Faculty Spotlight: Stand Tall For The Rule of Law: A Conversation with Professor Ronald Brand
By Abdelrahman ElGendy
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In the historic city of Lviv, Ukraine, Professor Ronald Brand, a distinguished ESC-affiliated faculty member of the University of Pittsburgh's School of Law and Director of the Center for International Legal Education (CILE), recently participated in the Stand Tall for the Rule of Law summit. This gathering of international legal minds, held in partnership with the Ukrainian government and civil society leaders, aimed to reaffirm commitments to international law's fundamental principles at a pivotal moment in history.
"CILE was created to address three constituencies of the School of Law: the JD student body, foreign lawyers, and the legal profession generally.” Professor Brand recounts, “Our goal is to enhance legal education and offer international opportunities, thereby enriching the understanding of law worldwide." This vision has guided CILE's efforts to expand its reach and impact, shaping it into a vital component of Pitt Law's international engagement.
Professor Brand's scholarship, particularly in international and comparative law, has significantly shaped CILE's programs and initiatives.
"My involvement in treaty negotiations at the Hague Conference on Private International Law and focus on international dispute resolution havåe allowed CILE to be a leader in training students for the Vis Moot and developing a global network of highly skilled young lawyers," he explains.
This network extends across over 40 countries, fostering a generation of legal professionals equipped to navigate cross-border disputes and contribute to peaceful resolutions. The Stand Tall for the Rule of Law summit provided a platform for Professor Brand to engage with Ukrainian scholars and legal professionals, building upon CILE's long-standing presence in Ukraine.
"Our goal in Lviv was to work with others to better use the international legal framework to counter Russian aggression," Brand states, emphasizing the summit's role in fostering dialogue and collaboration in support of Ukraine. The choice of Lviv as the summit's location was deliberate, highlighting the city's legal heritage and its scholars' contributions to international law. "Lviv is home to scholars who developed key concepts like genocide and crimes against humanity," Brand notes. The summit's timing, coinciding with the anniversaries of the Genocide Convention and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, underscored the enduring relevance of these frameworks in today's geopolitical landscape.
When asked about the challenges facing human rights and the rule of law, Professor Brand offers a practical perspective. "My work has focused on training students in legal systems requiring support, believing that a functioning civil legal system is foundational to the protection of other rights," he observes. His approach underscores the practical impact of legal education in fostering economic stability and justice. Looking to the future, Professor Brand sees the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) as a significant development in legal education. However, he remains steadfast in his belief in the rule of law's central importance. "The need for rule of law will remain unchanged." stresses Professor Brand, "Peace requires justice; justice requires the rule of law; and the rule of law requires lawyers."