The American Branch of the International Law Association is now accepting nominations for the 2026 ABILA Outstanding Achievement Award. Past winners include Brenda Hollis, The Honorable Charles N. Brower, H.E. Justice Richard Goldstone, and Fatou Bensouda.

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 [email protected].

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