CJICL Conference Explores 'Legal Tradition in a Diverse World'

The Cambridge Journal of International and Comparative Law (CJICL) held its Second Annual Conference on Saturday 18 and Sunday 19 May 2013, bringing together almost 150 scholars and practitioners from around the world. Under the theme 'Legal Tradition in a Diverse World', more than 50 papers were presented in over a dozen panels. The event took place in the Faculty of Law and the Divinity School of St John's College, with a conference reception and dinner at Newnham College.

The conference opened with the keynote address by Judge Abdulqawi Yusuf of the International Court of Justice, who discussed how the world’s diverse legal traditions had affected the development of international law – sometimes in unequal measure. Pointing towards the similarities between Somali customary law and international law, the Judge argued that it is better to speak of diverse approaches to international law than of opposing legal traditions.

The conference continued with a range of parallel sessions, discussing topics as diverse as 'Customs of War, Traditions of Justice' and 'Teaching Law in a Diverse World'. In the afternoon, Professor H. Patrick Glenn (McGill), President of the American Society of Comparative Law and author of the award-winning treatise 'Legal Traditions of the World', delivered a guest lecture on 'The State as a Legal Tradition'. The lecture was followed by the launch of Professor Glenn's most recent book, 'The Cosmopolitan State' (OUP 2013).

The first conference day concluded with a reception and conference dinner at Newnham College, just across the road from the Faculty of Law. Professor Philippe Sands (UCL) delivered the after-dinner address, in which he encouraged young scholars to challenge established traditions, but cautioned them to do so in a respectful manner. In good English tradition, many participants ended the evening at the pub.

The second conference day took place in the stunning surroundings of St John's College Divinity School. The participants enjoyed panels ranging from 'Judge-Made Legal Traditions' to 'Legal Traditions Shaping Europe', while soaking up the sun during coffee and lunch breaks in the venue's courtyard.

The highlight of the day was the candid and insightful debate between Professors Alain Pellet (Paris Ouest – Nanterre La Défense) and James Crawford (Cambridge) on 'Anglo-American and Continental Traditions in Advocacy at International Courts and Tribunals'. The debate, which pitted the two most eminent international litigators against each other, was moderated by Professor Catherine Redgwell (UCL) and touched on the differences in traditions of oral advocacy, approaches to authorities and evidence, relations with clients and the role of big law firms, among other issues.

After two days of stimulating and perceptive exchanges, Sir Elihu Lauterpacht closed the conference with his concluding remarks on 'Tradition in International Law'. He reflected on the 'English Tradition' of advocacy, to which he remained faithful through his own long and distinguished career as an international lawyer.

The 2013 CJICL conference was kindly sponsored by Brill-Martinus Nijhoff, Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP and the Whewell Fund as principal sponsors, as well as Oxford University Press, Hart Publishing, the Cambridge Law Faculty, Springer and Cambridge University Press. Selected papers will be published in the conference issue of the CJICL, which is due to come out later this year.