How can the understanding of international law benefit students who don't otherwise expect to practice it?

"International law is a necessity in the twenty-first century for lawyers practicing in any field of law. Nearly any field may involve international aspects. Parties buying and selling goods frequently sell to buyers abroad, or purchase from sellers abroad, bringing treaty law into play. Domestic relations practitioners find children being unlawfully taken out of the country by a spouse after divorce and must resort to treaty procedures for the return of the child.

Persons suspected of crime who are abroad but may be forcibly returned under treaties on extradition. Foreigners arrested on a criminal charge have certain rights under treaties. U.S. businesses operating in Europe are subject to regulation under Europe-wide rules. The ever-increasing number of U.S. businesses setting up operations abroad confront a myriad of international legal issues.

International human rights standards impact the relations between governments and individuals. A knowledge of how international law works is required to handle these sorts of legal issues."

John B. Quigley
President's Club Professor of Law