University of Georgia School of Law alumna Chanel Chauvet-Maldonado (J.D. ’18) recently published an article titled “Cultural Fluency: A Necessary Legal Edge for International Lawyers” in the September/October 2025 issue of Washington Lawyer.

In the article, Chauvet-Maldonado makes the case that cultural intelligence, or the capability to function effectively across various cultural contexts, is a critical skill for international lawyers. She observes that, in the evolving landscape of international engagement, international lawyers are functioning as “de facto diplomats,” and thus this skillset is more pertinent now than ever. Chauvet-Maldonado provides best practices for organizations preparing international legal actors, including:

• Integrate cultural intelligence into the hiring criteria
• Provide immersive cultural and legal training
• Recruit for diverse perspectives
• Establish feedback loops
• Mentor for cross-cultural competence
• Reward cultural stewardship

Chauvet-Maldonado is an international lawyer working within the Nuclear Nonproliferation Division of Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) as a Nuclear Nonproliferation Regulatory Specialist. Prior to joining ORNL, she worked as a Nonproliferation Policy and Law Analyst on the Legal Frameworks Team at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. She also served as the Permanent Representative to the United Nations Office at Geneva on behalf of the International Association of Jewish Lawyers and Jurists where she advocated before the Human Rights Council and liaised with foreign stakeholders in high-level discussions. Prior to that, she worked in the Law and Policy Forum at the International Committee of the Red Cross headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, developing the case study supplement accompanying the ICRC’s Guidance Tool on International Humanitarian Law for the Judicial Sector. She also clerked for Honorable Chief Judge Tusan of Fulton County’s Superior Court in Atlanta, Georgia, up until her retirement. Chauvet-Maldonado is a member of the Dean Rusk International Law Center’s Advisory Council.