International Law Weekend 2019 – the premier international law event of the fall season – took place October 10-12, 2019 in New York City. The conference was held at the New York City Bar Association (42 West 44th Street) on October 10, 2019 and at Fordham Law School (150 West 62nd Street) on October 11-12, 2019.
The unifying theme for ILW 2019 was The Resilience of International Law.
In recent years, the international legal system has been challenged at home and abroad. Growing nationalism, shifts in geo-political power, deepening economic inequality, climate change, and a global migration crisis have generated cracks in the established international order. These schisms have been exacerbated by other factors, including the power of private corporations over speech platforms and personal data and the rapid progression of new technologies such as artificial intelligence and machine learning. Even our discipline and profession are challenged with growing calls for inclusivity of diverse voices. Can the international legal system adapt to address these profound developments?
This year’s keynote speakers included U.N. Undersecretary-General for Legal Affairs Mr. Miguel de Serpa Soares; Judge Kimberly Prost, International Criminal Court; Dr. Christopher Ward, SC, ILA President; and Jennifer Newstead, General Counsel of Facebook and Former Legal Adviser of the U.S. Department of State.
