Salzburg Cutler Fellows discuss how international law and legal systems can tackle challenges ranging from human rights to climate change and global economic issues at tenth annual program

Students from 13 top law schools across the United States were selected to explore the future of public and private international law at the tenth annual Salzburg Cutler Fellows Program.

The online program, spread across two weeks, (February 24 - March 12, 2022) saw top law students engage with prominent legal professionals, public servants, and leaders in the fields of international law and public service.

Speakers this year included John B. Bellinger III, former Legal Adviser to the US Department of State and National Security Council Pavel Baev, Research Professor at Peace Research Institute Oslo and Senior Non-Resident Fellow at Brookings Institution Svitlana Starosvit, former staffer at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine and Ministry of Justice of Ukraine.

The 13 law schools taking part in the program this year were Berkeley, Chicago, Columbia, Cornell, Duke, Harvard, Michigan, New York University, Northwestern, Penn, Stanford, Virginia and Yale.

The Cutler Fellows Program is always looking to respond to current world events, but this year’s opening event happened at a particularly crucial time in history, as the most “notable use of force that we have ever seen on the European continent since World War II” happened simultaneously. The opening keynote session looked to cover the future of international law after the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the future of the Western order and the future of Ukraine.

In addition, Fellows received individual critique on their student papers from faculty of the participating law schools, as well as further advice on how to seek publication in journals. This year’s papers covered diverse topics, ranging from cyberwarfare and space weapons, Black Lives Matter, gender-based violence and climate justice amongst many others.

In the program’s Knowledge Café, students discussed personal ambitions and potential career routes in international law with mentors from Covington & Burling LLP, the International Monetary Fund and New Markets Lab.
 
At the end of this year’s program, Salzburg Global Seminar President Stephen L. Salyer spoke about what it means to be a Salzburg Global Fellow and the value it can bring to their lives. “I hope as you move forward in your careers that you will find those in this network to be valuable mentors and counterparts in helping you to shape a more just and sustainable world.”

Throughout the year, Salzburg Global Seminar also convenes current and rising leaders on topics such as:

•  Education and Work
•  Human and Planetary Health
• Arts, Culture and the Creative Economy; and
• Finance & Corporate Governance

As Cutler Fellows, students are part of the wider Salzburg Global Fellowship and can connect with Fellows from around the world, giving them access to a rich and varied network.

About the Program
The Salzburg Cutler Fellows Law Program is held by Salzburg Global Seminar under the auspices of the Lloyd N. Cutler Center for the Rule of Law. The annual program collaborates with eleven of the leading US law schools. This year’s program was sponsored by NYU Washington and Arnold & Porter.

The Cutler Fellows Program is named in memory of Lloyd N. Cutler, the Washington “Super Lawyer” who served as White House Counsel to Presidents Carter and Clinton.

Cutler also served as Chair of Salzburg Global Seminar’s Board of Directors for a decade and believed firmly in the power of mentoring young leaders with a commitment to making the world a better place through legal practice and the rule of law.

The Cutler Fellows Program was founded in 2012 by Salzburg Global Seminar to carry forward Lloyd Cutler’s legacy and to empower the next generation of legal professionals.

About Salzburg Global Seminar
Salzburg Global Seminar is an independent non-profit organization with a mission to challenge current and future leaders to shape a better world.
 
For 75 years, whether at our home of Schloss Leopoldskron, online or in locations around the world, our retreat-like programs have provided a forum for global exchange and transformation. Our inspiring environment, remote from the day-to-day buzz, allows participants from across the globe to come together and speak candidly, learn from each other, and return to their communities, organizations, and companies with renewed purpose and fresh perspective.
 
We have been at the forefront of major global movements for change since in 1947. We convene diverse Fellows across generations, geographies, and sectors, most of whom would otherwise never meet to exchange views or collaborate on new ideas. Together they create outside-the-box solutions and expand their networks in unprecedented ways.
 
Our focus is on tough issues that require cross-sector and interdisciplinary dialogue and the space to step back and explore innovative approaches. As part of our evolving strategy, our programs focus on creative & healthy societies, long-term & sustainable development, and rule of law & social trust.
 
We are supported by a combination of institutional partnerships, generous individual donations and revenue generated from our social enterprise, Hotel Schloss Leopoldskron.

For more information about the program, please contact:
Nabil Saad, Davidson Impact Fellow, nsaad@salzburgglobal.org

For more information about Salzburg Global Seminar, please contact:
Louise Hallman, Director of Communications, lhallman@salzburgglobal.org