Deadline: July 6, 2025

This October 23-25, the American Branch will present International Law Weekend (ILW) 2025 in New York City. This two-and-a-half-day conference features over 30 panels, and many of the world’s leading international lawyers and diplomats participate. Recent ILWs have attracted an audience of over 1,200 practitioners, academics, U.N. diplomats, business leaders, federal and state government officials, NGO leaders, journalists, students, and interested citizens. ILW makes particular efforts to include emerging scholars and practitioners, including through the Emerging Voices panel.

ILW 2025 Theme: Crisis as Catalyst in International Law

ILW 2025 will explore how crises can serve as transformative moments that challenge and reshape the framework of international law.  Whether political, environmental, economic, or humanitarian, crises compel local, regional, and global actors to confront the limitations of extant legal systems. By serving as catalysts for innovation, crises also provide opportunities to reevaluate and reconstruct international legal norms. This process highlights the dynamic nature of international law, which must balance its foundational principles with the need for flexibility in response to unprecedented events. ILW 2025 encourages participants to reimagine international law.

Call for Abstracts

The ILW Organizing Committee invites the submission of abstracts relating to the theme of “Crisis as Catalyst in International Law.”  We will select several abstracts for presentation at ILW 2025 as part of a panel of new and emerging professionals. The abstracts may be based upon ongoing work. While all submissions are welcome, preference will be given to papers not already published. Accepted applicants will be invited to present their papers at the Emerging Voices Panel, which a scholar or practitioner will chair. Participation must be in-person, other than in exceptional circumstances.

Eligibility is restricted to applicants who are current graduate students (master’s, PhD, JD, etc.) or junior scholars or professionals who have been working in the field of international law for five years or fewer. Accepted applicants are required to join ABILA and register for ILW 2025 (both are free to students, and otherwise carry a total fee of $70 for new members). Panelists are encouraged to attend other panels, plenary sessions, and to take part in the Members Meeting and networking events.

Application & Funding

The submission deadline is July 6, 2025. Submissions should be sent to [email protected] with the subject line “Emerging Voices – ILW 2025.” Applicants must submit all of the following in a single PDF document:

– A 500 word abstract of their paper;

– A cover letter: describing their professional development and explaining how their submission fits with the conference theme, and,

– A curriculum vitae of no more than 3 pages.

Submissions will be competitively selected in a peer review process.  Applicants will be notified by July 25, 2025.

If accepted, paper drafts from all panelists will be due for review by panel discussants no later than September 25, 2025.

ABILA has secured funding to provide need-based reimbursement of Emerging Voices panelists’ travel and hotel costs, insofar as those costs are not covered by their institutions. The reimbursement limit is $1,500 for panelists traveling from within North America, and $2,500 for those traveling from elsewhere. Panelists seeking reimbursement will be asked to submit their receipts.

Travel

ABILA is not able to provide general immigration support, but is available to provide letters of support as needed for visa applications.

Questions may also be submitted to: [email protected].

2024 Emerging Voices