From the classroom to the world stage: ASU Law’s international area of expertise

In an era of climate upheaval, cross-border disputes and shifting global power, tomorrow’s lawyers must think — and act — globally. At the Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law at Arizona State University, students learn to view law through a global lens, preparing to serve communities and clients wherever they are.

From Phoenix to The Hague, ASU Law students work alongside judges, human rights advocates and environmental negotiators — experiences made possible through the school’s robust international area of expertise.

At the center of that work are five programs that approach international law from distinct yet interconnected perspectives: the Center for Law and Global Affairs, the McCarthy Institute, the Lodestar Dispute Resolution Center, the Indian Legal Program and the Law and Sustainability Program. Guided by 13 faculty experts whose research spans human rights, Indigenous sovereignty, environmental sustainability, dispute resolution and intellectual property, these programs prepare students to think critically, collaborate across cultures and apply the law on a global stage.

The Center for Law and Global Affairs

For Andrea Matačić Cayley, executive director of the Center for Law and Global Affairs (LGA), global education means action. “We’re the only law school with summer internships in Timor-Leste,” she said. “We led the way in accountability for war crimes in Ukraine and built research partnerships with universities in Singapore, Korea and the Netherlands.”

Through LGA’s summer program, students have worked with the Basel Center on Governance, Transparency International in South Africa and the International Institute for Justice and the Rule of Law in Malta. Others have gained experience with the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva and the Kosovo Tribunal in The Hague.

“Our goal is to give students opportunities to pursue their interests with a global perspective — whether that means working abroad, conducting research with international organizations or collaborating directly with faculty,” Cayley said. “There’s no area of law untouched by global issues.”

The Center also amplifies faculty research and strengthens ASU Law’s international partnerships, making its global presence not just a point of pride but a pathway to impact.

The McCarthy Institute

Globalization doesn’t just shape diplomacy; it drives innovation. At ASU Law’s McCarthy Institute, students explore how intellectual property and branding power the global economy. Named for trademark scholar J. Thomas McCarthy, the institute bridges law, technology and business to show how ideas and identities move across markets.

Through research fellowships, symposia and the annual IP Con — one of ASU Law’s signature international events — students engage with practitioners and policymakers addressing cross-border challenges in intellectual property and digital commerce. These experiences prepare graduates to navigate a world where innovation, reputation and regulation increasingly intersect.

The Lodestar Dispute Resolution Center

Conflicts don’t stop at borders — and neither does ASU Law’s Lodestar Dispute Resolution Center, one of the nation’s top-ranked programs in mediation, negotiation and arbitration. Here, students learn to navigate international arbitration, commercial disputes and cross-border resolution.

The center’s annual Schiefelbein Global Dispute Resolution Conference convenes experts worldwide, while students gain hands-on experience through the Lodestar Mediation Clinic and international competitions like the Vis International Commercial Arbitration Moot.

The Indian Legal Program

Founded in 1988, ASU Law’s Indian Legal Program (ILP) offers one of the nation’s most comprehensive Indigenous law curricula. Its focus on sovereignty, governance and self-determination resonates globally, as Indigenous communities face similar legal and environmental challenges worldwide.

Through the Indian Legal Clinic, students represent tribal governments, draft legislation and contribute to initiatives such as the Native Vote Election Protection Project. The program also offers LLM and MLS emphases in Tribal Policy, Law and Government and Tribal Self-Governance, preparing graduates to serve Indigenous nations and engage in international conversations on Indigenous rights.

The Law and Sustainability Program

Through ASU Law’s Law and Sustainability Program, students confront some of the planet’s most urgent challenges, from climate change and water scarcity to the future of global energy. The program brings together faculty across disciplines to explore how law, science and policy can work together to build a more sustainable world.

Among them is Regents Professor Daniel Bodansky, a leading authority on international environmental law. He helps students understand how global agreements take shape and how legal frameworks foster cooperation. ASU holds observer status with the United Nations climate change regime and has participated in global climate conferences for more than a decade, giving students rare insight into international policymaking.

“ASU Law has an unusually large number of faculty who engage in the policy process,” Bodansky said. “We’ve been participating actively in the annual UN climate conferences for more than a decade.”

Bodansky’s work bridges research and diplomacy. As an observer for the United Nations Foundation, he is currently studying negotiations for a global plastics pollution treaty and contributing policy analyses that inform discussions among international negotiators.

In the classroom, he brings that experience to life through treaty simulations on emerging issues — this year, climate engineering. “Effective environmental agreements aren’t only about strong obligations,” Bodansky said. “They also depend on mechanisms that encourage participation and allow for adaptation over time.”

He credits ASU’s interdisciplinary culture for helping students become innovative, globally minded problem-solvers. “ASU’s emphasis on working across law, science and policy helps foster that integration,” he said.

Pathways to global practice

ASU Law’s international area of expertise extends across every degree program. JD students can specialize in Intellectual Property Law, International Law or International Rule of Law and Security. LLM and MLS students can pursue those same areas, with additional emphases in Tribal Policy, Law and Government and Tribal Self-Governance.

Courses such as Foreign Relations Law, International Environmental Law and Transnational Criminal Law prepare students for cross-border practice, while study-abroad programs and partnerships in Europe, Asia and Australia expand those opportunities.

Beyond the classroom, student organizations — including the Environmental Law Society, Government and Public Interest Law Student Association, Intellectual Property Student Association and Society of International Law — help students lead, network and apply their learning worldwide.

Global education, global impact

ASU Law graduates are making their mark in international courts, NGOs and law firms around the world. Cayley says that success comes from a mix of preparation and passion.

“We have alumni working at the European Court of Justice, in firms across the UK and France, and at the International Chamber of Commerce in New York,” she said. “They stand out because of their grit, drive and passion for global work.”

That blend of academic rigor and real-world experience, she added, keeps top employers coming back. “Major firms and organizations continue to seek out our students and graduates,” Cayley said.

Across its five globally engaged centers, 13 expert faculty and far-reaching partnerships, ASU Law has built something rare: a legal education that doesn’t just respond to a changing world, but helps define it.

Written by Andrea Estrada