Three GW Law students are spending twelve weeks this summer working at the U.N. International Law Commission (ILC) in Geneva on fellowships made available by GW Law.
Created by the United Nations in 1948, the ILC consists of 34 distinguished legal scholars, practitioners, and government officials elected by the U.N. General Assembly. Together, the members of the ILC initiate studies and make recommendations to encourage the development and codification of international law.
Two of the students, Amy Lindsay and Jessica Sparano, are assisting the U.S. Member of the Commission, GW Law's own Sean Murphy, Patricia Roberts Harris Research Professor of Law. The third student, Margaux Roussel, is assisting the Egyptian Member, Ambassador Hussein Hassouna.
In their work, the students are analyzing topics currently under consideration by the Commission, such as on crimes against humanity, provisional application of treaties, identification of customary international law, immunity of foreign government officials from criminal jurisdiction, the effects of armed conflict on the environment, and the protection of persons in the event of disasters.
"This is a wonderful opportunity for our students to gain first-hand experience with the practice of international law, by meeting practitioners in the field, and by doing intense research and writing on cutting-edge issues in the field," said Professory Murphy. "And Geneva is an exceptional venue for seeing a wide range of international organizations in action, such as in the fields of human rights, trade law, labor issues, and international health."