Awards and Recognition
The International Law Section honors individuals and members for their outstanding service and achievements in advancing the profession in public and private international law.
International Law Section Awards and Initiatives
The International Law Section honors sustained and outstanding service in the field of international law.
ABA International Human Rights Award
The American Bar Association invites nominations for its annual International Human Rights Award, established to honor and give public recognition to an individual or organization that has made an exceptional contribution to the advancement of human rights outside of the United States. Given on behalf of the Association's Center for Human Rights, Section of Civil Rights and Social Justice, International Law Section, Section of Litigation, and Rule of Law Initiative, the award is open to individuals or organizations.
Lifetime Achievement Award
The Lifetime Achievement Award is given to Section members who have contributed in an extraordinary way to the Section and whose contribution has had a positive and lasting impact on the Section’s mission and goals.
Louis B. Sohn Award for Public International Law
In honor of Section Chair, Louis B. Sohn (1992-93), this award is presented to those persons who have made distinguished, long-standing contributions to the field of public international law.
Outstanding International Corporate Counsel Award
The award is given to a practicing attorney employed by a company or entity as an in-house counsel and who has demonstrated a significant contribution to the legal profession and the furtherance of the practice of law in an international context.
Mayre Rasmussen Award for the Advancement of Women in International Law
The Mayre Rasmussen Award for the Advancement of Women in International Law is presented to distinguished lawyers who have demonstrated significant contributions to advancing opportunities for women’s inclusion and active participation in law.
Francis Shattuck Security and Peace Award
The Francis Shattuck Security and Peace Award honors a person who has demonstrated significant leadership and courage in advancing and defending security and peace the rule of law on the national or international level.
Leonard J. Theberge Award for Private International Law
The Leonard J. Theberge Award for Private International Law was established to honor those persons who have made distinguished, long-standing contributions to the development of private international law.
World Order Under Law Award
The LexisNexis World Order Under Law Award is presented periodically by the Section to individuals who have made a substantial contribution to and provided visionary leadership in pursuit of the advancement of the Rule of Law.
Committee Awards
Outstanding Committee
This award recognizes a committee that demonstrated consistent performance in executing committee activities, including: online and conference programming, publications (Year-In-Review and newsletters), regular committee meetings, and improved engagement with committee members (ABA Communities activity and other committee initiatives).
Outstanding Newsletter
This award recognizes the committee and editors of a committee newsletter that is produced regularly, contains a variety of interesting articles, highlights member achievements within the scope of the committee's mission, and is valued by committee members.
Outstanding Policy
This recognizes those individuals spearheading a successful policy initiative in which the Section has been involved during this ABA year.
Outstanding Conference Program
This award recognizes an outstanding committee organized program presented at the Section's Fall or Annual Meeting that featured an engaging panel of speakers and had a unique, exciting, and well-thought-out topic of discussion.
Outstanding Webinar
This award recognizes a committee for developing an outstanding webinar, with a particularly unique, exciting, and well-thought-out topic of discussion.
Diversity Fellowship
The ABA International Law Section sponsors a Diversity Fellows Program. The Program supports the ABA’s policy of active involvement and participation of diverse lawyers in the Section, ABA, the profession, and the justice system. The Section is committed to ABA Goal III to promote full and equal participation). The Program is for young, barred lawyers under 36 years old with five years or less of legal experience, who have an interest in international law and come from a variety of backgrounds, including diverse races, ethnicities, sexual orientations, abilities and disabilities.