Education
B.A., 1981, North Carolina State University
J.D., 1986, Harvard University
Courses
International human rights law, international human rights law overseas internships, public international law, international legal transactions, international criminal law, criminal procedure
Bio
George E. Edwards is an expert on international human rights law in the global arena. Professor Edwards is also an expert on the role of civil society in the area of inter-governmental human rights arena, and on international legal education and how it promotes public diplomacy and human rights. His decades of human rights and international education experience include facilitating law student work at human rights organizations in over 55 countries primarily in the developing world, pro bono legal services to defendants at international tribunals such as the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia and the Guantanamo Bay Military Commissions (where Professor Edwards was tendered as an expert witness), and advocacy before the United Nations about human rights violations in many different countries.
Professor Edwards, the Carl M. Gray Professor of Law, is also Faculty Director (Founding) of the school’s Program in International Human Rights Law, which in July 2011 was awarded Special Consultative Status with Accreditation to the United Nations Economic & Social Council (UN-ECOSOC). This U.N. status is awarded to only 2,000 organizations from 200 countries.
Professor Edwards founded and the law school’s Master of Laws (LL.M.) Track in International Human Rights Law and supervised it until Spring 2011. He has also served as the law school’s Executive Chair of Graduate Law Programs. He is an Affiliated Faculty Member at the IU Center for the Study of Global Change (Bloomington). He has received numerous teaching, research and civic engagement awards since 1999. He teaches International Human Rights Law, International Legal Transactions, Public International Law, and International Criminal Law.
Professor Edwards received his J.D. degree from Harvard Law School, where he was an Editor of the Harvard Law Review and Association Editor of the Harvard Journal of International Law. Before joining the IU McKinney School of Law faculty, he lived for six years in Hong Kong and worked as associate director of the Centre for Comparative and Public Law at the University of Hong Kong and lectured at City University of Hong Kong and for the Law Society of Hong Kong.
Professor Edwards practiced with the Wall Street law firm of Cravath, Swaine & Moore and served as law clerk to Hon. Miriam Goldman Cedarbaum, U.S. District Judge, Southern District of New York. He has been Visiting Professor of Law at DePaul College of Law and Stetson College of Law, and Visiting Fellow at Queen Mary University of London and the University of Cambridge in the United Kingdom. He is Life Member, Wolfson College, University of Cambridge.
Professor Edwards received a Fulbright grant to teach at Universidad de San Pedro in Peru. He also received a U.S. Department of State (U.S. Information Agency) grant to lecture in Lithuania at a Constitutional Court Conference in Vilnius. He has hosted dozens of U.S. Department of State Visitor Program participants from many countries and made an invited presentation for the United Nations Institute for Research & Training (UNITAR) (UN Headquarters, New York).
For over a decade Professor Edwards has been accredited to the United Nations to represent the National Bar Association (NBA), and has also represented the Hong Kong Human Rights Monitor. Currently, he is accredited to the U.N. through the law school’s Program in International Human Rights Law (PIHRL). Through the PIHRL, which he created in 1997, he has facilitated and supervised over 165 law student summer intern placements at the U.N. and other human rights organizations in over 55 countries on 6 continents. He has supervised over a dozen United Nations pro bono Shadow Reports researched, drafted and presented by students and staff to various United Nations human rights treaty bodies.
Professor Edwards was an expert witness in the Guantanamo Bay U.S. Military Commission case against Australian David Hicks. He and students provided research assistance for the defense of Hicks and for Omar Khadr, a Canadian who was 15 years old when taken to Guantanamo Bay. Professor Edwards also provided research assistance to the Military Commissions Defense Office in the early stages and worked on behalf of over 800 detainees then held at Guantanamo Bay.
Professor Edwards is an elected member of the American Law Institute (ALI) and an elected Fellow of the American Bar Foundation (ABF) and has served as elected Member of the House of Representatives of the Association of American Law Schools (AALS). The NBA honored him with the Ronald H. Brown Award for International Distinction. In 2012, he was appointed the Center for National Policy Fellow in International Human Rights (Washington, D.C).
Professor Edwards is the author of LL.M. Roadmad: An International Student’s Guide to U.S. Law School Programs (Wolter Kluwer Publishing Company, September 2011, 624 pages) (www.LLMRoadMap.com). The book’s global launch was at Harvard Law School in September 2011, and there have been book signings in London, Paris, Indiana, and Washington, D.C.
Professor Edwards co-edited Volumes 1-5 of the Hong Kong Public Law Reports and is widely published internationally on international human rights law. He has published in domestic law journals (including at Yale, Harvard, and American University), as well as overseas. He has presented papers law conferences in many countries, appeared before United Nations Human Rights Bodies (New York & Geneva), and appeared in domestic and international media.
Countries where Professor Edwards lectured, delivered papers, participated at seminars, represented or advised human rights groups include: Kuwait, People’s Republic of China, South Africa, Switzerland, Canada, France, Jamaica, Hong Kong, Liberia, Lithuania, Chile, Peru, Netherlands, Australia, Italy, Thailand, Taiwan, Malaysia, Costa Rica, Argentina, Japan, Kenya, Philippines, Spain, Ghana, Jordan, Korea, Uganda, Iran (via video-link), and Saudi Arabia.
Since arriving at Indiana University, Professor Edwards has been honored with several law school and university-wide awards, including: the Grimes Fellowship (2007); the IUPUI Chancellor's Award for Excellence in Civic Engagement (2007); the George W. Pinnell Award for Outstanding Service (Spring 2004); the Indiana University Trustees Teaching Award (Spring 2002); the John Morton-Finney and Brenda Elise Bowles BLSA Award (Spring 2001; Spring 2003); and the Glenn W. Irwin Experience Excellence Award (Spring 1999).
Publications
(SSRN: http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/cf_dev/AbsByAuth.cfm?per_id=540172)
Books and Chapters
- 1. LL.M. Roadmap: An International Student's Guide to U.S. Law School Programs. (Wolters Kluwer Law & Business Publishing Co.) (Release on Kindle, 14 march 2012) (624 pages) (ISBN: 9781454802396)
a. NEW YORK TIMES EDUCATION PAGE - FEATURE TOPICS, Wednesday, 15 February 2012 (http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/subjects/e/education_and_schools/international_education/index.html)
b. Available through Amazon.com: (France, Germany, Japan, Austria, China, Italy, Spain, United Kingdom), BarnesandNoble.com, LLM-Guide.com.
c. Translation into Chinese. Negotiations underway for LL.M. Roadmap to be translated into Chinese and sold in Chinese-speaking world (China, Taiwan, Singapore, Hong Kong)
d. Jessup Book Prize. 100 copies of LL.M. Roadmap: An International Student's Guide to U.S. Law School Programs have been donated to top student oralists of the Jessup International Law Moot Court Competition. The Jessup competition has student competitors from 500 law schools in almost 100 countries around the globe. The books are being donated by Wolters Kluwer Law & Business Publishing. Professor Edwards has donated all profits from this edition of LL.M. Roadmap to the International Law Students Association (ILSA) (www.ILSA.org) which administers Jessup worldwide (Spring 2012).
- LL.M. Roadmap: An International Student’s Guide to U.S. Law School Degree Programs. (Aspen / Wolter Kluwer Business Law Publishing Co.) (www.LLMRoadmap.com) (www.aspenpublishers.com/Product.asp?catalog_name=Aspen&product_id=1454802391) (Aspen link for pre-orders of LL.M. Roadmap)
Other Publications
- 1. Website for LL.M. Roadmap: An International Student's Guide to U.S. law School Programs - www.llmroadmap.com. This website has hits from more than 950 different cities, 128 countries on 6 continents and from thousands of different IP addresses.
2. Twitter: @llmroadmap. Account for LL.M. Roadmap: An International Student's Guide to U.S. Law School Programs). More than 600 Twitter followers (ongoing 2012).
3. Facebook page - LLM Roadmap, created in 2011, and is ongoing for 2012.
4. LL.M. Roadmap Book Launches, Book Launches, Book signings, debuts & other book events:
* Washington, DC book signing, feature display at AALS Law Professor conference (January 2012)
* New Orleans, La., book signing (February 2012)
* Baton Rouge, La., book signing (February 2012)
* Honolulu, Hawaii, debut & book signing (February 2012)
* Barcelona, Spain (March 2012)
* Madrid, Spain, book signing and conference presentation (March 2012)
* Costa Rica debut - San Jose (March 2012)
* Feature displays at March 2012 American Society of International Law (ASIL) Annual Meeting; Vienna, Austria, Vis International Arbitration Competition; and Hong Kong, SAR, Vis (East) International Arbitration Competition. (March 2012)
5. Cape Verde Breaches its Duty to Protect Cape Verde School Children (of Tarrafal, Island of Santiago) from Corporal Punishment, Child Sexual Exploitation, and Child Sexual Abuse, and Thus Violates Articles 2, 7 & 24 of the International Convent on Civil & Political Rights (ICCPR): Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) Shadow Report to the United Nations Human Rights Committee Addressing List of Issues - Issue #2 (Availability of Remedies), Issue #10 (Corporal Punishment), Issue#19 (Sexual Exploitation), and Issue #23 (Dissemination of Information About the ICCPR). Submitted by Delta Cultura Cabo Verde (An NGO Catering to School Children in Tarrafal, Island of Santiago, Cape Verde) and the International Human Rights Law Society (A Student Organization of Indiana University Robert H. McKinney School of Law) with the endorsement of the Program in International Human Rights Law of Indiana University Robert H. McKinney School of Law (an organization Accredited with Special Consultative Status to the United Nations Economic and Social Council). Editor of Shadow Report and Consultant to Shadow Report Team. Faculty Director of the IU McKinney Program in International Human Rights Law with responsibility for endorsing the Shadow Report to be submitted to the United Nations Human Rights Committee for hearings at United Nations Headquarters (New York, USA, March 2012). On the United Nations website. Students traveled to the UN headquarters to present the report. The United Nations issued Concluding Observations on the Shadow Report that echoed the IU Shadow Report.
6. U.S. Law Schools for International Students - How to choose a Master of Laws (LL.M.) Degree program, The International Grad Mag: International Guide to Postgraduate Study Around the World, Issue #19, Winter 2012 (Article published in magazine which was distributed to 10,000 readers around the world. Highlights LL.M. Roadmap: An International Student's Guide to U.S. Law School Programs, www.llmroadmap.com).
7. Prof. George E. Edwards elected to 3 Association of American Law Schools (AALS) Leadership positions involving Graduate Legal Education (Master of Laws - LL.M. Programs, Jan 12, 2012). http://www.llmroadmap.com/prof-edwards-elected-3-aals-leadership-positions-association-american-law-schools
Presentations
- 1. International Law, Human Rights and the Law of Indiana: Presentation to the Indiana State Judges at Indiana Graduate Program for Judges sponsored by the Indiana Judicial Center. To be held at the Brown County Inn, Nashville, Ind., June 9, 2012.
2. The Law of War and International Human Rights Law - From Pearl Harbor to Guantanamo Bay and Beyond. Presentation in the Topics in Peace and Conflict Resolution: International Criminal Law & the Law of War class taught by Prof. Michael Dan Mori (Lt. Col., USMC) at the University of Hawaii, Feb. 23, 2012 (Honolulu, Hawaii).
3. Law Study in a Foreign Country, Experiential Legal Education, and Promoting Diplomacy, Peace, Security & Human RIghts; The Program in International Human Rights Law; and LL.M. Roadmap: An International Student's Guide to U.S. Law School Programs. Presented at Faculty Seminar, IU Robert H. McKinney School of Law (April 12, 2012).
4. “QUIERES ESTUDIAR LEY EN LOS EE.UU.? ¿POR QUÉ? ¿CÓMO?:AROADMAP TO MASTER OF LAWS (LL.M.) & OTHER U.S. LAW DEGREES” Presentation at Comisión de Intercambio - Programa
Fulbright EducationUSA (U.S.. Department of State) (Madrid, Spain), March 8, 2012.
5. “PORQUE ESTUDIAR EN LOS EE.UU.? NAVIGATING U.S. HIGHER EDUCATION OPPORTUNITIES”. Presentation at Cultural Costarricense-Norteamericano, EducationUSA / Fulbright (U.S. Department of State Affiliate) (San Jose, Costa Rica), March 15, 2012.
6. “QUIERES ESTUDIAR LEY EN LOS EE.UU.? ¿POR QUÉ? ¿CÓMO?:AROADMAP TO MASTER OF LAWS (LL.M.) & OTHER U.S. LAW DEGREES”. Presentation at Cultural Costarricense-Norteamericano, EducationUSA / Fulbright (U.S. Department of State Affiliate) (San Jose, Costa Rica), March 15, 2012.
7. TALK BY 2011 NOBEL PEACE PRIZE LAUREATE LEYMAH ROBERTA GBOWEE, OF LIBERIA, TITLED WOMEN,PEACE AND RECONCILIATION IN WEST AFRICA. Intervention Facilitator; Event Financial CoSponsor (in personal capacity); and Presenter of LL.M. Roadmap Gift to Nobel Laureate Leymah Gbowee. (Event conducted at the Indiana University Robert H. McKinney School of Law). Feb. 16, 2012.
8. “AN INTRODUCTION TO U.S.LEGAL EDUCATION FOR COSTA RICAN LAW STUDENTS: U.S.MASTER OF LAWS (LL.M.), JURIS DOCTOR (J.D.) AND DOCTOR OF JURIDICAL SCIENCES (S.J.D.)PROGRAMS FOR INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS”. Presented at the Global Legal Skills Conference VII, held in San Jose, Costa Rica, on 12 – 14 March 2012. Discussing, inter alia, LL.M. Roadmap book and www.LLMRoadMap.com. March 13, 2012
9. International Tribunals, Experiential Education, and International Students in U.S. Law Schools: Promotion of Diplomacy, Peace, Security & Human Rights". Panel Presenter at the Global Legal Skills Conference VII, held in San Jose, Costa Rica, on March 12-14, 2012. Discussing, inter alia, student clinical work for the International Criminal Court, the ICTY & ICTR, other international criminal tribunals, and student clinical work for non-criminal international bodies such as the Inter-American Court for Human Rights and the Treaty Bodies of the United nations. With panelists Dinorah Cantu (Facultad Libre de Derecho de Monterrey, Mexico); Jane E. Cross (Nova Southeastern Univeristy Shepard Broad Law Center); and Shahram Dana (The John Marshall Law School), March 14, 2012, at Gran Hotel Costa Rica, San Jose, Costa Rica. - International Prosecution of War Crimes, Crimes Against Humanity, and Genocide. Presented at Indiana Supreme Court Legal History Lecture Series (supported by Indiana Commission for Continuing Legal Education). Presented alongside Judge Nancy Vaidik, Indiana Court of Appeals. (Indiana Supreme Court Chambers)
- “International Law, Military Commissions, and U.S. Foreign Policy: Guantanamo Bay Through Speckled Lenses”. Video-linked presentation between Indiana and the University of Tehran (Tehran, Iran) 26 February 2008.
- “International Law, Torture, and Rights: Ticking Bombs”. University of Kuwait Faculty of Law presenttion in the International Criminal Law class of Dr. Mohammed Buzubar, 28 March 2008. (Kuwait City, Kuwait)
- “Experiences de Litigo en Derechos Humanos – Experiences in Litigating Human Rights”. Presentation at the Universidad Nacional de La Plata, Facultad de Ciencias Juridicas & Sociales, Institute of Human Rights, 18 December 2007. (La Plata, Argentina)
- "The Right to a Fair Trial—Creating and Controlling the Adversarial Courtroom: A Training Program". Presentations in three People’s Republic of China cities -- Beijing, Dalian, & Yanji (Yanbian). Sponsored by China Trial Advocacy Institute, a venture of Renmin University of China School of Law (Beijing) & Indiana University School of Law at Indianapolis (June 2007).
- U.S.A. v. David Hicks, the U.S. Military Commissions at Guantanamo Bay, and International Human Rights Law. Presented at a Butler University Undergraduate Sociology Class of Prof. Tamara Leech, taught by Prof. Dave Mason, Wednesday, 11 April 2007.
Other Activities
- Invited Conferences, Colloquia, Co-Sponsored Conferences, Expert Groups, Expert Witness Tenders, Grants, Awards, press Credentials, Other Appointments, Legal Research team Supervisor,and Consultancies (Selected)
1. Transnational Experiential Legal Education, Citizen-to-Citizen Diplomacy & Human Rights: Benefits of Master of Laws (LL.M.) Students From one Country Understaking Non-Classroom Academic Initiatives at Law Schools in Another Country. Presented this paper that was selected after a Call for paperes for the European Law Faculties Associate (ELFA) General Assebly and Conference. The European Law Faculties Association has more than 200 law faculties as members, from across Europe. This Congress was conducted at Universidad Carlos III de Madrid in Madrid, Spain. Five U.S. law school representatives were present and participated as speakers, including Association of American Law Schools (AALS) President Lauren Robel, who represented the AALS. This paper is to appear on the ELFA website and is to be submitted for publication in a European law journal. March 8-10, 2012; presentation March 9, 2012.
2. "An Introduction to U.S. Legal Education for Costa Rican Law Students: U.S. Masters of Laws (LL.M.), Juris Doctor (J.D.) and Doctor of Juridical Sciences (S.J.D.) Programs for International Students." Presented at the Global Legal Skills Conference VII, held in San Jose, Costa Rica, on March 12-14, 2012. Discussing, inter alia, LL.M. Roadmap book and www.llmroadmap.com. This presentation was made at the University of Costa Rica Law Faculty, and included UCR law students, student interns from the Inter-American Court of Human Rights, professors and administrators. March 13, 2012, San Jose, Costa Rica.
3. Clashes and Consistencies in International Human Rights law, International Criminal Law, and International Humanitarian Law: Critical lessons for the 2012 Global Community. Lecture scheduled to be delivered on Feb. 23, 2012, at the University of Hawaii, Manoa, in a class taught by Lt. Col. Michael Dan Mori, USMC. (Honolulu, Hawaii).
4. Law Teaching Methodology in the 21st Century. Invited to conduct a one-week training course for law teachers in the Republic of Georgia. Training to take place in Tbilisi, Republic of Georgia.
