Our Work at a Glance
We use our legal expertise, applied research, and unique educational opportunities to advance human rights and environmental justice internationally.
The Promise Institute Europe is UCLA’s new European hub for international law and human rights. Established in 2023 and based at the Amsterdam Law School, The Promise Institute Europe advances cutting-edge legal research and analysis, and provides unique opportunities for students who are interested in human rights, public international law, international criminal law, international humanitarian law, and the protection of the environment. Its UCLA Law In The Hague programme places current UCLA Law students into distinguished externships at tribunals, courts and international organizations at the epicenter of international justice, offering unparalleled opportunities for experiential learning. Through its groundbreaking research, worldwide collaborations, and exceptional opportunities for experiential learning, The Promise Institute Europe is shaping international law and policy while training the next generation of justice leaders.
Our Launch Conference: “The Promise of International Law in the Face of Ecological Crises”
Amsterdam, The Netherlands
May 27-29, 2024
This conference marked the official launch of the UCLA Law Promise Institute Europe and brought together global leaders at a critical moment for international law, human rights and ecological justice. The three days of events highlighted recent advancements in rights of nature, ecocide law, and racial justice while fostering dialogue on climate change and environmental accountability through international courts and legal frameworks.
Read UCLA’s summary and visit our conference website to learn more, meet the speakers and watch the events, including keynote addresses by UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk and International Criminal Court Deputy Prosecutor Nazhat Shameem Khan.
Student Opportunities
UCLA Law students interested in international law and human rights can spend a semester interning in The Hague, visit the U.N. in Geneva, and more.
Students reflect on their experiences in the international program and collaborating with The Promise Europe to drive real-world change.
In this intensive course, UCLA Law students use human-centered design, systems thinking, and storytelling to create innovative solutions for human rights challenges.
This three-week UCLA Law course explores the potential and limitations of international human rights and criminal law in protecting the environment.
UCLA and UvA law students contributed greatly to our 2024 launch conference, and we look forward to more students joining our future symposia.
UCLA Law students can work remotely with the Promise Institute Europe team, while Amsterdam Law students can apply for on-campus roles.
Who We Are
- Directors
-
Affiliated Faculty
Richard L. Abel
Michael J. Connell Distinguished Professor of Law Emeritus
Distinguished Research ProfessorKhaled M. Abou El Fadl
Omar and Azmeralda Alfi Professor of LawAhilan Arulanantham
Professor from Practice
Faculty Co-Director, Center for Immigration Law & PolicyLaToya Baldwin Clark
Professor of LawJoseph Berra
Human Rights in the Americas Project DirectorWilliam Boyd
Professor of Law
Michael J. Klein Chair in Law
Faculty Co-Director, Emmett Institute on Climate Change and the EnvironmentDevon W. Carbado
The Honorable Harry Pregerson Professor of LawAnn E. Carlson
Shirley Shapiro Professor of Environmental Law
Faculty Director, Emmett Institute on Climate Change & the EnvironmentKimberlé W. Crenshaw
Distinguished Professor of Law
Promise Institute Chair in Human RightsIngrid Eagly
Professor of Law
Faculty Co-Director, Criminal Justice ProgramStephen Gardbaum
Stephen Yeazell Endowed Chair in LawHannah R. Garry
Professor from Practice
Executive Director, The Promise Institute for Human RightsCarole E. Goldberg
Distinguished Research Professor
Jonathan D. Varat Distinguished Professor of Law EmeritaLaura E. Gómez
Professor of Law Emerita
Rachel F. Moran Endowed Chair in LawSean B. Hecht
Evan Frankel Professor of Policy and PracticeCara Horowitz
Andrew Sabin Family Foundation Executive Director of the Emmett Institute on Climate Change and the Environment
Director, Frank G. Wells Environmental Law ClinicMichael Karanicolas
Executive Director, UCLA Institute for Technology, Law and PolicyJasleen Kohli
Executive Director, Critical Race Studies ProgramMáximo Langer
David G. Price and Dallas P. Price Professor of Law
Director of the UCLA Transnational Program on Criminal JusticeKate Mackintosh
Executive Director, UCLA Law Promise Institute Europe
Professor from PracticeHiroshi Motomura
Susan Westerberg Prager Distinguished Professor of Law
Faculty Co-Director, Center for Immigration Law and PolicyEdward A. Parson
Dan and Rae Emmett Professor of Environmental Law
Faculty Director, Emmett Institute on Climate Change and the EnvironmentSunita Patel
Professor of Law
Faculty Director, UCLA Veterans Legal ClinicJessica Peake
Director, International and Comparative Law Program
Assistant Director, the Promise Institute for Human RightsNina Rabin
Clinical Professor of Law
Director of Clinical Education
Director, Immigrant Family Legal ClinicKal Raustiala
Promise Institute Distinguished Professor of Comparative and International Law
Director, UCLA Ronald W. Burkle Center for International Relations
Faculty Director, International and Comparative Law ProgramPeter L. Reich
Continuing Lecturer in Law
Director, Law & Communication IntensiveAngela R. Riley
Carole Goldberg Endowed Chair of Native American Law
Special Advisor to the Chancellor on Native American and Indigenous Affairs
Director, Native Nations Law & Policy CenterJames Salzman
Donald Bren Distinguished Professor of Environmental LawRobert Bradley Sears
Associate Dean of Public Interest Law
Roberta A. Conroy Distinguished Scholar of Law & Policy, The Williams Institute
Founding Executive Director, The Williams InstituteAnna Spain Bradley
Professor of Law
Special Advisor for Strategic Planning and Values to the EVC/P (2023-24)
Vice Chancellor for Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (2020-23)Richard H. Steinberg
Professor of Law
Jonathan D. Varat Endowed Chair in Law
Professor of Political ScienceLara Stemple
Assistant Dean for Graduate Studies and International Student ProgramsKatherine Stone
Distinguished Arjay and Frances Fearing Miller Professor EmeritaCatherine Sweetser
Deputy Director, Promise Institute for Human Rights
Director, Human Rights Litigation ClinicSherod Thaxton
Professor of Law
Professor of African American Studies (by courtesy)
Professor of Public Policy (by courtesy)
Professor of Sociology (by courtesy)Lauren van Schilfgaarde
Assistant Professor of LawAlex Wang
Professor of Law
Walter and Shirley Wang Chair in U.S.-China Relations and Communications
Faculty Co-Director, Emmett Institute on Climate Change & the EnvironmentNoah D. Zatz
Professor of Law and Labor StudiesEric M. Zolt
Michael H. Schill Distinguished Professor of Law -
Fellows
Lisa Nicole Oldring
Senior Fellow, Promise Institute Europe | Lisa Oldring is a Senior Fellow with the UCLA Law Promise Institute Europe and a doctoral candidate at the University of Amsterdam Faculty of Law. Her research focuses on the crime of ecocide from a human rights perspective. Oldring is an international human rights lawyer with over twenty years of practice at the global level, primarily with the United Nations Human Rights Office. As a senior advisor on human rights and security based in Geneva, she led the Office’s work on issues including counter-terrorism, global surveillance practices, and the use of force. She has served as legal advisor to UN-mandated commissions of inquiry on Darfur, Sudan and on Lebanon; Special Advisor to Mary Robinson (Chair, GAVI Board) in New York; advisor to the first UN Special Rapporteur on the right to health; and attaché to the International Committee of the Red Cross. She began her UN work in the post-conflict human rights field operation in Rwanda. Oldring holds a BA in Criminology (1992) and an LLB (1995) from the University of Alberta, and a graduate degree (D.E.S.) in international law from the Geneva Graduate Institute (1999).
Areas of Work
-
A New International Crime of Ecocide
Executive Director Kate Mackintosh is leading efforts to have severe and widespread or long-term damage to the environment recognized as an international crime.
-
Partnership with with the International Criminal Court (ICC)
Promise Europe is working with the ICC Office of the Prosecutor to develop a policy paper on environmental crimes, led by ICC Special Adviser Kevin Jon Heller.