In transnational law, there are many deep lessons to parse. Perhaps the most unexpected for students in transnational law is the frequent lack of ready closure on cases. "Remedies for individuals bringing cases before international human rights tribunals against the U.S. are less concrete than what state and federal courts can provide in the U.S.," explains Paoletti. She uses the petition on behalf of undocumented workers as an example.

"Cases in the Inter-American Commission do not move so quickly. . . . We hope to have a hearing on admissibility when the Commission meets in October." (The Commission only meets twice a year.) Even then, the Commission can only issue a recommendation to the U.S., which can be used in other advocacy fora.

Chuang treats the slow pace of progress as a life lesson: "You can help people with little victories."