ILSA Chapter Happenings
Country Watch
2002, African leaders such as Charles Taylor of
Liberia, Omar Al – Bashir of Sudan and others
are the only heads of state who have been in-
dicted, it is also a true that today’s most heinous
crimes, grave human right violations, overthrow
and subversion of constitutional governments
are being perpetrated in most African countries
and therefore, it is erroneous for African lead-
ers to think that the European community and
United States are using the ICC to target and
prosecute its citizens wrongly.
The preamble of the Rome Statute of the In-
ternational Criminal Court provides ”the state
parties to this statute, mindful that during this
century millions of children, women and men
have been victims of unimaginable atrocities
that deeply shock the conscience of humanity,
determined to put an end to impunity for the
perpetrators of these crimes and thus to the
prevention of international crimes, recalling that
it is the duty of every state to exercise crimi-
86 nal jurisdiction over those responsible for inter-
national crimes”. It is in the letter and spirit of
the ICC statute that every state party exercises
universal jurisdiction over persons indicted by
ICC for international crimes such as war crimes,
crimes against humanity and genocide and also
establish agencies in their countries for the pre-
vention of these crimes.
The principle of respondeat superior under inter-
national human rights law as codified in article
6(1) and (2) of the Statute of the International
Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda, requires ”a per-
son who planned, instigated, ordered, commit-
ted or otherwise aided and abetted in the plan-
ning, preparation and execution” of international
crimes such as war crimes, crimes against hu-
manity and genocide, shall be individually re-
sponsible for the crime and therefore, “the of-
ficial position of any accused person, whether
as Head of State or Government or as a respon-
sible Government official, shall not relieve such
person of criminal responsibility nor mitigate the
ILSA Quarterly » volume 19 » issue 1 » October 2010
punishment”.
The recent consideration of whether or not Omar
Al-Bashir should be arrested and extradited by
Ghana was elucidated by Alhaji Mohammed
Mumuni, Minister of Foreign Affairs during an
interview on Meet the Press held in July 2009
in which he indicated that, “Ghana would not
arrest Al-Bashir.”This has greatly disappointed
the good conscience of all persons who believe
in respects for human right and freedoms be-
cause the ICC cannot and would not incriminate
persons in Africa if it did not have grounds for
believing suspected persons were responsible
for the commission of such heinous crimes. We
are all aware of the political turmoil that rocked
the southern and northern parts of Sudan. Rule
of law requires that criminal suspects are given
all necessary legal opportunity to defend them-
selves and to disprove their criminal allegation.
African leaders should not compromise the
good efforts of the ICC to prosecute suspected
person of international crimes.
It cannot be countenanced that the ICC is a
‘nest for housing African leaders’ because his-
tory has written that the genesis of the ICC is
in a perfect consonance with the Tribunals for
Nuremberg and Tokyo that prosecuted the Nazi
war criminals after Second World War. It is the
utmost mission of the International Community
to preserve peace and security for all persons
irrespective of one’s race and belief. As Africans,
let us fight against any person who undermines
principles of human rights, rule of law, democ-
racy and good governance. It is through these
tenets that our future generation will be a per-
fect one. As Edmund Burke famously said, “All
.
that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that
good men do nothing”.
*
Submitted by Charles Ofori, Student at the Ghana
School of Law – Accra, Ghana
This section contains stories, activities, and upcoming events of ILSA Chapters
around the world. We hope that the shared experiences in this recurring column
will provide our Chapters with ideas and tools to improve their programs. Please
share your Chapter Happenings by sending them to quarterly@ilsa.org.
criminal liability under international law; the effect
STUDENT OFFICER UPDATE
of international criminal law on the victim, prose-
ILSA Executive Office cution, and reconciliation; women’s rights; cultural
Chicago, Illinois USA issues in the courts; and career opportunities.
Michelle Keith, ILSA CCO
A writing competition, details forthcoming, will
be held as part of the Conference. Students will
The ILSA Student Officers are pleased to an-
be asked to submit papers to ILSA discussing a
nounce that the ILSA Spring Conference will
specific issue within the greater conference
take place on March 25-26, 2010 in Washing-
theme. ILSA will judge submissions on the qual-
ton, D.C. The conference, to be held that the
ity of legal analysis, effective writing style, and
Capitol Hilton Hotel, will feature numerous
innovative contribution to the field of interna-
panel discussions, student presentations, and
tional of law. The top papers will receive recog- 87
social events. The Conference will bring together
nition in the ILSA Quarterly and the authors will
hundreds of law students from around the world
have the opportunity to present their papers at
to learn and network with esteemed members of
the ILSA Spring Conference. For more informa-
the international legal community. Students will
tion about the writing competition, please con-
have the opportunity to speak one-to-one with
tact ILSA Student President Molly McNab at
panelists and experts, exchanging ideas in the
president@ilsa.org.
heart of the spectacular scenery of Washington,
D.C. The Spring Conference is held in conjunction with
the White & Case International Rounds of the
The Conference’s overall theme is “International
Philip C. Jessup International Law Moot Court
Law and the Individual.” One often thinks of
Competition. Students who will be attending the
international law as interactions between sover-
Spring Conference are invited to spend the entire
eign states, or as affecting large groups of people
“Jessup Week” in Washington D.C. to partake in
who have fallen victim to atrocities occurring else-
Jessup Competition festivities, including the Ad-
where in the world. However, international law
vancing Teams Announcement Party, the annual
affects everyone, no matter where one lives.
Go National Ball, and of course, the Competition
Come discover how important international law itself. Students are also encouraged to volunteer
is to all of us in our everyday interactions. Topics to “bailiff” Jessup Competition rounds in Wash-
to be discussed include: environmental law and ington D.C. To serve as a Jessup Competition vol-
cross border pollution; private business law; im- unteer, please contact Caroline Cowen, the Jes-
migration and the importance of nationality and sup Outreach Coordinator, at ccowen@ilsa.org.
citizenship; refugee and asylum law; individual
ILSA Quarterly » volume 19 » issue 1 » October 2010
 ILSA Chapter Happenings
University of Baltimore ILS
University of Baltimore School of Law
Baltimore, Maryland USA
Nick Allen, ILS President
The International Law Society of the University of
Baltimore School of Law has experienced one of
the most active years in its history. The beginning
of the semester saw ILS reach out to the Universi-
ty of Tikrit School of Law in Tikrit, Iraq, with whom
the University of Baltimore has a Memorandum of
Understanding. The ILS hosted Professor Ahmed
Muhammed Salih from Tikrit for a discussion with
law school administration and faculty of UB’s Cen-
ter for International and Comparative Law about
setting the groundwork for cross-institutional
study and, eventually, a student exchange pro-
gram. Since this meeting, a cooperative tax law
study has been formed between law professors at
Baltimore and Tikrit and ILS has also begun a book
drive to provide legal texts for Tikrit’s seriously de-
88
pleted law library. We have sent two shipments so
far and expect to send another before December.
Furthermore, in addition to a successful winter
clothes drive, we held to provide for those in need
in Afghanistan, we co-sponsored Human Traffick-
ing, a panel discussion about the abuses from the
on-going underground slave trade both in the U.S.
and abroad. Speakers included Solette Magnelli,
assistant U.S. attorney and chair of the Maryland
Human Trafficking Task Force, and Martina Vanden-
berg of Jenner & Block LLP in Washington, D.C.
We also hosted our annual Fall Study Abroad Ses-
sions to provide UB law students with information
on both UB programs in Scotland, Israel, and the
Netherlands Antilles as well as those available at
other institutions (these sessions received record
attendance).
On November 2, we hosted our annual Careers in
International Law Symposium, our biggest event
of the semester. The symposium discussed the
various opportunities to practice international law
ILSA Quarterly » volume 19 » issue 1 » October 2010
ILSA Chapter Happenings
while always keeping an eye to the difficulties cre- New York Law School ILS during her internship.
ated by the recession. The event featured a panel
New York Law School In addition to attending International Law Week-
of distinguished speakers including Barbara Cum-
New York, NY USA end in New York, NYLS ILS members were pres-
mings, Diplomat-in-Residence for the State De-
Claire R. Thomas, President ent at three exciting and informative C.V. Starr
partment; Hilaire Sobers, Human Rights Special-
lectures hosted by the NYLS Center for Inter-
ist for the Inter-American Commission on Human
The New York Law School International Law So- national Law. The speaker for the first of these
Rights; Bill Wilburn, Senior Partner at WKWilburn,
ciety has been busy this fall! Our activities have lectures was Justice Richard Goldstone, Head of
P.C.; Sheela Murthy, Founder and Senior Partner of
included our first career panel event, a tour of the the United Nations Fact-Finding Mission on the
The Murthy Firm; and Sarah Rogerson, Professor
U.S. Court of International Trade, and attendance Gaza Conflict. Justice Goldstone spoke about ac-
at the University of Baltimore School of Law and
at International Law Weekend as well as at three countability for war crimes during the 2008-2009
Clinical Fellow of the UB Immigrant Rights Clinic.
lectures hosted by the Center for International Israel-Gaza conflict and his role as head of the
The last event of the semester was a discussion by Law at NYLS. independent fact-finding mission investigating
Coast Guard Academy law professor and national international humanitarian and human rights vio-
In mid-September, NYLS ILS began the year by lations during the conflict.
security expert Glenn Sulmasy on his new book
welcoming old and new members to gather at
The National Security Court System: A Natural Evo-
an informal “happy hour” at a local restaurant to The Center for International Law invited Profes-
lution of Justice in an Age of Terror. Co-sponsored
get to know each other and to brainstorm events sor James C. Raymond to present the second
by the Dean’s Suite, Prof. Sulmasy elaborated on
for the upcoming year. This event was successful lecture of the year. Professor Raymond’s lecture,
his proposal to create a new court system to ad-
with over forty members in attendance. entitled “Legal Logic and Its Limits: An Interna-
judicate issues of national security, similar in con-
tional Perspective,” began with his critique of
cept to subject-matter specific systems already in On October 19, NYLS ILS held its first career traditional legal writing in the courts. Following
place to deal with such issues as immigration and panel discussion entitled “Exploring Opportuni- the lecture, Professor Raymond promoted his
bankruptcy. This event, like our other events this ties for Employment in International Law.” Four 89
“method” for writing and concluded with his ob-
semester, enjoyed excellent attendance. panelists from diverse backgrounds spoke at the servations on the development of international
event, including a clerk from the U.S. Court of In- jurisprudence.
However, the most important activity by ILS in the
ternational Trade, a UN Legal Officer and former
Fall did not involve a single speaker, and did not
legal advisor for the International Criminal Court, For the third lecture, the Center for International
get one audience member. In October, ILS created
a professor in the field of International Environ- Law welcomed Professor Yuval Shany of the He-
the Journal of International and Comparative Law,
mental Law who also serves as an advisor to the brew University in Jerusalem. Professor Shany
the University of Baltimore’s first student-run inter-
Permanent Mission of Palau to the U.N., and an also discussed the United Nations Fact-Finding
national law journal. A purely online publication for
attorney practicing international trade law for a Mission on the Gaza Conflict. He argued that
now, it is in its early stages. Nonetheless, it is well
global law firm. The panelists shared their experi- the report produced by Justice Goldstone and
on its way to completion of its first issue on April
ences in starting their careers in international law his team reveals problems in extending human
26, 2010. For more information go to law.ubalt.
and offered practical advice to students about in- rights to armed conflict situations.
edu/ils or send an email to ilsinternationaljournal@
ternships and coursework. Approximately thirty After winter break, the NYLS ILS Executive
gmail.com.
ILS members attended the event and asked en- Board hopes to continue the organization’s mis-
Overall, ILS is proud to say that it has had a suc- gaging questions. sion of sparking even more student interest and
cessful semester. With the many events planned
On October 30, NYLS ILS members attended a involvement in the NYLS community. Events for
for the next several months including a video-tele-
tour of the U.S. Court of International Trade ar- the spring will include a tour of the U.N. Secre-
conference with the University of Tikrit School of
ranged by third year student and ILS Executive tariat and a partnership with the student chap-
Law, a February panel on the continuing impact of
Board member Agata Ratajczyk. Agata interned ter of Lawyers without Borders at NYLS to raise
the Iranian Revolution on Iranian law, and a Middle
for a judge at the U.S. Court of International Trade awareness of Human Trafficking.
East and Africa Symposium in April, ILS certainly
last spring and was able to secure a tour for ILS
looks to have an equally-productive Spring.
members thanks to the connections she formed
ILSA Quarterly » volume 19 » issue 1 » October 2010
 ILSA Chapter Happenings ILSA Chapter Happenings

Catania ILSA Chapter
University of Catania School of Law
Catania, Italy
Giuliana Quattrocchi, Chief Officer
The ILSA Chapter at University of Catania School of
Law, which was just established in late September
2009, has held its official inauguration ceremony in
November, 7, presided over by Rosario Sapienza,
Professor of International Law and Director of the
Centre of Research on International Organizations
(CRIO), and Dr. Adriana Di Stefano, Lecturer in In-
ternational and European Law and at the Univer-
sity of Catania Law School.
Catania ILS recognizes and realizes that the regis-
tration of a Chapter at our Law School has been an
honorable and valuable addition to the University
of Catania, and even though the activities have
just started, we intend to make it the very best
through our work.
90
We are very pleased to propose for the first time a
team from University of Catania for the 2010 Jes-
sup Moot Court Competition’s national rounds and
also proud to be the first Law School of Southern
Italy to take part in the Jessup.
While the Jessup competition is the highlight of
ILSA Chapter at University of Catania’s present
agenda, several other learning activities scheduled
in the Fall and Spring semester are worth men-
tioning. During the Fall term, students have been
involved monthly in training workshops in Interna-
tional Law and International Organizations Law, as
well as in a thematic Course on Human Rights (as
a part of the Selected Topics in Public International
Law Program, STiPIL Courses 2009-2010), cur-
rently focusing with the issues of implementation
of the CEDAW Convention. High-Level Lectures
were delivered by Prof Christine Chinkin of the
London School of Economics and Political Science
and by Dr. Ilaria Bottigliero from the International
Development Law Organization.
Furthermore, on November 20, the CRIO Centre at
Catania Law School , in collaboration with UNICEF,
celebrated the 20th anniversary of the adoption by
the UN General Assembly of the Convention on
the Rights of the Child, by holding a conference
on the protection of children in armed conflicts,
(specifically focused on the issues of Child Sol-
diers) with the extraordinary participation of John
Baptist Onama, Professor at Università degli Studi
di Padova and a child soldier in Uganda himself in
his teens. ILSA students served in the Organizing
Committee of the celebration.
Another event hosted by Catania ILSA at the
School of Law is the Round Table on “Democracy
Human Rights and International Law”, sponsored
by the CRIO Centre and by the review “Diritti Um-
ani e Diritto Internazionale” (Friday, 18 December
2009), with the participation, among others, of
Prof. Jean D’Aspremont (University of Amsterdam
School of Law), Prof. Amaya Ubeda de Torres (Uni-
versity College of London), Prof. Pasquale De Sena
(University of Naples Federico II), and Prof. Fran-
cesco Salerno (University of Ferrara).
For the coming Spring Term 2010, the Catania ILSA
is pleased to announce the CRIO Advanced Inter-
national Law Seminar Series on “Migrations and
Human Rights in the Mediterranea Area” (March-
May 2010). All students attending the seminars
are invited to join the Italian moot court annually
held by the International Law Chair at the School
of Law on “International Law in Domestic Courts”
(March – June 2010).
Among other activities, the Catania ILSA Chapter
intends to engage in starting an integrated web-
site with a blog/forum and a registered newsletter,
organizing an agenda of events for the next year,
such as workshop in international law for all stu-
dents in the University, closed seminars finalized
to training student to Mooting , open social activi-
ties (thematic Cine forum, special cultural events
on human rights highly-debated issues), while pro-
viding more academic and information resources
to International Law students in cooperation with
other local student associations and with the Se-
nior Student Initiative “Risorse Internazionali per la
Documentazione e la Ricerca”.
We are looking forward to taking up this challenge.
TENNESSEE ILS
University of Tennessee College of Law
Knoxville, TN USA
Hannah Lowe, President
While historically the University of Tennessee Col-
lege of Law (‘UT’) has maintained an International
Law Society and fielded a team at the Jessup In-
ternational Law Moot Court Competition for sever-
al years, in recent years the organization had fallen
dormant. During the 2008-2009 school year the
school had no ILS Chapter registered with ILSA.
Believing that the Society could again thrive at UT
Law, under the guidance of Faculty Advisor Profes-
sor Robert Blitt, Associate Professor of Law, I and
the rest of the 2009 Jessup team decided to revive
the ILS and work towards making it once again an
established organization at Tennessee Law.
Excellent attendance at our initial interest meet-
ings at the end of the spring semester and again
this fall has demonstrated that there is indeed
a great deal of interest and enthusiasm for the
Society. We hope to build on this enthusiasm as
we continue to grow this year. This fall, we held a
study abroad information session, which included
a panel of Tennessee Law students and faculty
who have studied and taught abroad in programs
all over the world including England, Greece, the
Netherlands, Ireland, and Brazil. The same panel
of students was also invited to speak at a campus-
wide event organized by College of Law Distin-
guished Professor of Law Joan Macleod Hemin-
way aimed at promoting the international efforts
of the College of Law and connecting the College
with the wider campus community.
ILS Secretary Solange Adams, ILS member Leith
Marsh, Professor Blitt and I were also invited by
Dean Doug Blaze to talk to the College of Law
Alumni Council about international programs at
the College of Law. It was a great opportunity to
present to the alumni our efforts to promote study
abroad programs, upper level classes in interna-
tional law, and general scholarship and interest in
international affairs. We have also held several so-
cial events to promote the ILS, including sponsor-
ing the Law School’s weekly “Rump Court” with a
wine tasting event at a local restaurant and Salsa
lessons at local Latin dance company SalsaKnox.
We have several events planned for the spring
semester, including a panel of local immigration
attorneys who will demonstrate to students that
attorneys practicing in East Tennessee encounter
international issues. The panel will include Adjunct
Professor Chris Kleiser who teaches immigration
law and works full-time for the Knox County Pub-
lic Defender, and Professor Emeritus Fran Ansley,
91
whose has focused, among other things, on sever-
al recent ICE raids on Tennessee factories. Profes-
sor Karla McKanders will also speak on her work
in the UT Legal Clinic filing asylum petitions. UT
Law students are highly dedicated to pro bono ac-
tivities, and this spring the ILS will be volunteering
with Bridge Refugee Services, a local organization
that assists refugees settling in East Tennessee.
Other planned events include an information ses-
sion about postgraduate options, including ca-
reers in international law, LL.M. programs, and
international fellowships for law school gradu-
ates. ILS members Bill Payne and Gray Skinner
will also present their research into microfinance.
We also plan to dedicate the month of March to
“international awareness” with a film festival and
speaker event on topical international issues in
conjunction with the University’s Howard H. Bak-
er Jr. Center for Public Policy and “Ready for the
World” program. We are extremely excited to be
a part of what promises to be a great year for the
International Law Society at Tennessee Law!

ILSA Quarterly » volume 19 » issue 1 » October 2010 ILSA Quarterly » volume 19 » issue 1 » October 2010
 ILSA Chapter Happenings
LA Verne Law School ILS
University of La Verne College of Law
Ontario, California USA
David Chow, President
The University of La Verne College of Law, located
in Ontario, California, has established an Interna-
tional Law Students Association (ILSA) Chapter on
the Fall of 2009. With a strong student interest and
a great recruitment effort, we currently have more
than 50 active members associated with the Chap-
ter.
This fall, the La Verne ILSA sponsored two Global
Law Colloquiums. The first event was on Septem-
ber 24 and featured Frank J. Garcia, Professor of
Law from Boston College Law School, who talked
about “Three Takes on Global Justice”. The second
event was on October 22 and featured Robert E.
Lutz, Professor of Law from Southwestern Law
School, Los Angeles, who talked about “Providing
92 Globalized Legal Services: Challenges for the Legal
Profession, Regulators and Educators”. For more in-
formation about these events, please visit this link:
(http://law.laverne.edu/global-law-colloquium/).
This fall, our members also participated and net-
worked with many local associations: Los Angeles
County Bar Association – International Section,
Southern California Chinese Lawyers Association,
Arab American Lawyers Association of Southern
California, National Asian Pacific American Law Stu-
dent Association and other associations.
Next year, we are planning to host more Global
Law Colloquiums and speaker events to increase
awareness on the vast topics of international law.
Moreover, we are attempting to host the 2010 ILSA
Fall Conference and would be thrilled to invite other
ILSA chapters to participate from around the world.
La Verne ILSA is currently building a Jessup team
for the 2011 Jessup Competition with the strong
support of the school and a faculty advisor. In re-
sponse to the chapter’s efforts and wishes to set up
ILSA Quarterly » volume 19 » issue 1 » October 2010
a Jessup team, the school plans to introduce more
international law classes into the curriculum.
La Verne ILSA is growing rapidly and its members
have a strong passion for studying international law
and pursuing it as a potential career. The University
of La Verne College of Law is proud to be a mem-
ber of the ILSA and definitely looking forward to the
rest of the exciting school year.
RGNUL ILS
Rajiv Gandhi National Univ. of law
Punjab, India
S. Umamahesh, President
Rajiv Gandhi National University of Law (RGNUL),
Punjab has recently formed an ILSA Chapter.
RGNUL-ILS has a strong commitment to advancing
the study of international law. The primary goal of
RGNUL-ILS is to expose members to various as-
pects of international law by inviting speakers from
all over the world. Speeches and panel discussions
led by law experts give students a unique opportu-
nity to explore new avenues in international law.
Though RGNUL-ILS is the first institution of its kind
in the northern part of India, we have, in a very brief
period, organized events of national and internation-
al relevance, including the second LAW ASIA Inter-
national Moot Court Competition (National Rounds)
in 2006-2007 and the Commonwealth International
Moot Court Competition (National Rounds), in 2007-
2008. Also, society members presented papers at
the Second Annual ILSA International Conference
held in Kolkata, and the papers were well received
by all.
Recently, new members and officers of RGNUL-ILS
were appointed, including the president who was
nominated by the Head of the University. The main
aim of the new officers is to provide a platform for
students to explore international opportunities. An
orientation program for members is scheduled to
be held in February, 2010. RGNUL-ILS has adopted
ILSA Chapter Happenings
a special constitution for its smooth functioning and
would like to take this opportunity to thank Ms. Car-
oline C. Cowen for her perennial support. Currently,
RGNUL-ILS is on the way to fulfill a long cherished
dream of organizing the RGNUL International Level
Moot Court Competition on International Criminal
Law & International Humanitarian Law in associa-
tion with the ICRC, New Delhi and LexisNexis, New
Delhi.
As the Ensayo 2009 National Legal Essay Writing
Competition on International Humanitarian Law, or-
ganized by RGNUL’s Centre for Advanced Studies
in Humanitarian Law, was a success for the pro-
motion of International Humanitarian Law in Indian
Law Schools, RGNUL-ILS plans to hold the next se-
ries of the Ensayo legal essay competition at the in-
ternational level. Apart from this goal, RGNUL ILS is
keen to organize a lecture series on various issues
related to International Criminal Law.
To conclude, these initiatives are the earnest en-
deavor of RGNUL ILS to generate interest in inter-
national law not only for the present but also for the
future.
EMORY ILS
Emory University School of Law
Atlanta, Georgia USA
Flora Manship, President, and
Susan Grace, Secretary
During October, the International Law Society’s
Public International Law Working Group held a
tryouts for and selected its team of participants
to compete at the ICC Moot Court Competition,
to be held at Pace University from January 29-
31, 2010. The members of Emory Law’s 2010 ICC
Moot Court Team are researchers Ami Koldekhar
and Steven Carlson and oralists Shannon Kyle, Jer-
emy Roth, and Genevieve Holmes.
On October 17, the Emory Public Interest Commit-
tee (EPIC) held its sixth annual conference entitled
Expendable People?: A Human Rights Perspective
ILSA Quarterly » volume 19 » issue 1 » October 2010
on the Impact of Global Economic Migration on
Georgia. Speakers and panelists examined the
human rights aspect of global economic migra-
tion and addressed how such migration affects
the greater Georgia community. The Conference
focused specifically on human trafficking, the
guest-worker program, and the undocumented
workforce. The keynote address was delivered by
David Bacon, activist, photojournalist and author
of Illegal People. Emory Law Professor Polly Price
and Kirsten Widner of the Emory’s Barton Child
Law and Policy Clinic also presented at the confer-
ence.
On October 27, Professor Amos Guiora came to
Emory Law and presented a speech to the law
school community, as well as spoke separately
to students taking the Terrorism class and those
participants in the International Humanitarian Law
Clinic. Professor Guiora, who currently teaches at
the S.J. Quinney College of Law at the University
of Utah, is the former legal advisor to the Gaza
strip and was the Commander of the Israeli De- 93
fense Forces School of Military Law. He spoke
about his experiences teaching morality in armed
conflict.
ILS hosted a Meet-the-Faculty reception for first-
year students interested in international law.
Members of the Emory international law faculty
presented their areas of expertise and informa-
tion about the courses they teach. This provided
an informal opportunity for first year students to
network with faculty members and explore their
interest in international law.
To better promote an international agenda both
within the law school and beyond, the Emory ILS
is working with administrators on a redesign of the
Emory Law website. The new website will feature
an exclusively international section with resources
for students interested in pursuing a career in in-
ternational law, including links to the ILS webpage,
the websites of both Emory’s Center for Interna-
tional and Comparative Law and the Global Health
Law and Policy Project, information regarding Em-
 ILSA Chapter Happenings
ory’s International Humanitarian Law Clinic, the
website of the Emory International Law Review.
In the spring, ILS’s main event, the Law of the
Sea-Food Festival, will take place. The Festival,
which features a live crawfish boil and live musical
performances, is ILS’s main fundraiser for its inter-
national EPIC grant, which will award $4,000 to a
student pursuing unpaid summer employment in
an area of international public interest law.
Inner-Mongolia University ILS
Inner-Mongolia Univ. School of Law
Hohhot, China
Enhui Shen, President
The Law School of Inner-Mongolia University
(LIMU) ILSA Chapter in China was found in 2006,
before we took part in the 2006-2007 Jessup Moot
Court Competition. The Chapter is now in an excit-
ing stage of development. Despite its small size,
94
the group has already participated in several inter-
national law events, including the Jessup, in which
we will once again participate. We are hoping for
greater success at the Chinese National Rounds,
and to advance to the International Rounds of the
Competition.
Also, ILSA LIMU is planning an International Hu-
man Rights Moot Court Competition to be hosted
at the Law School. This intra-school moot is de-
signed to help students that will be participating in
larger competitions, and also to generate interest
in mooting among members of the general stu-
dent body. ILSA LIMU will host a number of so-
cial events to publicize the competition. We hope
to invite ILS groups from different law schools in
Inner-Mongolia, China to participate so that they
may share their experiences and knowledge with
our members. By adding new programs such as
these to the calendar, ILSA LMUN seeks to attract
new members and expend our network of interna-
tional law attorneys in the region.
ILSA Quarterly » volume 19 » issue 1 » October 2010
In Inner-Mongolia, China there are not many op-
portunities for students interested in international
law. So ILSA LMUN plans to provide some oppor-
tunities for law school students to take part in in-
ternational law events. Also, members of LMUN
are reaching out to the greater international law
community in this region to get more involved in
the field. Participation in community functions is a
wonderful way for members to interact with pro-
fessionals and to develop an understanding of the
current issues in international law.
Goals for 2010 include participating in interna-
tional law competitions, attending conferences,
publishing articles written by ILS members, and
promoting relationships between ILSA LMUN and
the ILSA organizations at other law schools. ILSA
LMUN will also host a speaker late in December
to have a discussion on death penalty, genocide
and the mechanism in international society with
such a financial crisis around the world.
To conclude, even though ILSA LIMU is expanding
and its members have a great passion for studying
international law, ILSA LMUN plans to work harder
on all of its endeavors. ILSA LMUN is enthusiastic
and optimistic about the another exciting school
year and more attractive events or conference
held by ILSA. In addition, LMUN really hopes that
a future ILSA Conference will be hosted in China.
Henry J. Richardson III, ILSA
Florida A & M Univ. College of Law
Orlando, Florida USA
Rebecca G. Gardiner, President
The Henry J. Richardson III, ILSA (HJR-ILSA) chap-
ter at Florida A & M University College of Law
(FAMU COL) was established in October 2008.
The namesake of the chapter is a highly distin-
guished professor, and author of international
law at Temple University School of Law. Since
ILSA Chapter Happenings
its inception, this association has made remark-
able strides by actively promoting, sponsoring
and planning events for the purpose of engaging
the student body on issues in the field of interna-
tional law, working in conjunction with the Office
of the Associate Dean for International Programs
(OADIP) and the Center for International Law and
Justice (CILJ) at FAMU COL.
During the summer of 2009, seven members of
HJR-ILSA participated in highly coveted interna-
tional law internships in five countries on four conti-
nents as part of CILJ’s International Law Internship
Program. Students interned at the International
Criminal Tribunal of Rwanda (Arusha, Tanzania);
Robert F. Kennedy Center for Justice and Human
Rights (Washington, D.C.); the Ghana Supreme
Court (Ghana); Interpol (Bangkok, Thailand); and
the Caribbean Court of Justice (Port of Spain,
Trinidad and Tobago). In addition, nine members
of HJR-ILSA participated in summer study abroad
programs in England, France, Italy, South Africa
and Spain.
To kick off the 2009-2010 academic school year,
HJR-ILSA hosted activities that showcased the
nexus between international law and domestic
issues. In September, HJR-ILSA co-sponsored a
round table discussion and book signing with CILJ
commemorating the 4th Anniversary of Hurricane
Katrina. The discussion featured the co-editors
and select authors of the highly acclaimed book,
Hurricane Katrina: America’s Unnatural Disaster.
In November, HJR-ILSA collaborated with the
FAMU Caribbean Law Student Association and the
American Civil Liberties Union to host a forum on
immigration law. The forum featured Philip Zyne,
a Florida attorney who practices immigration and
naturalization law. Mr. Zyne discussed the practice
of immigration law and, more specifically, the col-
lateral consequences minor criminal offenses had
on a person’s immigration status. Further, HJR-
ILSA hosted its first ‘ILSA Lunch Hour’ featuring
FAMU COL Professor Patricia Broussard, who dis-
cussed the recent creation of the UN Agency on
ILSA Quarterly » volume 19 » issue 1 » October 2010
Women’s Rights.
Currently, planning is underway for the upcoming
2010 spring semester. In February 2010, HJR-ILSA
will host a panel discussion entitled “Florida’s Re-
gret…What’s Next?” This highly anticipated discus-
sion centers on the Florida legislatures adoption
of Resolution #S2930, in March of 2008. Resolu-
tion #S2930 calls for a formal apology to African-
Americans regarding the slave trade in the State of
Florida. Florida Governor, Charlie Crist, has publicly
acknowledged his support of the resolution and
also stated that reparations would be considered
for African-Americans in Florida. However, to date
no concrete plans have been developed. HJR-ILSA
organized this event, not only to simulate dialogue,
but to also develop a working framework for this is-
sue, and generate ideas for implementation. Given
the potential implications of Resolution #S2930,
the forum is guaranteed to provide a provocative
and intellectual exchange.
Then, on March 4, 2010, HJR-ILSA, in conjunction
95
with CILJ will host a Women’s Conference titled:
Toward an International Law of Black Women:
New Theory, New Praxis. This panel will feature
prominent Black female international lawyers who
will discuss—through global lenses—the extent
to which Black Women have impacted and been
impacted by, among other phenomena, the forces
of enslavement, segregation/Apartheid, coloniza-
tion and globalization. It purports to unearth and
fashion new and pre-existing law born out the ex-
periences of, directed towards, and or that inad-
vertently affect, Black Women.
Lastly, CILJ and HJR-ILSA are pleased to an-
nounce the establishment of the inaugural Philip
C. Jessup International Moot Court Team at FAMU
COL. The team consists of four individuals eager
to represent the college in this international event,
David Claros, Rebecca Gardiner, Dorrissa Griffin,
and Lissette Shepherd. The team will compete in
the Southeast Regional Competition from Febru-
ary 25-28, 2010 at Florida International University
College of Law in Miami, Florida.
 ILSA Chapter Happenings
Ust ILSA
University of St. Thomas School of Law
Minneapolis, Minnesota USA
Amanda Mortwedt, ILSA Member
The ILSA Chapter of the University of St. Thomas
School of Law has kicked-off the school year with
exciting events in Minneapolis, MN, and has future
events planned as well. The aim of UST ILSA is to
increase the awareness and knowledge of interna-
tional law among students by bringing together per-
sons of diverse cultural backgrounds who share an
interest in international issues.
UST ILSA began the year with an event that show-
cased past study abroad experiences. Students,
particularly first year students, were able to hear
about a wide range of summer opportunities, in-
cluding study in Italy, China, Turkey, and Costa Rica.
Attendees were also informed about the organiza-
tion’s Service to Haiti project. Participating students
96 will travel to Haiti over Winter Break to help an or-
phanage with painting and light construction.
UST ILSA has also co-sponsored several educa-
tional opportunities for students to learn more
about international law. On October 7, Professor
Matthew J. Wilson from the University of Wyoming
College of Law spoke about issues related to em-
ployment in transnational and international law, as
well as examples of how to effectively use study
abroad programs and overseas experiences in his
“Distinguishing Yourself Through International Law
Opportunities” presentation. The American Bar As-
sociation Section of International Law also came to
campus to host “Pathways to Employment in Inter-
national Law” on November 5. Professor Stephen
R. Arnott from Hamline University, Laura A. Young
from Advocates for Human Rights, and Alejandro
Suarez from Fredrikson & Byron were the distin-
guished panelists. Panelists shared with students
their experiences, including the challenges and suc-
cesses they met in reaching their practice/career
objectives. Additionally, third-year student Zaylore
ILSA Quarterly » volume 19 » issue 1 » October 2010
Stout, last year’s winner of the ABA’s International
Law Student Writing Competition, was the modera-
tor. On November 24, Lucy Arimond from the Uni-
versity of Minnesota Human Rights Center and Be-
atriz Menanteau from Advocates for Human Rights
spoke about their experiences in human rights, the
organizations where they work, and about the Up-
per Midwest Human Rights Fellowship Program.
The UST ILSA Chapter is also pleased to announce
that it has several upcoming opportunities for stu-
dents to further broaden their knowledge. The Uni-
versity of St. Thomas School of Law and Villanova
University School of Law will be jointly offering their
third Rome study program this summer. The pro-
gram will allow students to take two classes and
participate in many cultural and educational oppor-
tunities. Students who wish to participate in inter-
national study external to the St. Thomas Rome pro-
gram will be able to learn more from Vinita Bali JD,
LL.M., who will present information about the San-
ta Clara School of Law summer abroad programs
in January. The final event for the school year will
offer information about summer 2010 international
service and internship opportunities.
Additionally, students may now find out more in-
formation about upcoming events through the UST
ILSA webpage and a new Facebook page. UST
ILSA remains committed to informing its members
about the exciting practice of international law and
continues to look for new and diverse ways to make
international law accessible to interested students
at the University of St. Thomas.
ITESM SLP Law Students Assoc.
Tecnológico de Monterrey
San Luis Potosí , Mexico
Raúl Rivera Castillo, President
Fall Semester 2009 has been busy for the Law
Students Association at the Tecnológico de Monter-
rey Campus San Luis Potosí (SALED), of which the
ILSA Chapter Happenings
ILSA Chapter is part. After giving a warm welcome
to a new generation of first-year students in August
and through many integration activities, a unified
student body is excited about new opportunities of
development and learning.
Upon returning from a semester in South Korea
and Belgium, students and ILSA Chapter members
Fernanda Muñoz (SALED’s Social Outreach coordi-
nator) and Arturo Guadarrama-Garza (SALED’s Vice-
President) eagerly shared their experiences and
encouraged more students to take the semester
and academic-year abroad programmes. They are
very excited about starting their internships with
the Washington Center next January. Fernanda will
focus on Public Policy while Arturo will be working
on Trade Issues.
Also, in January, the ILSA Chapter will welcome
back Gaby Bonilla who is currently in Milwaukee
for a semester abroad programme and Gerardo Za-
manillo who is currently at Dortmund. Gerardo will
leave again in February for Madrid to focus on Com-
parative Law Studies and Laura Ruiz will leave for
Belgium to focus on International Public Law.
Karina Rangel is currently in Paris at the Institut
d’Études Politiques focusing on Public Policy and
Foreign Relations. She is very excited about her in-
ternship at the European Parliament and will return
in mid-July to take a Harvard-sponsored course at
ITESM’s Monterrey campus.
Additionally, starting in January, the ILSA Chapter
has many activities organized for both students
and the broader legal community. These activities
include lectures from renowned Mexican intellectu-
als, lawyers and journalists such as Héctor Aguilar
Camín, political analyst and writer; Jorge Castañeda,
who served as Foreign Relations Minister in the Fox
administration; and Rosario Green, who was also a
Foreign Relations Minister, former Ambassador to
the German Democratic Republic and Under Sec-
retary General for Political Affairs at the UN under
Boutros Boutros-Ghali.
In March, the ILSA Chapter will host the Reforming
ILSA Quarterly » volume 19 » issue 1 » October 2010
Mexico 2010 Conference which will focus on Inter-
national Corporate Law and Corporate Governance
and highlight the importance of International Arbi-
tration and Alternative Dispute Resolution. Keynote
speakers from the most important law offices in
Mexico and UNCITRAL will be featured alongside
workshops and books presentations. All Chapters
interested in the Conference will be able to find
up-to-date information at www.reformandomexico.
com by mid-January.
For the monthly International Law Encounters, the
ILSA Chapter is planning lectures focused both on
Corporate and Business Law and Human Rights.
These events take place each month and embody
a full day of activities devoted to International Law
in which the students are the most important par-
ticipants by presenting essays and short presenta-
tions on pressing international law issues alongside
recognized speakers and scholars.
For the fourth-year in a row, in Spring Semester
2010, Professors Laura Murguía and Karin Linhart
97
from Würzburg University in Germany, will be giv-
ing the Comparative Law, Contemporary Legal
Systems and Introduction to the EU Legal System
courses. These courses are known for their mas-
sive student attendance, including attendance by
students who are not enrolled at the Law School.
Also, the ILSA Chapter will be involved in organiz-
ing the class trips to New York, Washington and The
Hague, which will give the students a new vision
of international law by getting first hand information
about international issues from the people directly
working on solutions for them.
This has been a very busy semester but members
are satisfied with the ILSA Chapter’s work and all
are looking forward to next year, which will be full
of learning opportunities and events that will enrich
ITESM’s college experience. We invite you to be
a part of them, so visit www.sa-led.com to learn
about them and be sure to attend ITESM’s Spring
2010 Conference.
 ILSA Chapter Happenings
PENN STATE ILS
Penn State University School of Law
Carlisle, Pennsylvania USA
R. Michelle Boldon, President
Penn State Law’s International Law Society (ILS)
is committed to its mission of exploring issues of
importance to the international legal community,
assisting students in pursuing legal careers with an
international component, promoting awareness of
international legal topics, and increasing the under-
standing of the international law practice. ILS began
the 2009-2010 academic year by sponsoring quality
and substantive programming and will continue that
trend throughout the year. The first event of the fall
semester, a network reception, allowed students to
partake in one-on-one conversations with the inter-
national law faculty of Penn State. Students inter-
acted with faculty members about their experiences
and careers in international law.
98 Penn State’s international law faculty have been
supportive and enthusiastic about the mission and
goals of ILS. In October, ILS partnered with Profes-
sor Catherine A. Rogers, international arbitration
scholar, to host Tom Snider. Tom Snider is counsel in
the Litigation/Controversy Department and a mem-
ber of the International Arbitration Practice Group of
WilmerHale. The audience was fascinated by Mr.
Snider’s experience as counsel to a party before
the Eritrea-Ethiopia Claims Commission, a state-to-
state tribunal established to adjudicate claims for
loss, damage, and injury arising from a two-year in-
ternational armed conflict. Mr. Snider also discussed
what it means to be an international lawyer.
Later in the fall semester, ILS featured Penn State
Law’s LL.M. students in a panel entitled “Judicial
Review and Its Impact on the Rule of Law around
the World.” Professor Louis Del Duca, a leading
scholar in the fields of commercial and comparative
law, passionately led this effort. Professor Del Duca
wrote a fact pattern about a violation of constitution-
al law requiring equality of treatment of men and
ILSA Quarterly » volume 19 » issue 1 » October 2010
women. Our LL.M. colleagues used the fact pattern
as a basis to engage in a lively discussion highlight-
ing the hallmarks of their countries’ judicial systems.
The panelists were: Fazal Ahmed (Pakistan), Darren
Smith (South Africa), Caroline Sheldon (Germany),
Yan Qian (Republic of China), Camilla Cordelli (Italy),
Chenyang Xie (People’s Republic of China), Cenay
Akin (Netherlands), and Kelly Heath (Brazil).
Penn State’s ILS will continue to present quality
programming in the spring semester, beginning
with a research workshop where students will learn
strategies for conducting online international legal
research. ILS will also cosponsor a career panel
with Penn State Law’s Human Rights Law Soci-
ety. One of ILS’s flagship events for the year is the
result of a partnership with Penn State’s School of
International Affairs Student Government Associa-
tion: “Beyond the Rhetoric: The State of Iran - Its
Policies, Politics and Global Impact.” Penn State
Law houses the School of International Affairs (SIA)
and is uniquely positioned to offer academic syn-
ergy in international legal study. The purpose of the
roundtable is to present an enriching and educa-
tional panel and facilitate discourse on Iran and its
impact on the international arena. Confirmed pan-
elists include Flynt L. Leverett, SIA Professor and
expert in global energy issues, international political
economy, and the Middle East and Persian Gulf; Hil-
lary Mann Leverett, CEO of Strategic Energy and
Global Analysis (STRATEGA) and former Director
for Iran, Afghanistan and Persian Gulf Affairs at the
National Security Council; Barbara Slavin, Assistant
Managing Editor for World and National Security of
The Washington Times; and Colonel (Ret.) Dr. Jef-
frey McCausland, Professor of International Law
and Diplomacy at Penn State.
Penn State’s ILS is also in the early stages of plan-
ning an event with members of the American Bar
Association Section of International Law on an
educational and thought-provoking event on cross-
cultural issues in the courts. Please contact R. Mi-
chelle Boldon at rmb317@psu.edu for more infor-
mation regarding any of the above events.
ILSA Chapter Happenings
VALPO ILS
Valparaiso University School of Law
Valparaiso, Indiana USA
Nicole Camier, President
Valparaiso School of Law’s International Law
Society has been quite busy this past semester.
We kicked off the semester with a hayride bon-
fire that allowed the school’s students to socialize
and get into the fall spirit. Next, on October 16-18,
five students participated in the Red Cross’s con-
ference on Law and War in Chicago. The students
who attended found this interactive workshop
very beneficial.
Our big event came the following weekend, Oc-
tober 22-24. Our executive board, consisting of
Nicole Camier, Masa Bijedic, Dzenana Delic, and
Peter Kirby, traveled to New York City and attended
the International Law Weekend Conference. Due
to our early arrival to New York City, we used the
free time before the start of the conference to ex-
plore the United Nations Headquarters. We were
given a private, behind-the-scenes tour of the UN
by the Bosnian Deputy Permanent Representa-
tive, Mirsada Colakovic. The tour included meeting
other DPRs from countries such as, the Nether-
lands, Serbia, and Pakistan. We had the privilege
of visiting the General Assembly Hall, as well as
the Security Council Chamber. It was a great hon-
or to be present and seated in rooms of such great
importance to international law, and to receive all
the procedural and historical knowledge of how
the UN functions.
Thursday evening the conference began at the
New York City Bar Association with a panel dis-
cussing the current need for reform of the Secu-
rity Council, which highlighted three themes: re-
form is imperative; reform will be difficult, if not
impossible; and some reform has begun.
On Friday, the conference was filled with many
panels throughout the day. The first was on
Extraterritorial Authority in the Caribbean and the
ILSA Quarterly » volume 19 » issue 1 » October 2010
Pacific and the panelists discussed issues with
individual rights, judicial review, national security,
and foreign relations. Next, we attended a discus-
sion on the New Hague Convention on Choice of
Court Agreements. The afternoon session was
based on Victim Participation in the International
Criminal Courts. Since two ILS executive board
members are Bosnian, this panel intrigued us the
most. We ended the night at a gala reception of
the DPR of the United Kingdom to the United Na-
tions. On Saturday, we attended lectures titled
Challenging Territorial Sovereignty, Secession, Au-
tonomy and Status Quo, New Developments in
International Human Rights, and The Law of the
Sea and the Russian Arctic-Economic and Secu-
rity Perspectives. This experience was extremely
beneficial, and we hope to send representatives
to this an annual event next year.
Our last and most recent event was a lecture by
Lisa LaPlante. She came to Valparaiso School of
Law on November 9, 2009. She spoke to a room
filled with law students, law professors, under- 99
graduate students, undergraduate professor, and
others. She discussed her experience in Peru as
she lived there for four years. She argued for the
outlawing of amnesty and the balance between
truth and justice. She continued to discuss the
reconciliation process after such tragedies as Bar-
rios Altos. Ms. LaPlante also lectured about the
Inter-American Court of Human Rights’ participa-
tion in this process. She was very entertaining
and knowledgeable and everyone that attended
learned more about this topic.
Our student organization is planning for the spring
semester as well. We are in the midst of organiz-
ing a LL.M. Dinner where the LL.M. students will
have a chance to teach other law students the laws
of their respective countries and answer ques-
.
tions about how their laws compare and contrast
to American laws. We have had a very successful
semester and hope to keep the trend going into
2010.