Academics International Programs

Study International Law

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Understanding diverse cultures and legal systems is a critical skill in our increasingly globalized world. Cornell Law School is an exceptional place to master international and comparative law.

In 1948, Cornell became only the fourth law school in the United States to establish an international legal studies program. Over the ensuing decades, our commitment to teaching international and comparative law has become a central part of our mission.

Curriculum

Cornell Law School’s diverse curriculum offers numerous opportunities for students to study international and comparative law. Each year, the international and comparative curriculum is taught by members of the permanent faculty, distinguished practitioners, and visiting professors from other U.S. law schools and universities around the world.

- Comparative Law: The Civil Law Tradition
- Conflict of Laws
- Comparative Labor and Employment Law
- Global M&A Practice
- International and Foreign Legal Research
- International Cartel Enforcement
- International Commercial Arbitration
- International Human Rights Law and Institutions
- International Taxation
- Introduction to Chinese Law
- International Law and Foreign Direct Investment
- Public International Law
- Women, Law, and the Economy
- International Trade and WTO Law
- Chinese Law: Tradition and Modernization
- Comparative Law and Bioethics
- Comparative Legal Philosophy
- Comparative Corporate Governance: A Functional Approach
- East Asian Law and Culture Seminar
- International Law/International Relations Colloquium
- International Criminal Law
- International Environmental Law
- International Financial Regulation
- International Litigation
- Islamic Law and History
- Labor Migration and Trafficking
- Law and Social Change: Comparative Law in Africa
- War Crimes Trials and the Law of Genocide
See the current course catalog.

Internationally Focused Clinics

Through our clinics and practicums, students serve clients across the world and promote justice on a global scale. Many of our clinics give students the chance to engage with international law and institutions on a range of issues, including international human rights, the death penalty, refugee rights, gender justice, farmworkers' rights, and labor rights.

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International Degrees and Specializations

Students who wish to deepen their understanding of international and comparative law may choose to pursue one of our international degrees or specializations, including a J.D./Master en Droit at Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne University, a J.D. & LL.M. in International and Comparative Law combined pathway, or a J.D. with specialization in international legal affairs.

International Partner Schools

Other students may participate in one of Cornell’s international dual degree programs with our partner institutions in France or India. Students may also spend a semester studying abroad at one of Cornell’s many partner schools, take part in an fellowship that focuses on international and comparative law and/or is based abroad, or study at Cornell’s Paris 1 Summer Institute.