Public International Law & Policy Group
Encyclopedia
The Public International Law & Policy Group (PILPG) is a non-profit organization
, operating as a global pro bono
law firm
providing free legal assistance to developing states and sub-state entities involved in conflicts. To facilitate the utilization of this legal assistance, PILPG also provides policy
formulation advice and training on matters related to conflict resolution. To date, PILPG has advised over two dozen states and governments on the legal aspects of peace negotiations and post-conflict constitution
drafting
, and over two dozen states and War Crimes Tribunals in Europe
, Asia
and Africa
concerning the protection of human rights
, self-determination
, and the prosecution of war crime
s.
PILPG promotes the utilization of international law
as an alternative to violent conflict or other destabilizing means for resolving international disputes. To accomplish this objective, PILPG provides legal counsel to states during peace negotiations, advises on the creation and operation of tribunals for the prosecution of war crimes, assists states with drafting constitutions, runs negotiation simulations, publishes field report
s concerning ongoing or potential conflicts, and convenes expert roundtables to identify points of conflict and potential solutions.
The three primary practice areas of PILPG are Peacebuilding
, International Justice, Post-Conflict Political Development and Public International Law. To provide pro bono legal advice
and policy formulation expertise, PILPG relies on volunteer legal assistance from more than sixty former international lawyer
s, diplomat
s, and foreign relations
experts, as well as pro bono assistance from major international law firms. PILPG has a relationship with the Washington College of Law and the School of International Service at American University, which allows it to draw heavily on students to carry out much of its work. Students earn course credit for working on client projects in student supervised teams and for attending a seminar class on professional development.
Because of its diverse network of volunteers, PILPG is able to maintain volunteer points of contact in London
, Paris
, New York
, Washington, D.C.
, Cleveland, Boston
, Rome
, The Hague
, Stockholm
, Brussels
, Kabul
, Nairobi
, and Seattle. From 1996 to 1998, PILPG operated under the auspices of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace
. In July 1999, the United Nations
granted official Non-Governmental Organization status to PILPG.
and mediator
s engaged in peace negotiations. PILPG works closely with clients to clarify and prioritize goals, develop negotiation strategies, and create effective mechanisms for implementing peace agreements. PILPG members customarily participate as advisors during negotiations, and PILPG frequently opens in-country program offices to support its peace negotiations work. To date, PILPG has advised participants in over two dozen international peace negotiations.
services of over 200 former U.S. and foreign diplomats and legal advisers. PILPG provides policy planning assistance to support clients engaged in negotiating ceasefire
agreements. Through negotiation simulations and other activities, PILPG assists clients in developing goals and strategies to pursue a cessation of hostilities and sustained peace. PILPG also provides policy planning assistance on the issue of piracy
, giving legal and policy advice to domestic, regional, and international counter-piracy mechanisms, with the goal of helping to create effective responses to the growing piracy threat. To date, PILPG has provided policy planning assistance to over two dozen transitioning states and governments.
and PILPG to provide research assistance to the International Prosecutor on issues pending before the Yugoslavia
Tribunal. The War Crimes Practice Group has significantly expanded to currently provide research assistance to the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda
, the Special Court for Sierra Leone
, the Iraqi Special Tribunal, and the International Criminal Court
. PILPG advises these tribunals on the entire spectrum of issues pertaining to war crimes prosecution.
. PILPG’s approach promotes peaceful resolution of water disputes in accordance with international law. To promote the peaceful resolution of water disputes, PILPG also has developed a series of negotiation simulations, and convened a number of policy planning roundtables.
and promoting effective governance. PILPG has advised numerous states and governments on a wide range of issues, including issues relating to formation of effective and accountable governance mechanisms, enactment of fair and legitimate laws, enhanced civil society involvement in public policy making, protection of human and minority rights, security, and environmental protection and shared natural resources. PILPG has dealt with nationality
and citizenship
, children's rights
, due process
protections, implementation
of international standards, and rule of law
issues.
Organization
An organization is a social group which distributes tasks for a collective goal. The word itself is derived from the Greek word organon, itself derived from the better-known word ergon - as we know `organ` - and it means a compartment for a particular job.There are a variety of legal types of...
, operating as a global pro bono
Pro bono
Pro bono publico is a Latin phrase generally used to describe professional work undertaken voluntarily and without payment or at a reduced fee as a public service. It is common in the legal profession and is increasingly seen in marketing, technology, and strategy consulting firms...
law firm
Law firm
A law firm is a business entity formed by one or more lawyers to engage in the practice of law. The primary service rendered by a law firm is to advise clients about their legal rights and responsibilities, and to represent clients in civil or criminal cases, business transactions, and other...
providing free legal assistance to developing states and sub-state entities involved in conflicts. To facilitate the utilization of this legal assistance, PILPG also provides policy
Policy
A policy is typically described as a principle or rule to guide decisions and achieve rational outcome. The term is not normally used to denote what is actually done, this is normally referred to as either procedure or protocol...
formulation advice and training on matters related to conflict resolution. To date, PILPG has advised over two dozen states and governments on the legal aspects of peace negotiations and post-conflict constitution
Constitution
A constitution is a set of fundamental principles or established precedents according to which a state or other organization is governed. These rules together make up, i.e. constitute, what the entity is...
drafting
Drafting
Drafting or draughting may refer to:* Campdrafting, an Australian equestrian sport* Drafting , slipstreaming* Technical drawing, the act and discipline of composing diagrams that communicates how something functions or is to be constructed. E.g.:** Architectural drawing** Electrical drawing**...
, and over two dozen states and War Crimes Tribunals in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
, Asia
Asia
Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...
and Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
concerning the protection of human rights
Human rights
Human rights are "commonly understood as inalienable fundamental rights to which a person is inherently entitled simply because she or he is a human being." Human rights are thus conceived as universal and egalitarian . These rights may exist as natural rights or as legal rights, in both national...
, self-determination
Self-determination
Self-determination is the principle in international law that nations have the right to freely choose their sovereignty and international political status with no external compulsion or external interference...
, and the prosecution of war crime
War crime
War crimes are serious violations of the laws applicable in armed conflict giving rise to individual criminal responsibility...
s.
PILPG promotes the utilization of international law
International law
Public international law concerns the structure and conduct of sovereign states; analogous entities, such as the Holy See; and intergovernmental organizations. To a lesser degree, international law also may affect multinational corporations and individuals, an impact increasingly evolving beyond...
as an alternative to violent conflict or other destabilizing means for resolving international disputes. To accomplish this objective, PILPG provides legal counsel to states during peace negotiations, advises on the creation and operation of tribunals for the prosecution of war crimes, assists states with drafting constitutions, runs negotiation simulations, publishes field report
Report
A report is a textual work made with the specific intention of relaying information or recounting certain events in a widely presentable form....
s concerning ongoing or potential conflicts, and convenes expert roundtables to identify points of conflict and potential solutions.
The three primary practice areas of PILPG are Peacebuilding
Peacebuilding
Peacebuilding is a term used within the international development community to describe the processes and activities involved in resolving violent conflict and establishing a sustainable peace....
, International Justice, Post-Conflict Political Development and Public International Law. To provide pro bono legal advice
Legal advice
In the common law, legal advice is the giving of a formal opinion regarding the substance or procedure of the law by an officer of the court , ordinarily in exchange for financial or other tangible compensation...
and policy formulation expertise, PILPG relies on volunteer legal assistance from more than sixty former international lawyer
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
s, diplomat
Diplomat
A diplomat is a person appointed by a state to conduct diplomacy with another state or international organization. The main functions of diplomats revolve around the representation and protection of the interests and nationals of the sending state, as well as the promotion of information and...
s, and foreign relations
Foreign relations
Foreign relations refers to the ongoing management of relationships between a public policy administrative organisation of a state and other entities external to its authority or influence...
experts, as well as pro bono assistance from major international law firms. PILPG has a relationship with the Washington College of Law and the School of International Service at American University, which allows it to draw heavily on students to carry out much of its work. Students earn course credit for working on client projects in student supervised teams and for attending a seminar class on professional development.
Because of its diverse network of volunteers, PILPG is able to maintain volunteer points of contact in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, New York
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
, Cleveland, Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
, Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
, The Hague
The Hague
The Hague is the capital city of the province of South Holland in the Netherlands. With a population of 500,000 inhabitants , it is the third largest city of the Netherlands, after Amsterdam and Rotterdam...
, Stockholm
Stockholm
Stockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...
, Brussels
Brussels
Brussels , officially the Brussels Region or Brussels-Capital Region , is the capital of Belgium and the de facto capital of the European Union...
, Kabul
Kabul
Kabul , spelt Caubul in some classic literatures, is the capital and largest city of Afghanistan. It is also the capital of the Kabul Province, located in the eastern section of Afghanistan...
, Nairobi
Nairobi
Nairobi is the capital and largest city of Kenya. The city and its surrounding area also forms the Nairobi County. The name "Nairobi" comes from the Maasai phrase Enkare Nyirobi, which translates to "the place of cool waters". However, it is popularly known as the "Green City in the Sun" and is...
, and Seattle. From 1996 to 1998, PILPG operated under the auspices of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace
Carnegie Endowment for International Peace
The Carnegie Endowment for International Peace is a foreign-policy think tank based in Washington, D.C. The organization describes itself as being dedicated to advancing cooperation between nations and promoting active international engagement by the United States...
. In July 1999, the United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
granted official Non-Governmental Organization status to PILPG.
Peace Negotiations
PILPG is frequently called upon to provide legal and political counsel to partiesPolitical party
A political party is a political organization that typically seeks to influence government policy, usually by nominating their own candidates and trying to seat them in political office. Parties participate in electoral campaigns, educational outreach or protest actions...
and mediator
Mediator
Mediator may refer to:*A neutral party who assists in negotiations and conflict resolution, the process being known as mediation*Mediator variable in statistics*The Mediator pattern in computer science...
s engaged in peace negotiations. PILPG works closely with clients to clarify and prioritize goals, develop negotiation strategies, and create effective mechanisms for implementing peace agreements. PILPG members customarily participate as advisors during negotiations, and PILPG frequently opens in-country program offices to support its peace negotiations work. To date, PILPG has advised participants in over two dozen international peace negotiations.
Post-Conflict Constitutions
PILPG contributes legal assistance and political counsel to parties involved in drafting and implementing post-conflict constitutions. PILPG works closely with clients to translate political agreements into effective constitutional provisions. PILPG frequently opens offices in-country to support its post-conflict constitution work and has assisted over a dozen states and governments in drafting and implementing post-conflict constitutions.Policy Planning
PILPG provides policy planning assistance to states and governments to help them develop and implement foreign and domestic policy initiatives, design state institutions, engage in strategic planning, and coordinate multistate partnerships. PILPG uses consulting and pro bonoPro bono
Pro bono publico is a Latin phrase generally used to describe professional work undertaken voluntarily and without payment or at a reduced fee as a public service. It is common in the legal profession and is increasingly seen in marketing, technology, and strategy consulting firms...
services of over 200 former U.S. and foreign diplomats and legal advisers. PILPG provides policy planning assistance to support clients engaged in negotiating ceasefire
Ceasefire
A ceasefire is a temporary stoppage of a war in which each side agrees with the other to suspend aggressive actions. Ceasefires may be declared as part of a formal treaty, but they have also been called as part of an informal understanding between opposing forces...
agreements. Through negotiation simulations and other activities, PILPG assists clients in developing goals and strategies to pursue a cessation of hostilities and sustained peace. PILPG also provides policy planning assistance on the issue of piracy
Piracy
Piracy is an act of robbery or criminal violence at sea. The term can include acts committed on land, in the air, or in other major bodies of water or on a shore. It does not normally include crimes committed against persons traveling on the same vessel as the perpetrator...
, giving legal and policy advice to domestic, regional, and international counter-piracy mechanisms, with the goal of helping to create effective responses to the growing piracy threat. To date, PILPG has provided policy planning assistance to over two dozen transitioning states and governments.
War Crimes Prosecution
War crimes trials have become a critically important component of nation building. PILPG’s War Crimes Practice Area was established in 1996, with an agreement between Richard GoldstoneRichard Goldstone
Richard Joseph Goldstone is a South African former judge. After working for 17 years as a commercial lawyer, he was appointed by the South African government to serve on the Transvaal Supreme Court from 1980 to 1989 and the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of South Africa from 1990 to 1994...
and PILPG to provide research assistance to the International Prosecutor on issues pending before the Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia refers to three political entities that existed successively on the western part of the Balkans during most of the 20th century....
Tribunal. The War Crimes Practice Group has significantly expanded to currently provide research assistance to the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda
International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda
The International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda is an international court established in November 1994 by the United Nations Security Council in Resolution 955 in order to judge people responsible for the Rwandan Genocide and other serious violations of international law in Rwanda, or by Rwandan...
, the Special Court for Sierra Leone
Special Court for Sierra Leone
The Special Court for Sierra Leone is an independent judicial body set up to "try those who bear greatest responsibility" for the war crimes and crimes against humanity committed in Sierra Leone after 30 November 1996 during the Sierra Leone Civil War...
, the Iraqi Special Tribunal, and the International Criminal Court
International Criminal Court
The International Criminal Court is a permanent tribunal to prosecute individuals for genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes, and the crime of aggression .It came into being on 1 July 2002—the date its founding treaty, the Rome Statute of the...
. PILPG advises these tribunals on the entire spectrum of issues pertaining to war crimes prosecution.
Water Diplomacy
PILPG provides legal assistance to states, government officials, and key stakeholders involved in water conflictsWater conflicts
Water conflict is a term describing a conflict between countries, states, or groups over an access to water resources. The United Nations recognizes that water disputes result from opposing interests of water users, public or private....
. PILPG’s approach promotes peaceful resolution of water disputes in accordance with international law. To promote the peaceful resolution of water disputes, PILPG also has developed a series of negotiation simulations, and convened a number of policy planning roundtables.
Democracy and Governance
PILPG has given policy analysis and legal assistance to states and sub-state entities on matters aimed at strengthening the rule of lawRule of law
The rule of law, sometimes called supremacy of law, is a legal maxim that says that governmental decisions should be made by applying known principles or laws with minimal discretion in their application...
and promoting effective governance. PILPG has advised numerous states and governments on a wide range of issues, including issues relating to formation of effective and accountable governance mechanisms, enactment of fair and legitimate laws, enhanced civil society involvement in public policy making, protection of human and minority rights, security, and environmental protection and shared natural resources. PILPG has dealt with nationality
Nationality
Nationality is membership of a nation or sovereign state, usually determined by their citizenship, but sometimes by ethnicity or place of residence, or based on their sense of national identity....
and citizenship
Citizenship
Citizenship is the state of being a citizen of a particular social, political, national, or human resource community. Citizenship status, under social contract theory, carries with it both rights and responsibilities...
, children's rights
Children's rights
Children's rights are the human rights of children with particular attention to the rights of special protection and care afforded to the young, including their right to association with both biological parents, human identity as well as the basic needs for food, universal state-paid education,...
, due process
Due process
Due process is the legal code that the state must venerate all of the legal rights that are owed to a person under the principle. Due process balances the power of the state law of the land and thus protects individual persons from it...
protections, implementation
Implementation
Implementation is the realization of an application, or execution of a plan, idea, model, design, specification, standard, algorithm, or policy.-Computer Science:...
of international standards, and rule of law
Rule of law
The rule of law, sometimes called supremacy of law, is a legal maxim that says that governmental decisions should be made by applying known principles or laws with minimal discretion in their application...
issues.
Managing Board
- Paul Williams (professor)Paul Williams (professor)Paul R. Williams holds the Rebecca Grazier Professorship in Law and International Relations at American University, where he teaches in the School of International Service and the Washington College of Law...
, PresidentPresidentA president is a leader of an organization, company, trade union, university, or country.Etymologically, a president is one who presides, who sits in leadership... - Michael Scharf, Managing Director
- James Hooper, Managing Director