The field of international law is one of the most dynamic areas of legal practice, and its principles are increasingly applied by practitioners addressing complex problems on behalf of their clients. This course analyzes the development and implementation of international norms by emphasizing the interrelationship between the theoretical foundations of international law and the pragmatic skills needed to succeed in this evolving and interdisciplinary field.
Students learn specific lawyering skills such as treaty negotiation, research relating to international law, and the intersections of international and domestic law. An overarching goal of the course is to develop strategies for advocacy of particular legal and policy positions in different venues such as international institutions, domestic government agencies, and international tribunals.
The Tennessean spotlights Michael Newton and Practice Lab's work with Iraqi judges and in building a manual to support attorneys in international criminal tribunals work under widely established international criminal law best practices.
On May 9, 2024, the Criminal Court of the Nineveh Province in northern Iraq conducted the first criminal trial ever in Iraq using video conferencing technology, in collaboration with the First Karkh Criminal Court, in Baghdad, whose appellate judges supervised the trial procedures.
ILPL has submitted an amicus brief to the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights in a human rights case, Abubaker Ahmed Mohamed and 28 others v. the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia.
Working over several semesters, students in ILPL have provided the baseline data for the mappingbashir.org website, which chronicles the travels of Sudanese President Omar Hassan Ahmad Al Bashir.
The Case Digest arose from a need the United Nations ODC identified among practitioners who fight trafficking, to be given tools to address typical evidential problems which arise in trafficking cases.
Our report on the Burmese government in exile, "Seeking Justice for Burma: A Case for Revoking the Credentials of the SPDC," was widely circulated around United Nations channels during the 63rd General Assembly session.
Michael Newton, Professor of the Practice of Law, is an expert on terrorism, accountability, transnational justice, and conduct of hostilities issues. Over the course of his career, he has published more than 90 books, articles, op-eds, and book chapters.
Connect with the International Law Practice Lab coordinator.