60th Anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights

Today marks the 60th anniversary celebration of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, one of the foundations of international human rights law. The UN General Assembly adopted and proclaimed the Declaration by Resolution 217 A (III) of 10 December 1948. The 30 articles signify the “common standard of achievement for all peoples and all nations” […]

United Nations Association – USA Annual Meeting

In an address delivered in New York on June 6, United Nations Deputy Secretary General Mark Malloch Brown critiqued U.S. policy towards the UN in his speech “Power and Super-Power: Global Leadership in the Twenty-First Century.” The Deputy Secretary challenged the United States to sustain “inside-the-tent diplomacy at the UN” and to drop its attitude […]

Call for Papers: Second Biennial General Conference of the Asian Society of International Law

The Second Biennial General Conference of the Asian Society of International Law, to be held in Tokyo from 1-2 August 2009, is soliciting papers under the main theme of “International Law in a Multi-polar and Multi-civilizational World: Asian Perspectives, Challenges and Contributions.” The Organizing Committee seeks to encourage the participation in the Conference of all […]

Passed the Bar Exam

“The difficult we do at once. The impossible takes a bit longer.” Borrowing this motto from the Seabees, I embarked on studying “at once” after graduation for the bar examination, an examination of essays and multiple choice questions sometimes likened to a multi-day sporting event. I am pleased to report that the hard work and […]

Reforming the Syrian Penal Code: Honor Crimes

At the Syrian National Forum on Honor Crimes, held 14-16 October 2008 in Damascus, Dr. Abboud Al Sarraj, the former Dean of the Damascus Faculty of Law, delivered a speech on the need to reform Article 192 and to repeal Article 548 of the Syrian Penal Code because these honor-crimes exemptions are inconsistent with Islamic […]

Call for Papers: Journal of Business Ethics

The Journal of Business Ethics invites submissions for a special edition on “Spheres of Influence/Spheres of Responsibility: Multinational Corporations and Human Rights.” Submissions are due 1 December 2008.

Iran Parliament Passes Law: President Must Hold a Master’s Degree

The day after Iran’s parliament removed the Minister of the Interior from office for forged academic credentials, it passed a new law to require presidential candidates to hold a master’s degree or its equivalent. The bill passed by a majority vote, with 151 members of the 206 members present voting in favor of it, 31 […]

Iranian Interior Minister Ousted for Fake Law Degree

Iran’s parliament, known as the Malijis of Iran or Islamic Consultative Assembly, impeached Interior Minister Ali Kordan under Article 89 of the Iranian Constitution for forging an honorary doctorate degree in law from Oxford University. The forged Ph.D. diploma, complete with spelling and grammatical errors, was purportedly granted for his “education materials and his research” […]

Summer 2007 Internships

Looking for a summer internship in international public or private law? The following offices are accepting applications for internships in Asia, Africa, Europe, Latin America, and the United States. If you have an internship to add to the list, please contact me.

Jean Monnet Program Grants – EU Law

The European Commission is accepting grant proposals under the Jean Monnet Programme for projects furthering the teaching, research, dispersal of information, and debate on the European integration process. Educational institutions, professors, and researchers from anywhere in the world may apply for a grant. Proposals may include conferences, seminars, roundtables, and meetings, as well as the […]