Mortimer Sellers, José E. Alvarez, Michael P. Scharf, and Leila Nadya Sadat

The Categories:

ABILA Book of the Year Award: Awarded each year to the best book published in the previous year on international law or a topic in international law.

ABILA Practitioners Book Award: Awarded each year to the best book published in the previous year on a technical topic in international law or on a topic likely to be of particular interest to international law practitioners.

ABILA New Authors Book Award: This award is given each year to the best first book published in the previous year on international law or a topic in international law by an author who has not previously published a book on this or any other subject.

ABILA Edited Volume Award: Awarded each year to the best-edited volume published in the previous year on international law or a topic in international law.

The awards will be announced and presented to the recipients at International Law Weekend 2026, and the winner(s)’ names will be included in the list of all past Book of the Year Award winners on the ABILA website. See last year’s winners here.

SUBMISSION INFORMATION:

Eligible books must have been published within the calendar year of nomination or the preceding calendar year and must address some aspect of international law.

Procedure for nomination: Any person may nominate a book to the Award Committee. Please indicate which award(s) the book is being nominated for; to be considered for the award, the nominator, author(s), or publisher must send a copy of the book directly to each of the members of the ABILA Book Award Committee (see below). Books must be received by June 15, 2026. The books nominated will not be returned.

Members of the 2026 ABILA Book Awards Committee:

Prof. Mortimer Sellers
Chair, ABILA Book Awards Committee
615 County Line Road
Radnor, Pennsylvania 19087
U.S.A.

Prof. Fernanda Nicola
Washington College of Law
4300 Nebraska Ave. NW
Washington, D.C. 20016
U.S.A.

Prof. Alison Renteln
USC Gould School of Law
699 Exhibition Boulevard
Los Angeles, California 90089-0071
U.S.A.

Send any questions to ilw@ila-americanbranch.org.

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David Stewart, Andrea Bjorklund, Houston Putnam Lowry, Michael P. Scharf, and Leila Nadya Sadat

Description: The award shall consist of a plaque or a standing crystal award engraved with the recipient’s name and the name of the award. The award shall be announced and presented to the recipient at International Law Weekend 2026, and the winner’s name shall be included in the list of all past Outstanding Service Award winners on the ABILA website.

Eligibility requirements: The American Branch of the International Law Association’s Charles Siegal Distinguished Service Award recognizes outstanding contributions to the ABILA by a member of the ABILA. Such contributions could include to the ABILA Board, ABILA Committees, and/or the ABILA’s International Law Weekend. In choosing the recipient, the Selection Committee may consider an individual’s specific extraordinary service initiatives and/or sustained superior contributions to the ABILA over a number of years. Recipients must be current members of the ABILA in good standing at the time of nomination.

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Jim Johnson accepting the Outstanding Achievement Award on Brenda Hollis’ behalf

Description: The award shall consist of a plaque or a standing crystal award engraved with the recipient’s name and the name of the award. The award shall be announced and presented to the recipient at International Law Weekend 2026, and the winner’s name shall be included in the list of all past ABILA Outstanding Achievement Award winners on the ABILA website.

Eligibility requirements: The ABILA Outstanding Achievement Award was established to recognize outstanding contributions in the field of international law. Such contributions might include, but are not limited to, service to an international organization, a State, or an international court or tribunal; or to teaching, research, or scholarship in the field of international law. While candidates are reviewed comprehensively, factors considered may include consideration of an individual’s specific extraordinary service initiatives and/or sustained superior contributions to the field of international law over a number of years, as well as visionary and innovative leadership.

Procedure for nomination: Nominations should be sent to the Chair of the Service Award Nomination Committee by July 31, 2026. Nominations must include: Full name, title, address, and e-mail of the nominee; and a 100-250 word description of the nominee’s outstanding service to international law. The description should include details about the individual’s specific extraordinary service initiatives and/or about their sustained superior contributions to international law over a number of years.

Send Nominations to: Committee Chair Jennifer Trahan at jt487@nyu.edu.

The Award Committee is composed of: James H. Boykin, Matthew C. Kane, Frédéric Sourgens, and Jennifer Trahan.

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The first panel on Friday, “Cities as Global Norm-Shapers: Urban Power at the New Frontiers of International Law, featured a conversation with Ambassador Nina L. Hachigian (ret.), Alliance for Local Leaders International, moderated by Kai Raustiala, UCLA School of Law. The second panel, “Revisting the Use of Force: Legal Norms, State Practice, and Emerging Contours in International Law,” included Michael Kelly, Creighton University School of Law; ABILA President Michael Scharf, Case Western Reserve University School of Law; David Glazier, Loyola Law School; and Rachel VanLandingham, Southwestern Law School. The third panel, “Reflecting on the Ongoing Negotiations for a New Treaty on Crimes Against Humanity: Challenges and Prospects,” was composed of Leila Sadat, Washington University in St. Louis School of Law; Gissou Nia, Strategic Litigation Project at the Atlantic Council; Hannah Garry, USC Gould School of Law; and Saira Mohamed, UC Berkeley Law.

Saturday began with a Keynote Speech on “Standing Up for International Law” by Michael Scharf. At a time when international law and institutions are under attack, he said that academics, business executives, law firm heads, judges, and leaders of international associations like the ABILA can make a difference by taking a stand. The first Saturday panel, “Artificial Intelligence and the Boundaries of International Law,” featured Julia Powles, UCLA School of Law; Peter Yu, Texas A&M School of Law; Ioanna Tourkochoriti, University of Baltimore School of Law; and Nina Toft Djanegara, UCLA School of Law. Speaking on the second panel, “A Necessary IDEA: International Human Rights Law and U.S. Public Policy in Differential Treatment of Social Groups,” were Chandra Bhatnagar, ACLU of Southern California; Kevin R. Johnson, University of California Davis; Kelley Loper, University of Denver Sturm College of Law; Jerry Kang, UCLA School of Law; and Aaron Fellmeth, Arizona State University, Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law. The final panel, “Protest and International Law,” included Alison Dundes Renteln, University of Southern California; Shenali Pilapitiya, University of Southern California; Florian Kriener, Max Planck Institute, Yale Law School; Federico Barillas Schwank, International Center for Not-for-Profit Law; Bahar Mirhosseni, Cornell Law School; and Jess Peake, UCLA School of Law.

ILW West was organized by Professor Jess Peake, Director of UCLA’s International and Comparative Law Program, and Alyssa Krieger, Program Coordinator. Articles generated by the conference speakers will be published in the UCLA Journal of International Law in its 30th volume in 2026.

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Regarding the United States Attack on Iran

March 6, 2026

Founded more than one hundred years ago, the American Branch of the International Law Association (ABILA) is dedicated to the study, clarification, and development of International Law and the advancement of peace, human rights, and justice worldwide. At its last quarterly meeting, on January 16, 2026, by a vote of 30-0, the ABILA Board issued a statement condemning the U.S. intervention in Venezuela as unlawful and unjustifiable under international law. Between Board meetings, it sometimes falls to the ABILA President to issue Statements on important matters of international concern related to our mandate.

In the past week, the United States and Israel have unleashed massive aerial attacks against Iran and have targeted and killed the country’s leader. Iran has responded with an explosion of violence across the Middle East.

Having consulted with the ABILA Board, I issue this Statement to condemn the unlawful U.S. military intervention against Iran and to express grave concerns about the scope of Iran’s retaliation.

The prohibition on the use of force became a universal norm with the adoption of the U.N. Charter after World War II, and with the imposition of accountability for violations at Nuremberg – accomplishments in which the United States played a leading role. That prohibition is the keystone of the modern international legal order. Not coincidentally, despite intermittent conflicts, the 80 years since the establishment of the United Nations have been the most peaceful in human history, enabling unprecedented advances in human rights, development, and equality.

Those achievements are now at risk, with potentially devastating consequences.

The U.S. attacks against Iran cannot be justified as lawful self-defense. Iran has not attacked the United States, and even the Pentagon recognizes that there was no evidence of an imminent Iranian attack.

Rather, a decision was made to “pre-empt” any possible Iranian attack on a theory of self-defense against speculative future threats, such as nuclear proliferation or terrorism. However, the notion of preemptive war, which is the same theory that the Russian Federation invoked for its illegal invasion of Ukraine, has never been accepted as legitimate. Acceptance of such a doctrine would not only destabilize the Middle East but also increase the risk of war everywhere.

Some have suggested a further rationale: ending the atrocities committed by the Iranian regime. Iran has unquestionably supported terrorism abroad and perpetrated widespread violence against peaceful protesters at home. But humanitarian intervention under the “responsibility to protect” (R2P) doctrine must be carried out pursuant to Chapters VI and VII of the U.N. Charter under the 2005 World Summit Outcome Document, which would have required United Nations authorization in this case.

Much debate in the United States has focused on whether the decision to launch a war by the President complied with U.S. law since Congress is given the power to declare War under Article I § 8 of the U.S. Constitution and the War Powers Act in implementation thereof. This is indeed a weighty question, but it is not the only one.  U.S. military action abroad is governed by both U.S. law and international law. Accordingly, U.S. military intervention in Iran would have violated international law even had Congress approved it.

Only by respecting the limits on the use of force can the United States credibly condemn unlawful aggression and war crimes by other States, such as Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. If this most fundamental rule of international law is weakened through repeated violations, the world risks returning to a system in which power, rather than law, dictates outcomes—a world incompatible with peace, human rights, equality, and sustainable development.

While the ABILA is non-partisan in nature, it is committed to peace, justice, and the rule of law – values that are threatened by the U.S. attacks on Iran. The ABILA therefore urges the United States to end this unlawful military action without delay and to reclaim its rightful role as a defender of the international legal order it helped to build, and from which the American people have immeasurably benefited.

Michael P. Scharf

President of the American Branch of the International Law Association

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CONCEPT NOTE

70^th Session, United Nations Commission on the Status of Women Side Event 

Women’s Equal Right to Participate in the Judiciary and Women’s Access to Justice: More Women, More Access

Tuesday 10 March | International Day of Women Judges | 6:15-7:30 pm

Location: Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP, 425 Lexington Ave, New York, NY 10017 | Zoom Link

Food and beverages provided from 6pm

 Background

Access to justice is a fundamental human right,[1] and States are obligated to ensure access to justice for women and girls.[2] Globally, women and girls face numerous gendered barriers to justice, whether as claimants, witnesses, victims, or defendants. Relatedly, the right to equal and inclusive participation in decision making, including the judiciary, is a fundamental human right, and States have a responsibility to appoint women to judicial roles at all levels of the judiciary.[3] Yet, around the world, men often comprise the majority of judges in domestic, regional, and international courts, particularly in the most senior judicial roles.

Women’s equal and inclusive participation in the judiciary and access to justice for women and girls are linked in several ways. The CEDAW Committee has noted that ‘[w]omen’s equal participation in the judiciary is part of what makes access to justice meaningful’ and that ‘[i]f the judiciary lacks equal participation, the system’s credibility and legitimacy are compromised’.[4] Observing that ‘gender stereotyping by judges is a “core impediment” to access to justice,’[5] the Committee called for States Parties to remove barriers to access to justice, including by ‘confront[ing] and remov[ing] barriers to women’s participation as professionals within all bodies and levels of judicial and quasi-judicial systems and providers of justice-related services.’[6]

Similarly, the Special Rapporteur on the Independence of Judges and Lawyers stated that ‘discrimination against women stems not only from certain explicit regulatory obstacles but also from institutional, structural and cultural barriers that lead to underrepresentation in public decision-making positions or confinement to certain areas of the judicial system.’[7]The Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights noted that ‘[i]ncreased representation of women within the police and the judicial system as well as mainstreaming gender within the judiciary can also improve their responsiveness to gender issues and make it easier for women to seek assistance or report their cases.’[8]

Further, UN Women has observed that ‘[w]omen’s representation in the judiciary is a matter of equality and fairness, but it is also important for maintaining public confidence in the justice system. There is evidence that women judges can create more conducive environments for women in courts and can make a difference to outcomes.’[9] UNDP and UN Women have together found that there is ‘evidence that women judges are less susceptible to corruption, and their effective representation in the judiciary increases trust in the system,’[10] and that ‘[t]he mere presence of women judges enhances the legitimacy of courts, sending a powerful signal that they are open and accessible to all who seek justice’.[11]

Against this backdrop, and recalling CSW 70’s priority theme of ‘[e]nsuring and strengthening access to justice for all women and girls, including by promoting inclusive and equitable legal systems, eliminating discriminatory laws, policies, and practices, and addressing structural barriers,’ this side event aims to converge States, UN bodies, international and regional organisations, civil society, and other key stakeholders to discuss the connections between increasing gender equality for the judiciary and increasing access to justice for women and girls. Building on our previous side events focused on achieving gender parity for judges at the International Court of Justice,[12] this event invites participants to commit to achieving women’s equal and inclusive participation in the judiciary, both as a fundamental human right in itself, and as a pathway for increasing access to justice for women and girls and strengthening the protection of human rights for all.    

Structure of the event:

This is an in-person roundtable dialogue moderated by Dr. Jessica Lynn Corsi and Professor Milena Sterio. Observers may join by Zoom (Link here), and all attendees are invited to contribute following the prepared interventions.

6:00 pm food and beverages provided

6:15 pm Welcome and introduction of the topic by Dr Jessica Lynn Corsi, Associate Professor of Law, City St George’s, University of London, and Co-founder and Co-Chair, Working Group on Gender Parity for the ICJ

6:30 pm Prepared interventions

1) Ambassador Jennifer Feller, Director General for Human Rights and Democracy, Mexico’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs

2) Catherine Amirfar, Partner & Co-Chair, International Dispute Resolution and Public International Law Groups, Debevoise & Plimpton LLP

3) Ms. Akila Radhakrishnan, Legal Advisor, End Gender Apartheid Campaign

4) Professor Jelena Pia-Comella, Independent Expert, Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW)

5) Amanda Chong, Counsellor (Legal), Permanent Mission of Singapore to the United Nations

6) Ms. Amie Lewis, Senior Program Officer and Lead, Women in Leadership in Law (WILIL) Initiative, International Association of Women Judges

7) Claudia M. Flores, Chair of the UN Working Group on Discrimination Against Women and Girls

8) Lucía Solano, Legal Adviser to the Permanent Mission of Colombia

Roundtable dialogue:

Attendees are invited to make interventions and raise questions and discussion points.

7:15 pm: Concluding remarks:

Professor Milena Sterio, James A. Thomas Distinguished Professor of Law at Cleveland State University’s Cleveland-Marshall College of Law, Managing Director at the Public International Law & Policy Group, Steering Committee Member, Working Group on Gender Parity for the ICJ

7:30 pm Drinks and mingle

Organised by the Working Group on Gender Parity for the ICJ and the ABILA Committee on Gender Justice in International Law

Co-sponsored by the Permanent Mission of Canada, the Permanent Mission of Colombia, the Permanent Mission of Kenya, the Permanent Mission of Mexico, the Permanent Mission of Singapore, the Permanent Mission of Sweden, and the International Association of Women Judges 

With support from UN Women UK

Kindly hosted by Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP

Register here

[1] UDHR, Arts 8, 10; ICCPR Art 14.

[2] CEDAW Arts 2, 15; UDHR Arts 2, 7.

[3] CEDAW Arts 7, 8; CEDAW GR 40 2024 paras 18, 49, 52, 53, 56, 72; CEDAW GR23 1997, paras 26, 29.

[4] CEDAW GR33 2015, para 1.

[5] CEDAW GR33 2015, para 26.

[6] CEDAW GR33 2015, para 15(f); see also CEDAW GR30 2013 para 56(c).

[7] A/76/142: Participation of women in the administration of justice – Report of the Special Rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers, Diego García-Sayán, para 17.

[8] Women’s Rights are Human Rights, HR/PUB/14/2, 2014, p. 117.

[9] UN Women, Progress of the world’s women: In pursuit of justice, 2011, p. 61.

[10] UNDP and UN Women, Women in Justice in Africa, 2023, p. 4.

[11] UNDP and UN Women, Women in Justice in Africa, 2023, p. 6.

[12] CONCEPT NOTE, 79th Session, United Nations 6th Committee Expert Roundtable Side Event, More Women, But Not Enough Women: Achieving Gender Parity for Judges at the International Court of Justice, 24 October 2024, https://www.un.org/en/ga/sixth/79/pdfs/events/25_october_2024_7cn.pdf; CONCEPT NOTE, 80th Session, United Nations 6th Committee Expert Roundtable Side Event, The Right to Equal and Inclusive Participation and the International Court of Justice: Where are the Women?, https://www.un.org/en/ga/sixth/80/pdfs/events/31_october_2025_4cn.pdf.

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Monday, March 23, 2026

12:00 PM CST

Location: Zoom

This panel will briefly discuss the outcomes of the Preparatory Committee for the Crimes Against Humanity Convention, held from January 19-30, and the work of the ABILA Study Group on Crimes Against Humanity, which published a series of 14 proposals and position papers submitted to the Preparatory Committee during its first session. Panelists will discuss specific proposals on environmental harm, gender crimes, and starvation, as well as proposals to help make the treaty more effective, including inter-state dispute resolution, the possibility of a treaty monitoring body, and shoring up the prevention and capacity-building dimensions of the draft convention.

Moderator:

Professor Leila Nadya Sadat, Washington University in St. Louis School of Law

Speakers:

Professor Olympia Bekou, University of Nottingham School of Law & Human Rights Law Centre

Professor Tom Dannenbaum, Stanford Law School & Stanford Center for International Security and Cooperation

Mr. Youssef Hitti, Permanent Mission of Lebanon to the United Nations 

Professor Christopher Lentz, University of Chicago Law School; Register of Damage for Ukraine

Ms. Akila Radhakrishnan, International Human Rights Lawyer

REGISTER HERE

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INTERNATIONAL LAW WEEKEND 2026 

Call for Panel Proposals

[R]evolution in the International Legal Order

DEADLINE EXTENDED: APRIL 10, 2026 APRIL 20, 2026

The American Branch of the International Law Association (ABILA) is pleased to invite proposals for International Law Weekend 2026 (ILW 2026). ILW 2026 will take place October 22-24, 2026, in New York City.

The International Law Weekend 2026 Co-Chairs are Brady Mabe (International Committee of the Red Cross), Jess Peake (UCLA School of Law), and Lisa Reinsberg (UC Berkeley School of Law). The unifying theme for ILW 2026 is [R]evolution in the International Legal Order.

This conference will examine the currents of revolution and evolution simultaneously reshaping the international legal order at a pivotal moment of transition. Shifts in global power, challenges to bedrock legal principles, including the prohibition on the use of force, and retreat from long-standing international commitments pose challenges to the status quo, creating both uncertainty and opportunities for renewal. As some traditionally dominant states scale back their engagement with international law and institutions, space opens to reconsider the global distribution and exercise of authority and responsibility. 

The interdisciplinary conference will explore how states and regional groupings can step forward to uphold, reinterpret, and strengthen international law through cooperation, innovation, and leadership. It will situate these developments within longer trajectories of change in geopolitics and international governance, including those driven by states that gained independence after the United Nations’ founding. It will also highlight the constructive roles of international institutions, non-state actors, and civil society in sustaining, contesting, and advancing legal norms. Rather than signaling decline, these changes invite reflection on what international law might become: more inclusive, more resilient, and better equipped to address contemporary global challenges through diversified sources of legitimacy, power, and collective responsibility.

When submitting your proposal, please consider the following points:

• ILW 2026 will promote representation and dialogue among diverse voices. Per the ILA Guidelines for Diversity of Conference and Panel Speakers, all panels must contain gender parity. Further, the Committee will give preference to panels that include representation of historically underrepresented groups and promote dialogue across different professional perspectives, including scholars and practitioners.
• Panel proposals may concern any aspect of international law and practice including, but not limited to, the use of force, international economic law (including trade and investment), international human rights law, equality and social justice, international humanitarian law, international organizations, international environmental law, national security, cyber law, international criminal law, international intellectual property, the law of the sea and outer space, and legal theory. When submitting your proposal, please identify the primary area(s) of international law that your proposed panel will address.
• Your panel proposal should include a title and a paragraph description of your panel.  In addition, please provide the names, titles, and affiliations of the moderator and speakers, and indicate whether these speakers have confirmed their intent to participate if the proposal is chosen. Panels with confirmed speakers will be given preference. If your proposal is selected, all speakers must be confirmed by August 1, 2026, at the absolute latest. 
• Please keep in mind that while speakers may be proposed for multiple panels, it is the Branch’s policy that individuals may speak on only one panel at ILW to ensure a diversity of voices. It is the responsibility of the panel proposers and speakers to avoid any duplication.
• Please specify the format you propose for your panel. We encourage you to think beyond traditional panel presentations or lectures, such as debates and roundtable discussions. This includes the possibility of organizing an online webinar, which has led to some excellent sessions with very large attendance.
• While International Law Weekend is and will remain firmly rooted in international law, we particularly welcome interdisciplinary panel proposals that reflect on the theme of ILW 2026 from diverse backgrounds and perspectives.
• Please indicate whether you are an ABILA member and whether your panel is sponsored by an ABILA committee. Preference will be given to panels sponsored by a Committee. Committees may only sponsor one proposal. Committee sponsorship requires the agreement of the committee chair. A list of ABILA Committees and Chairs can be found on the ABILA Website.

All decisions regarding panel selection, including the final composition and description of panels, are at the sole discretion of the ILW Organizing Committee. The Committee may work with panel proposers on the description and speakers prior to and following selection. Once a panel is accepted, any change in panelists must be approved in advance by the ILW Organizing Committee.  

Organizers of selected panels must commit to delivering their session as scheduled, including securing timely replacements for any last-minute speaker cancellations. This policy helps ensure a complete and reliable program while maintaining fairness to those whose panel proposals were not accepted.

Information for Committee Chairs:

• Please only submit one panel proposal per Committee. We encourage Committees to work together and cosponsor panel proposals; this will be considered as an even stronger endorsement.
• Please confer with your Committee membership for panel ideas and input. If you need assistance downloading your Committee email roster, please contact Freya and Laurie at media@ila-americanbranch.org.
• If your panel is not selected, Committees may be offered a pre International Law Weekend webinar slot. 
• Additionally, this year, Committee Networking Workshops will be available on Saturday morning, from 8AM to 9AM. Co-Chairs may use this hour as they wish, including for book discussions and informal panel sessions. Further details about the workshops will be sent later in the year.

For questions regarding ILW 2026, please contact: ilw@ila-americanbranch.org.

ILW 2026 Panel Proposal Form

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2025 Student Ambassadors and ABILA Membership Officer Julia Liston

Student Ambassadors 

Call for Nominees

Deadline: Friday, March 27, 2026 (early nominations encouraged)

The International Law Association (American Branch) seeks nominations for its Student Ambassadors program. This is a terrific way for law students to network with leading academics and practitioners, as well as other students, and it will look great on their resume. All Branch members are invited to nominate students for this position. Interested students are encouraged to seek the support of a professional ABILA member to support their application (such as a professor at their school). If a student cannot find an ABILA member to nominate them, they should contact ABILA’s COO at media@ila-americanbranch.org to discuss self-nominations.

Student Ambassadors support the organization’s work, especially in preparing for International Law Weekend 2026 (ILW 2026). ILW is held annually by the Branch and will take place in New York City on October 22-24, 2026. Read about the 2025 Student Ambassadors here, Vibha Bangarbale’s panel reflection here, Claire Barrington’s panel reflection here, and Chioma Menankiti’s here.

Student Ambassadors will work with several Branch leaders, including the ILW Organizing Committee Chairs, the Branch President, the Chief Operating Officer, Vice Presidents, the Membership Officer, the CLE Officer, and the Co-Directors of Studies to provide various forms of assistance with ILW and the Branch more generally. Student Ambassadors will have the opportunity to voice their opinions in ILW2026 preparation meetings, learn about conference organization, write for the ABILA blog and Newsletter, and network with international law professionals. Most importantly, Student Ambassadors will provide logistical support throughout International Law Weekend itself. Financial support is available to assist Student Ambassadors in attending ILW.

Members are invited to forward their nominee’s cover letter and CV to Freya Doughty-Wagner (media@ila-americanbranch.org) with the subject line “Student Ambassador Application.” Members are encouraged to include a few sentences supporting the nominee in their email.  Questions should also be sent to this email address.

As a reminder, student membership in the American Branch of the International Law Association is free and can be signed up for on our website’s membership page.

Please see the flyer to advertise these positions here.

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This blog is part of a series of reflections on ILW 2025 by our Student Ambassadors. Each Student Ambassador engaged with various panels and will share their experiences in the lead up to ILW-West 2026.

International Law Weekend 2025 (ILW 2025), held from October 23 to 25 in New York City, brought together some of the most prominent figures in international law, including diplomats, scholars, and practitioners, for a dynamic and inspiring three-day conference. The event serves as a leading forum for dialogue, scholarship, and collaboration on the future of international law.

This year’s theme, “Crisis as Catalyst in International Law,” examined how periods of upheaval can serve as moments of transformation, highlighting international law’s capacity to address urgent global challenges. The panel “Negotiating the Future Crimes Against Humanity Treaty: Paradigm Shift or Half-Measure?” exemplified this theme and contributed to the broader discussions shaping ILW 2025.

A bright light amid global uncertainty

Elinor Hammerskjöld, UN Under-Secretary-General for Legal Affairs, recently described the treaty negotiations on crimes against humanity as “a bright light” amid shrinking UN budgets and growing geopolitical strain. That sentiment captured the spirit of the standing-room-only panel, sponsored by the ABILA Study Group on Crimes Against Humanity and moderated by Professor Leila Nadya Sadat, Chair of ABILA, James Carr Professor of International Criminal Law at Washington University School of Law, and Director of the Crimes Against Humanity Initiative.

The panel examined the path forward for the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of Crimes against Humanity, following General Assembly Resolution 79/122, adopted without a vote in December 2024, with 192 of 193 Member States in favor. The resolution established a four-year timeline culminating in Diplomatic Conferences in 2028 and 2029. The speakers described the treaty’s progress as a reaffirmation of states’ commitment to the rule of law and their shared responsibility to prevent and punish atrocity crimes. They emphasized the need to carry that commitment forward as negotiations begin. The Preparatory Committee will convene in January 2026.

Voices of momentum and insight

The room was filled with optimism and shared purpose as Professor Leila Sadat opened by walking the audience through how the proposed Convention reached its current stage. She reflected that the excitement surrounding the treaty signaled more than legal progress but also a renewed faith in the world’s capacity to act together for justice and accountability. She stressed that, even in difficult times, the global effort to finalize a crimes against humanity convention stands as proof that nations still believe in the rule of law, human dignity, and the possibility of collective progress.

The panelists shared perspectives spanning diplomacy, academia, and civil society Ana Paula Lavaelle Arroyo, Legal Adviser to the Permanent Mission of Mexico to the United Nations, provided an invaluable on-the-ground perspective from the Sixth Committee. She described the broad engagement of states leading up to the official opening of treaty negotiations and detailed the practical steps that lie ahead.

The negotiation process formally begins in January 2026, when the preparatory committee and working group lay the groundwork by refining draft text, reviewing and incorporating state proposals, and addressing key technical and legal questions. The committee will reconvene in 2027 to continue this work. States are scheduled to gather for a five-week diplomatic conference at UN Headquarters in 2028, followed by a three-week diplomatic conference in early 2029, with the aim of concluding and adopting the convention.

Professor Tom Dannenbaum of Stanford University underscored the need for the future convention to expressly include starvation, noting that the Rome Statute recognizes it as a distinct offense only as a war crime under Art. 8(2)(b)(xxv), and in the context of crimes against humanity, only through the residual category of “other inhumane acts.” The ICC Prosecutor’s application for arrest warrants against senior Israeli leaders includes allegations of starvation, grounded in a pattern of starvation-related conduct. This is significant because starvation has never been prosecuted at the international level. Expressly codifying starvation as a distinct offense in the new convention would be an important development, especially because crimes against humanity can be prosecuted without establishing the existence of an armed conflict. Professor Dannenbaum described starvation as a deliberate and devastating form of mass violence, noting its disproportionate impact on children and pregnant women. He explained that the new convention offers an opportunity to ensure that starvation is fully recognized as a crime against humanity.

(For additional discussion of starvation’s disproportionate impact on pregnant women and children, see UNFPA.)

Akila Radhakrishnan emphasized the importance of integrating gender justice across the convention’s framework. She explained that doing so would help build a gender-competent instrument capable of providing lasting protection for survivors of sexual and gender-based crimes. She called attention to proposals for express recognition of gender apartheid as a crime against humanity, reflecting broader efforts to ensure the convention meaningfully addresses gendered harm.

(See Akila Radhakrishnan & Alyssa Yamamoto on states’ growing support for recognizing gender apartheid in the draft treaty.)

Hugo Relva of Amnesty International highlighted the vital role of civil society organizations, whose expertise and continued engagement will reinforce the treaty’s legitimacy and long-term effectiveness. Sebastiaan Verelst, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights’ Transitional Justice Adviser, connected these discussions to broader questions of implementation, reflecting on how the convention could unify atrocity prevention, accountability, and transitional justice within national systems.

This discussion prompted thoughtful engagement from attendees, many of whom have closely followed the treaty’s development. Questions addressed state cooperation, the role of victims and survivors in shaping the treaty’s final text, and how the proposed convention may complement existing accountability mechanisms. The exchange highlighted both the complexity of the negotiations ahead and the strong international community interest in seeing a comprehensive, practically implemented framework emerge.

ABILA Study Group on Crimes Against Humanity

The panel also marked the launch of the ABILA Study Group on Crimes Against Humanity, a new initiative of the American Branch of the International Law Association that brings together leading scholars and practitioners under the leadership of Professor Leila Sadat.

The study group is reviewing the International Law Commission’s 2019 Draft Articles on the Prevention and Punishment of Crimes Against Humanity and developing recommendations to strengthen the treaty’s language and scope. Its work aims to assist state delegations in preparing for formal negotiations.

Current topics under review include key provisions on persecution, the slave trade, starvation, and environmental destruction, as well as issues of prevention, jurisdiction, modes of liability, and dispute settlement. The Study Group is also examining interrelated themes like civil society participation, children, and gender.

The Study Group’s guiding purpose is to ensure that the final treaty builds on and reinforces the principles of international criminal law reflected in existing instruments and customary law, while advancing its progressive development. This includes drawing on foundational instruments such as the Rome Statute of the ICC, the Genocide Convention, and the jurisprudence of international tribunals such as the ICC, ICTY, and ICTR. The Study Group is also committed to engaging with evolving legal concerns and pressing challenges in international criminal law, including addressing critical gaps such as those already discussed in relation to gender justice, starvation, and other systematic forms of harm.

(Read more about the ABILA Study Group here.)

The road ahead

As the world looks toward the formal opening of the Preparatory Committee in January 2026, enthusiasm continues to build. The coming year is expected to see increased global activity, including at the United Nations, as states prepare their initial positions for the treaty’s formal drafting stage. The panelists noted that the lead-up to the 2026 Preparatory Committee meeting may prove decisive in shaping the scope and ambition of the future convention.

ILW 2025 demonstrated that, despite global uncertainty, the international community continues to engage meaningfully with one of international law’s most consequential projects. In a world where global division can feel especially present, the success of ILW 2025 and the overwhelmingly positive response to the crimes against humanity panel offered something powerful: renewed confidence that law, cooperation, and a shared commitment to justice can still guide us forward.

*Claire E. Barrington is a JD/LLM student at Washington University School of Law in St. Louis, Missouri, where she is pursuing a dual degree in Law and Negotiation & Dispute Resolution. Before law school, Claire had a nearly decade-long career as a professional ballet dancer, performing with international ballet companies across North America and Europe. Her experiences collaborating with artists from around the world sparked a deep interest in international law and cross-border cooperation. Claire holds dual Bachelor’s degrees in English and Criminal Justice from Miami University (Ohio). At WashU Law, she is a staff editor for the Global Studies Law Review, a research assistant to Professor Leila Sadat in international law, and an active member of the International Law Society.

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