The Harvard International Law Journal 2016 Symposium

The Harvard International Law Journal invites you to attend its annual Symposium, to be held in Hauser Hall on the Harvard Law School Campus on Friday, February 26, 2016. All are welcome to attend. This year’s theme is “International Law in Domestic Practice” and will feature a keynote address, followed by three panel discussions, each highlighting various ways in which international law impacts or can be used as a tool in domestic law, policy and advocacy. Please see below for a detailed program and list of participants. A campus map can be found here. For additional information, please contact Chris Mirasola (cmirasola@jd17.law.harvard.edu) or Marissa Yu (myu@jd17.law.harvard.edu).

Harvard International Law Journal

“International Law in Domestic Practice”

Friday, February 26, 2016 ⬩ 12:00 – 5:30pm ⬩ Hauser Hall, Harvard Law School

No RSVP required. Lunch and refreshments will be served.

12:00 – 1:00pm ⬩ Hauser 104
Keynote: John B. Bellinger III, Former Legal Adviser to the Department of State; Partner, Arnold & Porter

Mr. Bellinger is a partner in the international and national security practices of Arnold & Porter LLP in Washington, DC. He served as The Legal Adviser for the U.S. Department of State under Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice from April 2005 to January 2009. Mr. Bellinger negotiated a number of treaties and international agreements, including the Third Additional Protocol to the Geneva Conventions; represented the United States before the International Court of Justice in Mexico v. United States (Medellin) and the Iran-U.S. Claims Tribunal; and initiated a successful dialogue with U.S. allies and international organizations on human rights and international humanitarian law issues.

1:15 – 2:30pm ⬩ Hauser 105
Panel 1: Corporate Planning Through International Law

Sponsored by Debevoise & Plimpton LLP

This panel will discuss how multinational corporations and state actors can use international investment treaties, tax law, and political risk insurance to plan for growth and development in an increasingly global economy.

• Julian Arato (Moderator), Assistant Professor of Law, Brooklyn Law School
• Patrick Pearsall, Chief of Investment Arbitration, Office of the Legal Adviser, Department of State
• Steven Dean, Professor of Law, Tax Law, Brooklyn Law School
• Ivan Illescas, Senior Counsel, Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA)
• Mark Beckett, Partner, Chadbourne & Parke LLP

2:45 – 4:00pm⬩ Hauser 105
Panel 2: Leveraging International Law in Domestic Human Rights Advocacy

This panel will explore venues where domestic human rights advocacy may leverage international law for greater efficacy, including LGBT issues, the Black Lives Matter movement, immigration vetting procedures, and access to justice in the civil context.

• Zachary Kaufman (Moderator), Fellow, Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs, Harvard Kennedy School
• Andrew Lorenzen-Strait, Deputy Assistant Director for Custody Management, ICE, U.S. Department of Homeland Security
• Justin Hansford, Assistant Professor of Law, St. Louis University School of Law
• Risa Kaufman, Executive Director, Human Rights Institute; Lecturer in Law, Columbia Law School
• Ryan Thoreson, Robert L. Bernstein International Human Rights Fellow, Human Rights Watch

4:15 – 5:30pm ⬩ Hauser 105
Panel 3: International Law in the American Legal System: Spotlight on Refugee and Asylum Law

This panel will examine how international law has shaped American refugee and asylum law by considering how American courts apply international law and standards in asylum petitions, tensions between refugee and asylum policy and national security, and more.

• Sabi Ardalan (Moderator), Lecturer on Law, Assistant Director of the Harvard Immigration and Refugee Clinic, Harvard Law School
• Deborah Anker, Director, Harvard Immigration and Refugee Clinic, Harvard Law School
• Juan P. Osuna, Director, Executive Office for Immigration Review
• Leslie E. Vélez, Senior Protection Officer, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
• Hardy Vieux, Legal Director, Human Rights First