Welcoming the Second Cohort of the International Law Fellows Network

Salzburg Global, in partnership with the International Bar Association (IBA) and the 21st Century Trust, is pleased to announce the second cohort of the International Law Fellows Network.

From June 11 to June 14, 2026, these 28 exceptionally talented international and transnational lawyers will convene at Salzburg Global’s home of Schloss Leopoldskron for this year’s session, “The Future of the Rule of the Law in a Fractured World.”

Building on the momentum of the program’s launch in 2025, this second cohort arrives at a critical historical juncture. Democratic institutions across the United States and Europe face internal fragmentation from polarization and disinformation, while powerful illiberal states actively promote alternative "rule by law" models that favor regime security over individual freedoms. While some traditional institutions still stand as resilient anchors of legality, others have succumbed to political capture or compromised their legitimacy, forcing new actors to step in and fill the vacuum. In this environment, defending rule-of-law values requires pragmatic strategy rather than idealistic repetition or reusing old formulas.

Against this backdrop, the upcoming session asks a fundamental question: What is the responsibility of rising legal leaders to the mechanisms that uphold international peace, fairness, equality, and human rights?  

The incoming cohort of law practitioners will examine where to find true leverage, which actors are genuinely equipped to resist erosion, and when adapting to political pressure crosses the line into complicity.

A substantial answer to these pressing legal questions requires a space capable of generating entirely new conversations and untested ideas. The upcoming Salzburg Global session is based on the conviction that a stable, rules-based international order is not a luxury, but a prerequisite for sustained peace, political stability, and human progress. A robust and predictable legal system functions as the shared baseline for international cooperation, serving as a foundational asset from which the entire global community draws strength.

Running under the Chatham House Rule, this session allows Fellows to openly exchange ideas and engage with each other in a civic space. Over four days of intensive plenary discussions, curated conversations with high-level experts, and practical working groups, they will co-create actionable toolkits for legal resilience.

Together, these Fellows join a global legal network committed to protecting and sustaining the rule of law: