the one-year program, all participants receive a certificate of completion.

Here's a link to the blog post about the program on IntLawGrrls blog.

Here is a link to an ASIL video explaining the program.

 

And here's a link to the Application for the 2017-18 program.

 

Hat tip to Luli Hemmingsen,  WIL Mentoring Program Manager.

 

(mew)

Deborah Enix-Ross to Receive Lifetime Achievement Award

The American Bar Association Section of International Law will present its Lifetime Achievement Award to former Section Chair Deborah Enix-Ross. The event will take place during the Section of International Law Dinner being held on Friday during the Annual Meeting of the American Bar Association.

Deborah Enix-Ross is a Senior Advisor to Debevoise & Plimpton’s International Dispute Resolution practice. She is currently serving as Chair of the American Bar Association’s House of Delegates for the 2016 - 2018 term. The position is the second-highest office within the ABA, one of the world’s largest voluntary professional organizations, with nearly 400,000 members and more than 3,500 entities.

Ms. Enix-Ross joined Debevoise in 2002. She received her J.D. from the University of Miami School of Law in 1981, a Diploma in Comparative Law from the Parker School of Foreign and Comparative Law of Columbia University in 1989, and a Certificate in International Law from the London School of Economics in 1979.

Congratulations to Deborah Enix-Ross and the ABA Section of International Law.

(mew)

 

Fionnuala Ní Aoláin Appointed Special Rapporteur on the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms while Countering Terrorism.

The United Nations Human Rights Council has appointed Professor Fionnuala Ní Aoláin of the University of Minnesota as the U.N.’s Special Rapporteur on the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms while Countering Terrorism.

In this role, Ní Aoláin will be charged with making recommendations on safeguarding human rights while countering terrorism and, at the request of states, providing advisory services or technical assistance on such matters; investigating and reporting on alleged violations of human rights and fundamental freedoms; identifying and promoting best practices on counterterrorism measures that respect human rights and fundamental freedoms; and reporting regularly to the Human Rights Council and the U.N. General Assembly, among other duties. The appointment has a three-year term. She will continue her full-time teaching and research at the University of Minnesota while serving as Special Rapporteur.

Ní Aoláin’s involvement with the United Nations dates back to 2003, when she was appointed by the secretary-general as Special Expert on promoting gender equality in times of conflict and peacemaking. She also consults regularly with U.N. Women and the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights, as well as the Council of Europe, the U.S. Agency for International Development, the U.K. Department of International Development, and numerous domestic and international NGOs.

Click here to read more.

Hat tip to June Carbone, Robina Chair of Law, Science, and Technology at the University of Minnesota Law School.

(mew)

Pledge to Support the Equal Representation of Women in International Arbitration

You can sign the following pledge as an individual or organization to support the equal representation of women in international arbitral proceedings. Visit the arbitration pledge website to learn more and to sign the pledge for equality. There were 1,890 signatures as of August 7, 2017.

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As a group of counsel, arbitrators, representatives of corporates, states, arbitral institutions, academics and others involved in the practice of international arbitration, we are committed to improving the profile and representation of women in arbitration. In particular, we consider that women should be appointed as arbitrators on an equal opportunity basis. To achieve this, we will take the steps reasonably available to us – and we will encourage other participants in the arbitral process to do likewise – to ensure that, wherever possible:

• committees, governing bodies and conference panels in the field of arbitration include a fair representation of women;
• lists of potential arbitrators or tribunal chairs provided to or considered by parties, counsel, in-house counsel or otherwise include a fair representation of female candidates;
• states, arbitral institutions and national committees include a fair representation of female candidates on rosters and lists of potential arbitrator appointees, where maintained by them;
• where they have the power to do so, counsel, arbitrators, representatives of corporates, states and arbitral institutions appoint a fair representation of female arbitrators;
• gender statistics for appointments (split by party and other appointment) are collated and made publicly available; and
• senior and experienced arbitration practitioners support, mentor/sponsor and encourage women to pursue arbitrator appointments and otherwise enhance their profiles and practice.

UNAIDS Report Shows Increased Access to Treatment and a Decrease in AIDS-Related Deaths

UNAIDS released a report on July 20, 2017 showing that for the first time the scales have tipped: more than half of all people living with HIV (53%) now have access to HIV treatment and AIDS-related deaths have almost halved since 2005. In 2016, 19.5 million of the 36.7 million people living with HIV had access to treatment, and AIDS-related deaths have fallen from 1.9 million in 2005 to 1 million in 2016. Provided that scale-up continues, this progress puts the world on track to reach the global target of 30 million people on treatment by 2020.

“We met the 2015 target of 15 million people on treatment and we are on track to double that number to 30 million and meet the 2020 target,” said Michel Sidibé, Executive Director of UNAIDS. “We will continue to scale up to reach everyone in need and honour our commitment of leaving no one behind.”

The region showing the most progress is eastern and southern Africa, which has been most affected by HIV and which accounts for more than half of all people living with HIV. Since 2010, AIDS-related deaths have declined by 42%. New HIV infections have declined by 29%, including a 56% drop in new HIV infections among children over the same period, a remarkable achievement resulting from HIV treatment and prevention efforts that is putting eastern and southern Africa on track towards ending its AIDS epidemic.

The report, Ending AIDS: progress towards the 90–90–90 targets, gives a detailed analysis of progress and challenges towards achieving the 90–90–90 targets. The targets were launched in 2014 to accelerate progress so that, by 2020, 90% of all people living with HIV know their HIV status, 90% of all people with diagnosed HIV are accessing sustained antiretroviral therapy and 90% of all people accessing antiretroviral therapy are virally suppressed.

The report shows that in 2016 more than two thirds (70%) of people living with HIV now know their HIV status. Of the people who know their status, 77% were accessing treatment, and of the people accessing treatment, 82% were virally supressed, protecting their health and helping to prevent transmission of the virus.

Eastern and southern Africa, western and central Europe and North America and Latin America are on track to reach the 90–90–90 targets by 2020. In eastern and southern Africa, 76% of people living with HIV know their HIV status, 79% of people who know their HIV-positive status have access to antiretroviral therapy and 83% of people who are on treatment have undetectable levels of HIV—this equates to 50% of all people living with HIV in eastern and southern Africa with viral suppression. The Caribbean and Asia and the Pacific can also reach the 90–90–90 targets if programmes are further accelerated.

Seven countries have already achieved the 90–90–90 targets—Botswana, Cambodia, Denmark, Iceland, Singapore, Sweden and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland—and many more are close to achieving it.

“Ending AIDS is possible - it is a shared engagement and aspiration. One that cities can lead while promoting inclusive societies for all,” said Anne Hidalgo, Mayor of Paris.

The most significant impact of 90–90–90 scale-up has been in reducing AIDS-related deaths, which have been reduced by almost half in the past 10 years. As a result, life expectancy has increased significantly in the most affected countries. In eastern and southern Africa, life expectancy increased by nearly 10 years from 2006 to 2016.

Progress against the 90–90–90 targets has, however, been poor in the Middle East and North Africa and in eastern Europe and central Asia, where AIDS-related deaths have risen by 48% and 38%, respectively. There are exceptions within these regions showing that when concerted efforts are made, results happen. For example, Algeria has increased HIV treatment access from 24% in 2010 to 76% in 2016, Morocco from 16% in 2010 to 48% in 2016 and Belarus from 29% in 2010 to 45% in 2016.

Globally, progress has been significant, but there is still more work to do. Around 30% of people living with HIV still do not know their HIV status, 17.1 million people living with HIV do not have access to antiretroviral therapy and more than half of all people living with HIV are not virally suppressed.

In 2016 an estimated:

• 19.5 million people were accessing antiretroviral therapy.
• 36.7 million [30.8 million–42.9 million] people globally were living with HIV.
• 1.8 million [1.6 million–2.1 million] people became newly infected with HIV.
• 1.0 million [830 000–1.2 million] people died from AIDS-related illnesses.

The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) leads and inspires the world to achieve its shared vision of zero new HIV infections, zero discrimination and zero AIDS-related deaths. UNAIDS unites the efforts of 11 UN organizations—UNHCR, UNICEF, WFP, UNDP, UNFPA, UNODC, UN Women, ILO, UNESCO, WHO and the World Bank—and works closely with global and national partners towards ending the AIDS epidemic by 2030 as part of the Sustainable Development Goals.

(mew) (adapted from a UNAIDS Press Release)

Law Library of Congress Seminar on Free Legal Research - Register by August 4th for the Program on August 11th

The American Bar Association Standing Committee on the Law Library of Congress, in cooperation with the ABA Section of International Law and other entities, will offer a free CLE legal research program during the upcoming ABA Annual Meeting in New York. The program will be on Friday, August 11, 2017 from 9:00 to 11:00 a.m. on "How to Conduct Free Legal Research Online." This complimentary CLE program is being graciously hosted by Duane Morris LLP, 14th Floor Boardroom, 1540 Broadway, New York.

TO ATTEND, YOU MUST RSVP BY AUGUST 4, 2017 to to jinny.choi@americanbar.org.

The Law Library of Congress is the world's largest law library, and this 2-hour program will share with you many of the features of the LLOC that you'll be able to access from almost anywhere in the world. The program also will include instruction on free international and comparative law legal research. It's sure to be a sell-out program (especially at this price). If you register and cannot attend, please let Jinny Choi know in case there is a waiting list.

(mew)

ASIL Women in International Law Mentoring Program - Application Deadline Extended to August 18, 2017

The American Society of International Law (ASIL) and its Women in International Law Interest Group (WILIG) has extended the application deadline for its its fifth year of the Women in International Law Mentoring Program. Since 2013, over 420 women have enrolled in ASIL's Mentoring Program as both mentors and mentees in 10 countries and 28 cities from Tucson to Singapore. The feedback has been extremely positive, and with the enthusiasm of its current participants, the ASIL has built a strong, inter-connected, and global network. It hopes to reach more even women for its 2017-18 program.  The new deadline for applications is Friday, August 18, 2017.

 

The Women in International Law Mentoring Program is the first of its kind in international law and is designed to foster the next generation of female international lawyers. The program connects experienced female international law professionals with female law students and new attorneys interested in professional development in the field of international law. Mentoring takes place locally, in a group setting, with a maximum of four mentees for every mentor. Mentors and mentees meet in person every other month during the course of an academic year to discuss topics and engage in activities designed to help junior women enter and be successful in the field of international law. Mentors will be provided with optional pre-planned meeting topics to structure meetings for their groups. Upon finishing the requirements of the one-year program, all participants receive a certificate of completion.

Here's a link to the blog post about the program on IntLawGrrls blog.

Here is a link to an ASIL video explaining the program.

 

And here's a link to the Application for the 2017-18 program.

 

Hat tip to Luli Hemmingsen,  WIL Mentoring Program Manager.

 

(mew)

 

ASIL/WILIG Mentoring Program Seeking Participants

The American Society of International Law (ASIL) and its Women in International Law Interest Group (WILIG) has extended the application deadline for its its fifth year of the Women in International Law Mentoring Program. Since 2013, over 420 women have enrolled in ASIL's Mentoring Program as both mentors and mentees in 10 countries and 28 cities from Tucson to Singapore. The feedback has been extremely positive, and with the enthusiasm of our current participants, we have built a strong, inter-connected, and global network. We hope to reach more women for the 2017-18 program!  The new deadline for applications is Friday, August 18, 2017. Applications may be found here.

The Women in International Law Mentoring Program is the first of its kind in international law and is designed to foster the next generation of female international lawyers. The program connects experienced female international law professionals with female law students and new attorneys interested in professional development in the field of international law. Mentoring takes place locally, in a group setting, with a maximum of four mentees for every mentor. Mentors and mentees meet in person every other month during the course of an academic year to discuss topics and engage in activities designed to help junior women enter and be successful in the field of international law. Mentors will be provided with optional pre-planned meeting topics to structure meetings for their groups. Upon finishing the requirements of the one-year program, all participants receive a certificate of completion.

(cgb)