Public International Law Practice Area
The Public International Law Practice Area focuses primarily on the promotion of human rights and the protection of the environment but will include other topics, as well.
Human Rights
PILPG has been actively involved in various aspects of Human Rights issues around the world. PILPG provides advice to clients about the international standards and norms for human rights protections. PILPG also provides advice on creating programs which will provide protections that are consistent with these requirements. The major issues within the Human Rights field that PILPG has dealt with include nationality and citizenship, children's rights, due process protections, implementation of international standards, and rule of law issues.
Nationality and Citizenship
Estonia’s Russian Minority: PILPG provided legal advice to the Government of Estonia concerning international standards relating to nationality, citizenship and the protection of national minority rights for Russians and others living in Estonia.
Asylum Law
PILPG advised the Government of Estonia as to the consistency of its draft asylum law and immigration law with basic principles of public international law and the 1951 UN Convention on Refugees.
Rights of the Child
PILPG reviewed existing Estonian laws on citizenship and on aliens to determine whether they were consistent with general principles of international law, various international agreements relating specifically to the rights of children, European state practice, and the guidelines set by the OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities.
Due Process Protections and Count-Drug Operations
PILPG advised the Parliament of South Africa on a series of international law questions relating to due process, human rights protections and narcotics trafficking with respect to the rights and obligations of South Africa under the 1988 Vienna Convention on Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances.
Implementing Human Rights Norms
In conjunction with Cornell Law School, PILPG drafted a series of legal memorandums for the OSCE, Republic of Estonia, and European Commission on matters relating to the implementation of human rights norms, and innovative means for enforcing those norms.
UN Accountability for War Crimes
PILPG provided preliminary legal assistance to women’s groups representing Somali women subjected to atrocities during the Somali civil conflict.
Rule of Law
International Legal Assistance Consortium: Under the leadership of the International Bar Association, PILPG participated with a select group of other organizations in creating the International Legal Assistance Consortium which is designed to provide experts to countries on a speedy basis who would make assessments and recommendations on accountability and rule of law issues in the aftermath of conflict or transition.
Environmental Protection
Negotiating the UN-ECE Convention
Members of PILPG formed a working group to advise the NGO Coalition participating in the drafting of the UN-ECE Convention on Access to Information and Public Participation in Environmental Decision-Making.
Polish Environmental Law
PILPG provided assistance to the Government of Poland with respect to the drafting of a new comprehensive Law on the Environment.
Czech NGO Capacity Building
PILPG provided assistance to a variety of Czech NGO’s on improving civic participation in industrial decisions impacting the environment.
North American Environmental Cooperation
Two members of PILPG provided assistance to the North American Commission for Environmental Cooperation as American Bar Association Liaisons.
International Global Warming Litigation
PILPG advised a number of Small Island states on the possibility for bringing a global warming case before the International Court of Justice.
Publications
Protection of Water Facilities Under International Law, 3rd World Water Forum (Kyoto, Japan , March 16-23, 2003). A report by Frederick Lorenz.
"Environmental Protection in Poland and the Region." Co-organized by Dan Cole, and cosponsored by the Polish Studies Center and the Russian and East European Institute (Bloomington, April 1996).
Op-eds
An Invisible Hand for Poland’s Environment, Wall Street Journal Europe (September 27, 1995) by Dan Cole.
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