International Law: Comparative Voices and Viewpoints

The two-day intensive session used a mix of pedagogical approaches to build expertise and maximize ways in which every participant can share and learn. Ahead of the highly interactive two-day program, Fellows presented pre-prepared legal abstracts to their peers and top law faculty representatives from participating schools.

The meeting combined plenary discussion and small thematic working groups, in which each Fellow received feedback and guidance on strengthening the legal arguments in their papers and finding publishing opportunities.

Fellows also heard about and discussed traditional and non-traditional career paths in international law with experts and practitioners. The meeting adhered to the Chatham House Rule to allow for a candid and open exchange of ideas.

The program included the Lloyd N. Cutler Lecture, where a distinguished speaker discusses international legal issues and the rule of law. Former Cutler lecturers include:

• Eric Schmidt, former CEO and chairman of Google);
• Justice Richard J. Goldstone, Former Chief Prosecutor of the United Nations International Criminal Tribunals for the former Yugoslavia and Rwanda;
• Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer;
• Dr. Fiona Hill, foreign affairs specialist and former deputy assistant to the U.S. President;
• Hugh Verrier, Former Chair of White and Case LLP.

This year's distinguished lecturer was Robert Amsterdam of Amsterdam and Partners LLP, a boutique international law firm with offices in London and Washington, D.C. 

A core element of the Cutler Fellows Program is the opportunity for fellows to workshop a research paper with expert faculty and other fellows. Fellows should have a paper in progress--for example, a research paper from a law school seminar--and intend to revise/expand that paper for future publication. Before participating in the program, students must prepare a 6–8-page executive summary of that research paper to be shared with participating faculty and fellows. This paper can be previously written or a work in project and should be something they wish to improve with peer and expert feedback. The workshops, taking place on Friday, February 21st during the program, aim to provide feedback and guidance for the future development of the paper. Discussions will focus particularly on argumentative framing, paper structure, and theses. In small groups, each student will orally present their research and receive constructive feedback from peers and expert faculty members.

Please note, paper topics and keywords will are due on Friday, January 24th at 11:59pm, and executive summaries are due on Wednesday, February 5th at 11:59pm. Student and faculty participants are expected to read each executive summary in their small group assignment prior to the in-person program.

The program accepts up to 56 law student Fellows at the 2L, 3L, and LLM levels. Four students are selected by each of the 14 participating law schools. Students’ areas of interest should include:

• international human rights and humanitarian law;
• international and national security law;
• international environmental and climate law and policy;
• international courts and tribunals;
• international finance, investment, monetary and trade law;
• foreign relations law of various domestic legal systems.

Application processes for this program are conducted through our 14 partner law schools and may vary from school to school.