Events and Announcements: November 10, 2013

Events

• The Leitner Center for International Law at Fordham University is hosting Global Rights and Local Challenges: Disability, Inclusive Education and Rural Environments, a panel discussion that will highlight the backdrops of rural poverty and educational underdevelopment as barriers to inclusion and to education for persons with disabilities. A film screening of In the Shadow of the Sun will follow the event on Friday, November 15th at Fordham Law School in New York. More information can be found here (along with a trailer for the film).
• As a reminder, the Columbia Journal of Transnational Law, Columbia Law School Human Rights Institute, the Roger Hertog Program on Law and National Security, and the Lieber Society of the American Society of International Law present: From Gettysburg to Guantanamo: 150 Years of the Lieber Code and the Law of Armed Conflict, a conference on November 21st at Columbia Law School. Drafted by Columbia Professor Francis Lieber and signed by President Lincoln in 1863 as General Order No. 100, the Lieber Code regulated the conduct of U.S. soldiers during wartime. While the Code was limited to Union forces, the rules were based on customary law of the time and strongly influenced subsequent international codification of the law of armed conflict. The Code grappled with issues involving the regulation of armed conflicts between states and non-state groups that remain pressing today. This conference celebrating its 150th anniversary will explore the origins and import of the Lieber Code in its Civil War context, its impact on the development of international humanitarian law, and its continued significance to modern challenges in armed conflict. Confirmed speakers can be found here, the conference schedule here.

Announcements

• The International Court of Justice wishes to appoint 2 Law Clerks each of whom will provide research and other legal assistance to one of the judges of the Court. For administrative purposes, the Law Clerks are attached to the Department of Legal Matters. Under the supervision of the judge to whom he or she will be specifically assigned, the Law Clerk will provide such judge with legal research and related assistance with regard to cases pending before the Court. The Law Clerk may also be required to provide legal assistance and support to a judge ad hoc participating in a particular case. In coordination with his or her judge, the Law Clerk may also from time to time be called upon to perform some specific legal tasks for the Registry. More information can be found here. Deadline for submission of applications is November 15th.
• The International Criminal Court (ICC) Moot Court Competition will take place from 19 until 23 May 2014 in The Hague, the Netherlands. The ‘City of Peace and Justice’ will welcome over 250 students from 50 universities and over 30 different countries for this large scale moot court, simulating the proceedings of the ICC. The Competition brings together students of diverse backgrounds and cultures from both Member States and Non-Member States alike, and is the perfect instrument for the development and promotion of international criminal justice. The Competition enhances knowledge about the Rome Statute, especially within countries that have yet to ratify it, and it stimulates interaction between future top legal minds originating  both from Member States and Non-Member States. Participating universities from Non-Member States this year include teams from the USA, Iran, India, Russia, Israel, China and Palestine. More information can be found here. If you have any questions, or want to become involved in the Competition, contact the organizers at grotiuscentre@cdh.leidenuniv.nl.
• ALMA (Association for the Promotion of International Humanitarian Law has established an Upcoming IHL events page on ALMA’s website. The web page includes information about current and future events from all over the world (divided by regions).
• The American Society of International Law’s Lieber Society on the Law of Armed Conflict is calling for submissions for the Francis Lieber Prize. Both monographs and articles (including chapters in books of essays) are eligible for consideration, as the prize is awarded to the best submission in each of these two categories.
• • Criteria: Any work in the English language published during 2013 or whose publication is imminent at the time of submission may be nominated for this prize. The re-submission of works which have already been considered for this prize is not allowed.  Entries may address such topics as the use of force in international law, the conduct of hostilities during international and non‑international armed conflicts, protected persons and objects under the law of armed conflict, the law of weapons, operational law, rules of engagement, occupation law, peace operations, counter‑terrorist operations, and humanitarian assistance.  Other topics bearing on the application of international law during armed conflict or other military operations are also appropriate.
  • Age Limit:       Competitors must be 35 years old or younger on 31 December 2013. They need not be members of the American Society of International Law.  Multi-authored works may be submitted if all the authors are eligible to enter the competition.  Should a multi-authored submission win the competition, the cash component of the prize shall be divided, pro rata, between the authors. Submissions from outside the United States are welcomed.
  • Submission:     Submissions, including a letter or message of nomination, must be received by 20 January 2014.  Three copies of books must be submitted.  The electronic submission of articles is encouraged.  Authors may submit their own work.  All submissions must include contact data (e‑mail, fax, phone, address).  The Prize Committee will acknowledge receipt of the submission by e‑mail. Printed submissions must be sent to:Professor Iain Scobbie, School of Law, Williamson Building, The University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester  M13 9PL, United Kingdom. Electronic submissions must be sent to: iain.scobbie@manchester.ac.uk. Please indicate clearly in the subject line that the email concerns a submission for the Lieber Prize.
  • Prize:   The Selection Committee will select one submission for the award of the Francis Lieber Prize in the book category and one in the article category. The Prizes consist of $500, a certificate of recognition, and a year’s membership of the American Society of International Law.  The winner of the Lieber Prize in both categories will be announced at the American Society of International Law’s Annual Meeting in April 2014.

Last week’s events and announcements can be found here. If you would like to post an announcement on Opinio Juris, please contact us.