PIHRL News
Professor Edwards Elected to AALS Positions and Named National Policy Fellow
On January 13, Professor George E. Edwards of the Indiana University Robert H. McKinney School of Law was appointed as the Center for National Policy’s Fellow in International Human Rights. The Center for National Policy is an independent think tank located in Washington, D.C. that focuses on national infrastructure, national and homeland security and resilience issues.
Professor Edwards says, “It is humbling to be appointed as a Fellow at such a highly respected institution with strong bi-partisan leadership that has fostered thoughtful and insightful dialogue on critical issues that have faced our nation over many decades.” He said, “I am honored to be appointed as the Center for National Policy Fellow in International Human Rights, and to join the ranks of esteemed leaders and colleagues who seek to bridge partisan divide in the U.S. and arrive at solutions that will benefit the United States and benefit all Americans.”
Edwards joins three other distinguished Center for National Policy Fellows: Gregory Aftandilian (CNP Fellow for the Middle East); Jessica Herrera-Flanigan (CNP Fellow for Cybersecurity); and Amit Kumar, Ph.D. (CNP Fellow for Homeland Security and Counterterrorism).
Professor Edwards also received national recognition at the annual Association of American Law Schools (AALS) meeting in Washington, D.C. On January 7, 2012 Professor George E. Edwards, who serves as the IU McKinney representative to the AALS House of Representatives, was elected to three graduate and international legal education positions of the Association of American Law Schools (AALS).
He was selected as secretary of the AALS Section on Graduate Law Programs for Non-U.S. Lawyers. This section is involved with Master of Laws (LL.M.) programs for international students at over 130 law schools in the U.S., which are subjects of Professor Edwards’ new book, LL.M. Roadmap: An International Student’s Guide to U.S. Law School Programs (www.LLMRoadMap.com). Next year, Professor Edwards will become the chair-elect of the section , and the following year he will serve as chair.
Professor Edwards was also elected to serve as an Executive Committee Member of the AALS Section on Post-Graduate Legal Education (for U.S. and non-U.S. Lawyers). In addition, he was elected to serve as secretary of the AALS Section on International Legal Exchange.
Professor Edwards is the Carl M. Gray Professor of Law and founding director of the law school’s Program in International Human Rights Law.
Professor Adams Advises Kenya Law School on Advocates Training
At the invitation of the Kenya School of Law, Professor Cynthia Adams made a presentation on clinical skills curriculum development at the school’s Midterm Review, held in Nairobi on September 21-23, 2011. Those attending included the Minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs, Justices of the Kenyan High Court, the Secretary of Kenya’s Council of Legal Education, the Deans from Moi University School of Law and Strathmore University School of Law, as well as administration and law faculty from the Kenya Law School, Moi University, the University of Nairobi, and Strathmore University.
The Kenya Law School is consulting with Professor Adams on enhancing its Advocates Training Programme. Kenya Law School, founded in 1963 as the country’s first law school, began its one-year Advocates Training Programme in 2008 upon recommendation from the Ministerial Taskforce on the Development of a Policy and Legal Framework for Legal Education in Kenya. The Advocates Training Programme provides clinical skills training to prepare students for admission to the Roll of Advocates and to become officers of Kenya’s High Court. Admission to the programme requires, among other criteria, that the applicant hold a Bachelor of Laws Degree (LL.B.) from a recognized university. Successful completion of the Advocates Training Programme results in a post-graduate diploma.
Pictured above, seated left to right: Emily Chweya (MOJNCCA), Florence Kajuju (Vice Chair LSK), Henry Lugulu (Member CLE), Prof. Cynthia Adams, William Cheptumo (Asst. Min. MOJNCCA), Prof. Kulundu Bitonye (Director/CEO KSL), Roselyn Odede (Member CLE), Prof. Tom Ojiende (Member CLE). Standing: Stakeholders, KSL Management, CPD and ATP staff
Professor Edwards Hosts Yemeni Women's Rights Advocates and Journalists
Professor George E. Edwards and the Program in International Human Rights Law will be hosting five women’s rights advocates and journalists from Yemen on Tuesday, 11 October 2011, at Indiana University School of Law—Indianapolis.
Professor Edwards will discuss International Human Rights Law Education, Research, and Advocacy for Women’s Right to Freedom of Expression and Political Participation with the delegates. Professor Edwards tackled the role of international education in promoting international human rights law in his recently published book entitled LL.M. Roadmap: An International Student’s Guide to U.S. Law School Programs (Wolters Kluwer Law and Business Publishing, 624 pages, publication date 16 September 2011).
The visitors include Ms. Thuraya Ameen Qasem Dammag, project manager, International Federation of Journalists in Yemeni Syndicates; Ms. Arwa Ibrahim Mohammed Al Shawafi, executive assistant and financial assistant, Academic for Education Development (AED); Ms. Altaf Shaher Ali Mohammed Al Yousefi, coordinator, Civic Democratic Initiative Support Foundation; Ms. Samia Abdulrahman Abdulaziz Saif, journalist, al Thori Newspaper; and Maha Naji Yahya Salah, author and human rights activist.
Simultaneous interpreters Mr. Abdulhalim Rijaal and Ms. Hala Salman will be accompanying the visitors. The U.S. Department of State is sponsoring the Yemeni women’s visit under its International Visitor Leadership project on “Young Leaders: The U.S. Political Process.” Maryvonne Kerzabi, director of the International Visitor Programs of The International Center coordinates the visit.
The discussion will be held at the Faculty Lounge, room 351, from 2:00 - 3:30 p.m. at Indiana University School of Law—Indianapolis, 530 W. New York St., Indianapolis, IN 46202. Faculty, students, staff, and members of the public are welcome to attend. Refreshments will be served. Please RSVP to Boyet Caparas at pcaparas@iupui.edu.
Professor Edwards’ LL.M. Roadmap Now Available in Print
Professor Edwards’ LL.M. Roadmap launched at Harvard Law School and in Paris, France
Professor George E. Edward’s new book, LL.M. Roadmap: An International Student’s Guide to U.S. Law School Programs , held its official U.S. launch at Harvard Law School on September 16, 2011. The event took place as part of “Harvard Literati: Celebrating the Works of Alumni Authors,” which was attended by numerous well-known authors including Harvard Law School Professor Annette Gordon-Reed (a MacArthur “Genius Grant” and Pulitzer Prize winner, pictured below with Professor Edwards), Professor Randy Kennedy, and New York Times Best-Selling author and CBS drama series CSI:NY actor Hill Harper.
The European debut for the 624-page LL.M. Roadmap was in Paris, France on September 26, 2011. The event was an “LL.M. Workshop” sponsored by the U.S. Department of State/Franco-American Commission, along with the Fulbright Commission. Professor Edwards introduced the book to the 75 French prospective LL.M. students, and presented on the topic of U.S. legal education for international and domestic J.D. and LL.M. students.
Professor Edwards says, “The LL.M. Roadmap is a comprehensive guide to assist students from around the world in choosing, applying to, and succeeding in an American LL.M. program, and to assist them in reaching their personal, professional and career goals upon graduation.”
Meredith McQuaid, President and Chair of the Board of Directors, NAFSA – Association of International Educatiors wrote, “LL.M. Roadmap….will motivate law schools to reflect critically on the LL.M. programs they offer.” McQuaid is also a Dean and the Associate Vice-President of the University of Minnesota.
The November 2011 issue of the National Jurist is scheduled to reprint excerpts of LL.M. Roadmap’s Chapter 6, which focuses on LL.M. program ranking and reputation.
Professor Edwards’ article entitled, “International Students and Master of Laws (LL.M.) Programs in the U.S.: What U.S. Law Schools Will Not Tell You About Choosing the ‘Best’ School, Getting Admitted, Succeeding in Their LL.M. Programs, and Getting a Good Job Post-Degree” will appear in the Fall 2011issue of the Journal of the International Law Students Association.
Professor Edwards, the Carl M. Gray Professor of Law at the Indiana University School of Law – Indianapolis, established and supervised the law school’s LL.M. Track in International Human Rights Law from its inception until the Spring of 2011. He is also the former executive chair of Graduate Programs at the school.
Professor Edwards is the founder and director of the school’s Program in International Human Rights Law (PIHRL), a program which has sent international human rights law interns, both from the J.D. and LL.M. programs, to at least 168 placements in 50 countries worldwide since the program began in 1997. The PIHRL is accredited with a special consultative status to the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC). Professor Edwards is Affiliated Faculty of the Center for the Study of Global Change at Indiana University in Bloomington, and he has received numerous teaching, research and civic engagement awards since 1999.
Professor Edwards has presented on the topic of U.S. Legal Education for International Students and other international issues in over two dozen countries.
Professor Edwards is donating all of his profits from this edition of the LL.M. Roadmap to the International Law Students Association (ILSA), which is the parent organization of International Law Societies at law schools across the U.S.
The LLMRoadMap.com web site has received visits from 279 different individual cities in close to 70 countries and has more than 300 Twitter followers @LLMRoadMap. For more current information about the book and activities related to it, see the web site: www.LLMRoadMap.com.
Law School Program Receives Special Consultative Status at the United Nations
On 25 July 2011, the United Nations Economic and Social Council (UN-ECOSOC) officially granted UN-ECOSOC Special Consultative Status to the Program in International Human Rights Law (PIHRL) of Indiana University School of Law, Indianapolis.
The Program in International Human Rights Law has officially designated its individual accredited representatives to the United Nations.
Professor George E. Edwards has been officially accredited as the PIHRL “Main Representative” to United Nation World Headquarters in New York. He has also been officially accredited as the PIHRL “Main Representative” to United Nations European Headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland.
Perfecto “Boyet” Caparas has been officially accredited as the PIHRL “Main Representative” to United Nations Headquarters in Vienna, Austria. Mr. Caparas is also accredited to the UN in New York and the UN in Geneva as PIHRL “Additional Representative”.
Professor Edwards and Mr. Caparas will travel to New York during the United Nations General Assembly, collect their United Nations Credentials, and continue their work to promote the human rights work of the United Nations. More information on the Special Consultative Status of the PIHRL
Professor Edwards Named American Bar Foundation Fellow
Professor George E. Edwards has been named a Fellow of the American Bar Foundation. In July 2011, the Board of the Foundation welcomed Professor Edwards, who joins the rank of distinguished research faculty who are selected to participate in activities that advance justice through research and work to address changing needs of the system of justice and the legal profession.
Professor Edwards is the Carl M. Gray Professor of Law and Faculty Director, Program in International Human Rights Law at Indiana University School of Law, Indianapolis. He is author of "LL.M. Roadmap: An International Student's Guide to U.S. Law School Programs" (Aspen / Wolters Kluwer, 2011) (556 pages) (www.LLMRoadMap.com). Professor Edwards served as the Director of the school’s LL.M. Track in International Human Rights Law from its inception until 2011.
