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For more information about this program, contact Richard Chen at (808) 956-7439 or by email.

International and Comparative Law

OVERVIEW

The William S. Richardson School of Law offers a robust curriculum in the fields of international and comparative law. International law focuses on the study of treaties and customary international law, while comparative law involves the study of foreign legal systems and how they are similar to or different from our own. JD students can earn a certificate in International and Comparative Law, while our LLM program serves both foreign and US students seeking additional training in these and other areas in which Richardson has deep strengths.

Education, Research, and Scholarship

The Law School offers a wide variety of courses in international law and in comparative law with a particular emphasis on the Asia Pacific region. Outside the classroom, students have opportunities to enhance their written and oral advocacy skills by participating in the Philip C. Jessup International Law Moot Court Competition or the Stetson International Environmental Moot Court Competition. Students can also serve as editors for and publish their own scholarship in the University of Hawaiʻi Law Review or the Asian-Pacific Law & Policy Journal, both of which regularly publish cutting-edge research in international and comparative law.

Richardson also brings in researchers from around the world through its Visiting International Scholars program and distinguished judges through its Bright International Jurist-in-Residence program, creating further opportunities for students to engage with leading experts. Richardson graduates have gone on to become global leaders in their respective fields, from human rights to international commercial arbitration. Among other high-profile advocacy work, prominent Richardson alumni are playing major roles in ongoing efforts to seek advisory opinions on climate change from the International Court of Justice and International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea.

Faculty Excellence

Our faculty is composed of leading scholars in international law, with particular expertise in international economic law, international environmental law, international human rights and humanitarian law, law of the sea, and transnational litigation and arbitration. Our comparative law faculty includes experts in the law of Hong Kong, Japan, South Korea, and Pacific Island nations.

“We are committed to learning as a collaborative enterprise. Our program challenges students to grow intellectually and professionally. Faculty members engage with students as partners as well as serving as sources of knowledge.”

Camille A. Nelson, Dean and Professor of Law

Scholarship & Legal Resources

The William S. Richardson School of Law established the Institute of Asian-Pacific Business Law (IAPBL) in June 2006. The Institute’s goal is to become the premier academic center for research and training in the rapidly growing field of business law in Asia and the Pacific. The Institute focuses on areas of great importance to Asia and Hawai‘i, including commercial law, insolvency and secured transactions, corporate law and business transactions, securities, intellectual property, real estate financing, and labor law issues. The Institute’s activities facilitate direct exchanges between the academic, legal, and business communities in Hawai‘i and throughout the Asia-Pacific region.

The Jon Van Dyke Institute for International Law & Justice has created a lasting institutional tribute to Professor Jon Van Dyke and has done so in a manner that reflects, captures, and builds upon his remarkable contributions to scholarship, teaching, advocacy, writing and cooperative relationships. It is devoted to the research, education and the development of international law and justice with an emphasis on the Asia Pacific region, ocean law, human rights and the rights of Indigenous peoples.

Certificates & Requirements

Certificate in International and Comparative Law

The Certificate in International and Comparative Law candidates must fulfill course and procedural requirements before being awarded a Certificate upon graduation. The students are advised to consult with the International & Comparative Law Program director and faculty during their 2L and 3L years to ensure they are on track to complete the certificate requirements. Certificate candidates need to submit the completed certificate form to the International & Comparative Law Program director no later than 30 days before graduation.