International Law
In an increasingly global economy, lawyers in the United States routinely encounter transactions, disputes and other matters that have an international component and present special challenges. The mission of Lewis & Clark’s International Law Program is to give students the foundation of knowledge and skills they need to excel when they encounter these challenges. The Law School provides a broad and deep international law curriculum, a focus on practical skills, and engagement with the legal and academic community on international issues.
Opportunities in International Law at Lewis & Clark
Lewis & Clark offers a multitude of classes on a wide variety of international law topics. We offer a Certificate in International Law for students who desire a structured curricular framework for studies in this area.
Lewis & Clark regularly hosts distinguished visitors with expertise in different areas of international law, who share their viewpoints and experiences in formal and informal settings on campus. These events are often organized in association with Lewis & Clark’s International Law Society, a student organization dedicated to international law issues.
Lewis & Clark students have significant opportunities to study or work abroad during their time at the Law School. Lewis & Clark partners with several foreign law schools at which students can spend a semester on exchange. Students can also receive academic credit for ABA-accredited study abroad programs, or for their participation in an international externship at a law firm, NGO, or other organization.
Students at Lewis & Clark can also develop practical skills through experiential learning with international component here in the United States. These opportunities include joining the law school’s Jessup International Moot Court team, participating in our Global Law Alliance for Animals and the Environment, and undertaking a domestic externship with an organization doing international work.
We also hold a writing competition each year, sponsored by the law firm Davis Wright Tremaine LLP, to recognize excellence in student scholarship on international topics.
International Law News
2024 Davis Wright Tremaine International Law Writing Competition Winners Announced
The International Law Writing Award, funded by Davis Wright Tremaine LLP, grants $2,500 and $1,000 stipends for the best and second-best international law research paper written by a Lewis & Clark JD student. This year, Kelsey Chapman-Sutton is the first-place winner and Beth Sethi is the second-place recipient.
Prof. Benjamin Advocates to Establish State Obligations re: Climate Change
Professor Lisa Benjamin co-authored briefs to the International Court of Justice and the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea to establish state obligations around climate change as part of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature. Clinic students supported the effort.
Professor Helps Facilitate Workshop Series with Ukrainian Legal Clinics
Professor Susan Felstiner participates in a groundbreaking US-Ukrainian Clinicians Workshop Series, fostering collaboration and skill-building to empower legal education in Ukraine.