There has never been a more exciting time to study Public International Law (PIL). Issues of global law and justice are at the forefront of public debates to a greater degree than ever before. The prosecution of war crimes (both internationally and nationally), the legality of the use of force against States (e.g. Iraq), environmental protection, the scope of human rights protection (e.g. the ‘war on terrorism'), and the economic effects of globalisation promoted through the work of institutions such as the World Trade Organization are but a few of the areas where PIL has an important contribution to make.

PIL today not only impacts and shapes decisions by States to a greater degree than ever before, but it also penetrates into the national legal order – often through national court decisions – to give rights to individuals and corporations to an extent that is unrivalled in the history of the subject. These developments have in turn led to the growth of lawyers and law firms who specialise in the practice of PIL. Oxford Law provides our graduates with the understanding and ability to allow them to gain positions in governments, inter-governmental organizations (such as the United Nations), non-governmental organizations, and law firms all of which are actively looking for lawyers who are capable of undertaking sophisticated legal analysis of new and complex issues of global law.

News:

• 2012-2013 University Traineeship Programme at the International Court of Justice: Funded Internship
  
  The Public International Law Group is delighted to announce that the Oxford Law Faculty has been invited by the International Court of Justice to propose names for an internship on the University Traineeship Programme established by the Court. The person selected will work closely with the members of the Court. The Faculty may put forward one or more names to the Court, which will make the final decision on the selection for the internship. As the result of a very generous donation, and funds raised by members of the PIL Group, the Faculty is able to offer funding for the person selected for the duration of the internship, which lasts from September 2012-May 2013.

  The internship programme is open to Oxford graduate students currently pursuing both research and taught courses. There are no restrictions as to nationality. Applicants may be about to complete their graduate degrees in Oxford or, in appropriate cases and after consulting their supervisor, may be seeking to intermit their studies in order to undertake the internship.

  Applicants should be (a) fluent in either English or French and have an excellent working knowledge of the other language and (b) have distinguished themselves by their exceptional interest and excellence in the field of international law.

  If you wish to apply for an internship please submit the following to Jennifer.hassan@law.ox.ac.uk :

  1. a letter of application (including a CV) describing the applicant's background in international law and reasons for wishing to undertake the internship. The ICJ also asks that candidates indicate their age;
  2. at least two letters of reference (one of which should come from the applicant's supervisor, in the case of research students);
  3. work that has been submitted for publication or other work of publishable quality.

  The deadline for submission is Wednesday, 8 February 2012. The Faculty will take its decision and forward the names of short-listed applicants to the Court by its deadline in mid-February.

• The lead article in the latest issue of the American Journal of International Law is by one of our current DPhil students -Claus D. Zimmermann. Below is the abstract of the article "Exchange Rate Misalignment and International Law".
  
  
Efforts to control exchange rate manipulation through international law face substantial barriers. Disregarding problems of proof, the relevant IMF standards are legally ineffective; WTO actions based on illegal export subsidies would have a weak legal foundation; potential U.S. legislation, if enacted, would likely violate the WTO Agreement; and the uncertain interface of the WTO and IMF would compromise any WTO claim based on maintaining an undervalued real exchange rate. Ongoing problems concerning exchange rate manipulation will be solved, if at all, through politcal cooperation, not international law.


• 2010-2011 University Traineeship Programme at the International Court of Justice: Funded Internship.In 2010 Ernesto Feliz was awarded an internship at the International Court of Justice. He worked closely with the members of the Court. As the result of a very generous donation and funds raised by members of the PIL Group, the Faculty was able to fund Ernesto for the duration of the internship from September 2010 – June 2011.

• Alec Roche Lecture 2011-2012 soon to be announced.
  
  
• Postgraduate Research: Decisions on applications for places for PIL graduate research are taken collectively by the international law teachers at Oxford when they receive papers submitted to the University under the normal admission procedures. These procedures are set out on the University website at: www.admin.ox.ac.uk/postgraduate/apply/