International Law Weekend

Each October, the American Branch presents International Law Weekend (ILW) 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. In recent years, keynote luncheon speakers have included International Court Judges, the President of the American Society of International Law, and the Legal Adviser to the U.S. Department of State. Gala receptions have been hosted by the missions of Finland, Belgium, the United Kingdom, Canada, France, and Singapore to the United Nations.

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. Registration for ILW is very reasonably priced as a service to our members. Sponsorship by law firms, universities, and interested practitioners is welcomed and recognized.

The unifying theme for ILW 2026 is [R]evolution in the International Legal Order, as follows:

This conference will examine the re-ordering of 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.

This 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 situates 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.

Plenary Speakers:

– Dapo Akande, Chichele Professor of Public International Law, University of Oxford
– Elinor Hammarskjöld, Under-Secretary-General for Legal Affairs and United Nations Legal Counsel
– Oona A. Hathaway, Gerard C. and Bernice Latrobe Smith Professor of International Law, Yale Law School; ASIL President
– Judge Kimberly Prost, International Criminal Court (virtually)

Application for New York accreditation of this program is currently pending. The program’s content is appropriate for both newly admitted and experienced attorneys.

ABILA is committed to providing programs free of charge to individuals experiencing financial hardship. To request a conference fee waiver, please contact [email protected].

The Friday evening reception is generously hosted by the Permanent Mission of Japan to the United Nations. Space is limited, and pre-registration is required. Tickets are only available after registering for International Law Weekend. For security reasons, registered guests are required to present photo identification at check-in.

The American Branch will also be hosting an Early Career Drinks Social on Friday for all early career lawyers – JD, LLM, JSD/SJD/PhD students, VAPs, Associates, etc. The location will be confirmed at a later date.

Brady Mabe, Co-Chair
Jess Peake, Co-Chair
Lisa Reinsberg, Co-Chair

The unifying theme for ILW 2025 was Crisis as Catalyst in International Law, as follows:

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.

ILW 2025 explored these issues through a diverse set of engaging and provocative panels, plenary sessions, and keynote addresses. The program included a broad array of both public international law and private international law topics. The conference also included networking opportunities, social events, and award ceremonies.