This year, six University of Georgia School of Law students attended the 119th Annual Meeting of the American Society of International Law in Washington, D.C. This year’s ASIL Annual Meeting convened with the theme “Traditions and Transitions in International Law.”

Attendees included: Annie Bordeaux (J.D. ’27), Jack Buckelew (J.D. ’25), Eleanor Cox (J.D. ’26), Carolina Mares (J.D. ’25), Jalyn Ross (J.D. ’27), and Emma Whitmore (J.D. ’26). They received a Louis B. Sohn Professional Development Fellowship to support their attendance of this conference. Awarded by the law school’s Dean Rusk International Law Center, Sohn Fellowships enable students to attend professional development opportunities related to international law.

Each student attended numerous panel discussions addressing a range of topics in international law. Some students were able to meet with D.C.-based Georiga Law alumni/ae as well, including Caroline Bailey (J.D. ’24) and Sandon Fernandes (J.D. ’24).

Reflecting on her biggest takeaways from attending the conference, Bordeaux stated:

The speakers…offered a powerful reminder that, even amid global instability and the uneven application of the rule of law, international law still holds the potential to serve as a means of accountability. The insights shared by brilliant professors, leaders, and researchers substantiated the idea that the role of international law remains instrumental in addressing injustice and shaping governance.

Mares reflected on her favorite session from the conference:

During the session on Grotius’ Legacy: The 400th Anniversary of The Law of War and Peace, former Georgia Law Professor Harlan Cohen and fellow panelists offered a compelling and nuanced exploration of Hugo Grotius’ seminal 1625 treatise. The Law of War and Peace laid the groundwork for modern international law, illuminating the interrelationship between human rights and legal norms, the moral dimensions of law, and the idea of law as distinct from both power and religion. Gaining historical context for today’s legal frameworks was a powerful reminder of the foundational values and enduring principles that continue to guide and inspire practitioners in the field.

Buckelew illustrated the connection between attending this conference and his academic and professional goals:

Attending the ASIL Annual Meeting gave me clarity and encouragement at a pivotal moment in my legal education. Personally, it reminded me that I came to law school with the hope of engaging with serious global issues and to be part of a community that values legal principles as tools for progress. Professionally, it helped me envision a path where I can grow into expertise, not just through formal education, but through ongoing engagement with legal communities like ASIL and others.

To read prior posts about Georgia Law students using Sohn Fellowships to attend professional development opportunities, please click here and here.