The International and Comparative Law Program (ICLP) at UCLA School of Law and the American Branch of the International Law Association (ABILA) invite you to join us for International Law Weekend - West on February 20-21, 2026 in Los Angeles, CA.

The theme of the 2026 ILW-West is New Frontiers, Evolving Rules: The Future of International Law.

REGISTRATION NOW OPEN

As global power dynamics shift and new frontiers expand beyond traditional borders, international law stands at a critical crossroads. This conference brings together leading experts to explore how international legal frameworks must evolve to meet the demands of an increasingly complex and multipolar world - to protect humanity, the planet and future generations. From governing emerging technologies and new frontiers to reshaping geopolitical influence and reimagining international norms, we will confront the possibilities and tensions that define the next era of international law.

Panels and keynotes will include:

• Standing Up for International Law
• Cities as Global Norm-Shapers: Urban Power at the New Frontiers of International Law
• Revisiting the Use of Force: Legal Norms, State Practice, and Emerging Contours in International Law
• Reflecting on the Ongoing Negotiations for a New Treaty on Crimes Against Humanity: Challenges and Prospects
• Artificial Intelligence and the Boundaries of International Law
• A Necessary IDEA: International Human Rights Law and U.S. Public Policy in Differential Treatment of Social Groups
• Protest and International Law
• Feeding the Future: International Law and Food Security
• “The Veto” Film Screening: What is the Future of the Security Council
• Governing the Final Frontier: From Cities to Orbit
• Careers in International Law

The conference is sponsored by the UCLA Journal of International and Foreign Affairs, which will publish a collection of essays from the conference in its 30th volume in 2026.

Registration is now open! Please register here by Friday, February 13.

 

Conference Program

The full Conference Program will be released in late January. For full descriptions of the confirmed panels and speakers, please see below

For planning purposes, the program will take place during the following hours:

• Friday, February 20: 12:30pm - 6:30pm
• Saturday, February 21: 9am - 6pm

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Conference Registration

Conference registration is now open. Please register here by Friday, February 13.

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Conference Panels and Speakers

Keynote - Standing Up for International Law

From time to time, the rule of law has been under assault in America and around the world. From the war on terrorism after 9/11 to this year's Venezuelan intervention, academic and professional institutions are called upon to stand up for the rule of law.  Doing so entails risks for universities, law firms, and individuals. But what is the cost of inaction?

• Michael Scharf, President, American Branch of the International Law Association (ABILA), Case Western Reserve School of Law

 

Fireside Chat - Cities as Global Norm-Shapers: Urban Power at the New Frontiers of International Law

As the international system adapts to shifting geopolitical realities, cities are emerging as influential actors operating far beyond their traditional municipal mandates. From climate diplomacy and human rights implementation to migration governance, digital regulation, and sustainable development, urban centers increasingly participate—formally and informally—in shaping international legal norms. This panel examines the rise of “city diplomacy” as a force driving innovation in global governance and interrogates the legal, political, and institutional implications of treating cities as transnational actors. Panelists will explore how urban initiatives challenge state-centric models, the opportunities and risks of decentralizing norm-creation, and the ways in which cities can strengthen international law’s capacity to protect humanity, the planet, and future generations.

• Ambassador Nina L. Hachigian
• Kal Raustiala, UCLA School of Law

 

Revisiting the Use of Force: Legal Norms, State Practice, and Emerging Contours in International Law

At the end of World War II, states agreed to outlaw most uses of force through Article 2(4) of the UN Charter.  International law has developed over the last 80 years to embrace the Charter’s prohibition on the use of force and to allow for only two exceptions – Security Council authorization and self-defense.  Yet, throughout the same period of time, including in the present day, such as in Ukraine and Venezuela, we have witnessed numerous instances of use of force by states and non-state actors.  Considering this seeming juxtaposition between law and practice, this panel will convene a group of experts to analyze the existing international legal framework governing the use of force. Panelists will discuss the UN Charter, customary international law, and relevant regional instruments, in light of ongoing conflicts and uses of force, such as the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the recent Trump Administration strikes against alleged narco-trafficking boats in international waters, as well as the Trump Administration's decision to launch an attack against Venezuela in order to forcibly remove its President, Nicolas Maduro. Panelists will assess how contemporary security challenges (counterterrorism, humanitarian interventions, peacekeeping, cyber operations, and autonomous weapons systems, inter alia) interact with traditional jus ad bellum and jus in bello rules. Panelists will also explore issues of state responsibility, consent, self-defense, collective security, and anticipatory self-defense in light of modern threats. Moreover, panelists will focus on accountability mechanisms for any unlawful use of force, including regional and international courts, UN bodies, and transitional justice processes, in the context of ongoing conflicts in Ukraine and elsewhere. In addition, panelists will highlight the need for any new normative developments, and the possibility of their operationalization in doctrine and practice.

• Laurie Blank, Emory University School of Law
• Michael Scharf, Case Western Reserve University School of Law
• Michael Kelly, Creighton University School of Law
• David Glazier, Loyola Law School
• Rachel VanLandingham, Southwestern Law School, former Judge Advocate, U.S. Air Force
• Milena Sterio, Cleveland State University College of Law

 

Reflecting on the Ongoing Negotiations for a New Treaty on Crimes Against Humanity: Challenges and Prospects

This panel examines the ongoing negotiations for a new international treaty on crimes against humanity as a key example of how international law is evolving to meet contemporary global challenges. Reflecting on the work of the Preparatory Committee meeting held in January, the discussion will explore both the procedural dynamics and the substantive content of this emerging legal instrument. Particular attention will be given to the treaty’s significance as a new framework for accountability, the ways in which it responds to shifting geopolitical realities, and the negotiation process itself as a site of convergence among new and diverse groupings of states. In doing so, the panel situates the treaty and its process within broader debates about the future of international law in an increasingly complex and multipolar world.

• Leila Sadat, Washington University Law School
• Gissou Nia, Strategic Litigation Project at the Atlantic Council
• Hannah Garry, USC Gould School of Law
• Saira Mohamed, UC Berkeley Law

 

Artificial Intelligence and the Boundaries of International Law

The rapid global emergence of large-scale artificial intelligence systems is putting traditional legal and political frameworks to the test. Transforming economies, disrupting labor markets, altering security landscapes, and challenging core notions of sovereignty, AI raises profound questions for international law. At the same time, it creates new opportunities for cooperation and norm-building across borders.

This panel brings together leading experts in law, technology, human rights, and policy to examine how AI pushes against foundational principles—accountability, autonomy, state authority, and the protection of human dignity. Panelists will explore the implications of AI for labor and workplace governance, the risks it poses to privacy and fundamental rights, and the shifting balance of power between states and private actors who increasingly shape the digital domain. The discussion will interrogate how AI is redefining the boundaries of international engagement—and how international law must evolve to meet the challenges and possibilities of a technology that transcends borders.

• Julia Powles, UCLA School of Law
• Peter Yu, Texas A&M School of Law
• Ioanna Tourkochoriti, University of Baltimore School of Law
• Nina Toft Djanegara, UCLA School of Law

 

A Necessary IDEA: International Human Rights Law and U.S. Public Policy in Differential Treatment of Social Groups

As international law confronts many challenges, long-standing principles of nondiscrimination and equal rights and opportunities for different social groups face renewed hostility within domestic legal systems. In the United States especially, inclusion, diversity, equity, and access (IDEA) or DEI initiatives have come under sustained political and judicial attack, culminating in recent Supreme Court jurisprudence and executive actions that impede or prohibit efforts to address systemic inequality. These developments raise pressing questions about the role of international human rights law (IHRL) in shaping domestic legal norms and constitutional interpretation. This panel situates contemporary U.S. debates over IDEA within the broader international human rights obligations, which should inform, yet increasingly diverge from, U.S. constitutional doctrine and legislative practice. Panelists will explore the relevance of IHRL to addressing systemic inequities affecting individuals and communities based on race, ethnicity, color, gender, and disability, and will assess whether recent Supreme Court jurisprudence treating discrimination against the racial majority as indistinguishable from discrimination against minorities aligns with international legal standards.

• Chandra Bhatnagar, ACLU of Southern California
• Kevin R. Johnson, University of California Davis
• Kelley Loper, University of Denver Sturm College of Law
• Jerry Kang, UCLA School of Law
• Aaron Fellmeth, Arizona State University, Sandra Day O'Connor College of Law

 

Protest and International Law

Amid global democratic backsliding and the consolidation of authoritarian power, protest has emerged as a central site of contestation in contemporary international law. While international human rights frameworks formally recognize freedoms of expression and assembly, states continue to rely on international legal doctrines to justify far-reaching restrictions on dissent. As a result, protest occupies an ambiguous and unsettled position within the international legal order. This panel explores how international law responds to protests movements in context of political instability and regime change, examining both the protections it offers and the constraints it enables. Drawing on case studies, speakers assess whether evolving global dynamics demand a recalibration of legal norms. In doing so, the panel situates protest as a key frontier in debates about the future direction of international law.

• Alison Dundes Renteln, University of Southern California
• Shenali Pilapitiya, University of Southern California
• Florian Kriener, Max Planck Institute, Yale Law School
• Federico Barillas Schwank, International Center for Not-for-Profit Law
• Bahar Mirhosseni, Cornell Law School

 

Feeding the Future: International Law and Food Security

As global food insecurity rises due to conflict, climate-driven disasters, economic volatility, disrupted supply chains, and shifting geopolitics, international law is pushed into new territory. There is no single international regime governing food. Instead, food systems are shaped by a complex web of trade rules, investment agreements, intellectual property regimes, infrastructure challenges, environmental norms, and humanitarian and human rights obligations.  As pressures on food systems grow, these overlapping frameworks are increasingly tested—raising questions about how existing rules apply, where gaps remain, and how legal regimes must evolve. This panel explores the future of international law through the lens of food security. It will examine how legal frameworks influence what is produced, how it moves across borders, and who has access. Bringing together experts from academia, international organizations, and private practice, the discussion will identify emerging legal challenges and opportunities for a more resilient, equitable, and sustainable global food systems.

• Michael Roberts, UCLA School of Law
• Daniele Manzella, Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations
• Jessica Lynd, White & Case LLP
• Leonie Vierck, Gates Foundation

 

“The Veto” Film Screening: What is the Future of the Security Council

Join us for a screening of this recently released documentary short focused on the problem of the veto power of permanent members of the UN Security Council, particularly when the veto blocks efforts to stop or prevent genocide, war crimes, or crimes against humanity. The film, featuring renowned experts on the topic, explores a path to challenging this paralysis, including having the UN General Assembly request an Advisory Opinion from the International Court of Justice on whether there are legal limits to the veto in the face of atrocity crimes.

• Jennifer Trahan, New York University
• Jess Peake, UCLA School of Law

 

Governing the Final Frontier: From Cities to Orbit

As space activity accelerates across commercial, civil, and security domains, governance is increasingly shaped not only by international agreements and national regulators, but by cities where space infrastructure, logistics, and risk converge. This panel examines how established space law frameworks intersect with urban governance, private actors, and on-the-ground implementation.

• Haroon Azar, UCLA Burkle Center for International Relations
• Lucius Martin, Long Beach Deputy Mayor of Economic Development
• Krystle Caponio, AstroForge
• Michael Segal, Eagle Law Group

 

Pursuing a Career in International Law

The market for legal jobs is challenging, and specializing in a particular field, like international law, can make your job search even more frustrating. This session will discuss the steps that students and graduates can take while still in law school or in their early careers to help themselves stand out in the search for international law positions. Topics covered will include targeted job searching, managing one’s professional contacts, identifying appropriate international experiences, application dos and don'ts, and myriad other practical issues that students will encounter.

• Taylor Kirkpatrick, American Society of International Law

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Conference Accommodation

There are a lot of hotels within close proximity of UCLA School of Law. Two that we recommend are:

The W Beverly Hills (walkable to the Law School)
930 Hilgard Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90024
310-208-8765, call and ask for UCLA rate
Rate: $279/night
Book your group rate for UCLA Law Conference*
Start Date: Thursday, February 19, 2026
End Date: Saturday, February 22, 2026

*Please use this link to reserve your room at the W Beverly Hills from Feb 19-22, 2026 at a special rate of $279.00/night before January 30th, 2026. Starting January 30th, rooms will be available to book at the retail rate.

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Hotel Angeleno (a short car ride from the Law School)
170 N Church Ln
Los Angeles, CA 90049
310-476-6411
Rate: approx. $190/night but subject to change so the earlier you book the better
Hotel Angeleno | Hotels in Los Angeles | West LA Hotels