CILE 25th Anniversary: Looking Back for Hope Going Forward

CILE Globe with 25 YearsThe CILE 25th Anniversary tells the story of the ways in which the Center has benefited its students, our international student’s home countries, and the countries with which CILE has partnered over several decades. 

Our students, alumni, and partners are committed, engaged, and energetic in their dedication to a future in which justice, equality, and the rule of law are not just theoretical concepts but real goals that can be achieved through the practical skills. 


CILE 25th Anniversary Special Events and Webinars

27th Annual McLean Lecture on World Law: The Critical Role of Dissent in Government and Foreign Affairs
Tues., Sept. 22, 2020 | 12:30 p.m.  

This year's virtual event featured Pitt Law alumna Elizabeth Shackelford (JD '06). Elizabeth practiced law at Covington & Burling in Washington, D.C., engaged in international development work at Booz Allen Hamilton, and was a career diplomat in the U.S. State Department until her December 2017 resignation. She received the Barbara Watson Award for Consular Excellence, for her work in evacuating U.S. citizens from South Sudan.  Her book, “The Dissent Channel: American Diplomacy in a Dishonest Age,” tells the story of her work in South Sudan and provides a stark assessment of current on-the-ground U.S. foreign policy.

View the Recording Here

CILE Advisory Board 25th Anniversary Session: America in a Mirror: Before and After COVID-19
Thurs., Oct. 15, 2020 | 12:30 p.m.  

CILE hosted Dennis Unkovic for an interview with Max Laun to discuss his book, America in a Mirror: Before and After COVID-19. Dennis Unkovic is an international attorney, business advisor, and author. He is a partner with Pittsburgh-based Meyer, Unkovic & Scott LLP. Dennis frequently speaks to business organizations, government officials, trade associations, and academic institutions on a broad variety of international topics.

View the Recording Here

Afghan Dreams: CILE and the Vis Moot
Tues., Nov. 17, 2020 | 12:30 p.m.  

CILE celebrated its involvement with the Vis Moot and Middle East training partnership with the CLDP during a live webinar on Tues., Nov. 17. The session featured an interview with current LLM student Duniya Stanizkai. Duniya spoke about her experience competing in the Vis Moot as part of the first (and all female) team from Afghanistan. 

View the Recording Here

Global Privacy Law and Conflict with John Kropf
Weds., Feb. 17, 2021 | 12:30 p.m.  

John Kropf (JD '84),, Corporate Privacy Executive at Northrop Grumman Corporation discussed current global law issues and addressed privacy law as a career with a group of current students, alumni, and members of the law school community. Kropf served 23 years in the federal government in legal and policy roles. 

View the Recording Here

28th Annual McLean Lecture on March 23
World Law Cleaning the Sand Out of the Gears:
Unwinding the Trump Administration's Extraordinary Use of Executive Action to Restrict Immigration

CILE hosted the 28th Annual McLean Lecture on World Law, "Cleaning the Sand Out of the Gears: Unwinding the Trump Administration's Extraordinary Use of Executive Action to Restrict Immigration," presented by Marketa Lindt (JD '94). 

Marketa Lindt is partner in the office of Sidley and Austin in Chicago. A 1994 JD graduate of the University of Pittsburgh School of Law, in 2019-20 she was President of the American Immigration Lawyers Association. She works with U.S. and multinational corporations to implement business immigration visa programs to attract and retain foreign national talent, and is actively engaged in national and regional advocacy efforts to improve U.S. immigration laws in order to foster economic growth and promote fairness and justice in the immigration system. Lindt has testified at hearings before the House Judiciary Immigration Subcommittee regarding immigration processing delays at USCIS, and serves as a member of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce immigration policy committee. 

View the Recording Here

Sovereignty, Humanity, and Law on April 8-9

CILE and the Law and Humanities Institute (LHI) co-sponsored a webinar conference titled, “Sovereignty, Humanity, and Law.” Topics covered included current litigation of sovereign responsibility, the sovereign and the individual in the law, and sovereignty within the context of literature and the law. Review the program here.

There were two errors in the oral presentation Thursday. First the "CIVS" is the [French] Commission for the Indemnification of Victims of Spoliation [not the Shoah]; second, there was occasional interchanging of Article I and Article II during the presentation.

View the Recording Here

Deals and Disputes: China, Hong Kong, and Commercial Law on May 18-20

CILE co-sponsored the “Deals and Disputes: China, Hong Kong, and Commercial Law” webinar with the Asian Studies Center at the University Center for International Studies at Pitt. This three-day event considered the structure, reach, and impact of China’s Belt and Road Initiative and its implications for commercial relations, dispute resolution, and the future of legal developments in Asia. The webinar featured a series of key-note speakers and expert panels that explored China’s evolving role in the field of commercial law.

View the Recording Here


2020 CILE Notes: 25th Anniversary Edition

Pitt Law's Center for International Legal Education is excited to announce the publication of our annual newsletter, CILE Notes. To celebrate our 25th Anniversary, this year's edition highlights the lives and accomplishments of our alumni. We hope you will enjoy reading it as much as we have enjoyed watching these stories unfold over the course of the past 25 years. 

View the publication here.


Video Comments from the CILE Family

Comments from Pitt Law's Center for International Legal Education Alumni 

Comments from Pitt Law's Center for International Legal Education Faculty and Advisory Board