Helfer to Duke

Normally, this is Brian Leiter’s sort of thing.  But, I thought I’d flag for interested readers the news that Duke Law School has hired Larry Helfer away from Vanderbilt Law School.  The press release is here.  News of the hiring made me wonder if this move means “business as usual” for international law hiring in the United States this year, particularly among laterals?  I have no doubt that the economic meltdown will certainly chill such moves.  But, perhaps there’s a countervailing desire as law schools increasingly recognize that they need to broaden and deepen their international law programs (particularly at schools that are already seeking to make their mark in this area)?  It will be interesting, therefore, to see if the coming weeks bring more (or less) news of international law professor hirings.