The D’Alemberte & Palmer Lecture in International Human Rights was made possible by a generous gift from Patsy Palmer, Esq. The lecture was created to attract giants in the field of international human rights: people who will make significant remarks that inspire students and contribute to the worldwide discussion.
The inaugural lecture in 2023 featured Former General Counsel of the U.S. Navy Alberto J. Mora and coincided with the 75th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. His remarks are available on our website in printed form. You can also watch a recording of the lecture.
2024 Lecture
“The Future of International Criminal Justice,” presented by Ambassador David Scheffer
Thursday, February 29, 2024
Read a university article about the lecture to learn more
Ambassador David Scheffer will examine the current performance of international criminal tribunals, including the International Criminal Court, international investigative mechanisms, and national courts, as well as the character of crimes being investigated and, when possible, prosecuted against perpetrators of genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes, and aggression. He will address the Russia/Ukraine War as well as other contemporary conflicts. Ambassador Scheffer will identify and analyze gaps in international criminal justice, including in the United States, and he will discuss judicial structures that are needed for future enforcement of international criminal law.
Ambassador Scheffer was the first U.S. ambassador-at-large for war crimes issues (1997-2001) and was instrumental in the creation of five international or hybrid criminal tribunals, including leading the U.S. delegation to the U.N. talks creating the International Criminal Court. His award-winning book, "All the Missing Souls: A Personal History of the War Crimes Tribunals" (Princeton University Press 2012), recounts his tribunal-building efforts during the 1990s. From 2006 to 2020, Ambassador Scheffer held an endowed professorship of law at Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law in Chicago, and he was director of the law school's Center for International Human Rights from 2006 to 2019. He served as the U.N. secretary-general's special expert on U.N. assistance to the Khmer Rouge Trials (2012-2018)and as vice president of the American Society of International Law. Ambassador Scheffer is professor of practice in the School of Politics and Global Studies at Arizona State University (Washington, D.C.) and is a senior fellow of the Council on Foreign Relations, where he covers international law and human rights. Ambassador Scheffer also authored “The Sit Room: In the Theater of War and Peace” (Oxford University Press 2019), which is about decision making in the situation room of the White House during the Balkans conflict of the early 1990s when he served on the Deputies Committee of the National Security Council and as senior adviser and counsel to Dr. Madeleine Albright during her service as U.S. Permanent Representative to the United Nations.
This course has been approved for 1.0 hour of General CLE Credit including the following Certification Credits 1.0 hour of International Litigation & Arbitration, 1.0 hour of International Law, 1.0 hour of Criminal Trial Law, and 1.0 hour of Criminal Appellate Law by The Florida Bar's Continuing Legal Education program.