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Bok Visiting International Professors

Bok VIPs

To create a more global campus, every year Penn Carey Law invites internationally recognized experts in international and comparative law from around the world to Philadelphia. Nominated by Penn Carey Law faculty members, these Bok Visiting International Professors (VIPs) are distinguished senior academics, jurists, or professionals across a wide range of disciplines and specialties.

While at Penn, Bok VIPs teach a course, offer a faculty seminar, participate in Law School and university activities related to their field, diversify curricula for students, and provide additional resources for standing faculty. The Bok VIP program gives students access to top international experts and offers new perspectives on cutting-edge issues in international and comparative law.

Visit our Bok Courses page for more details on these seminars

Bok VIPs

Yoshitaka Wada

Distinguished member of the Waseda Law School faculty; recognized for expertise in health law and Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR), as well as his unique sociological approach to legal issues.

Guest lecturer for “Law and Society in Japan” (Spring 2023)

Yong Lim

Co-Director of the AI Policy Initiative at Seoul National University’s Center for Law and Economics. Areas of specialty include antitrust & competition, consumer protection, and information technology law.

“Fairness and Antitrust” (Spring 2023)

Denis Baranger

Denis Baranger

Professor of ethics and public law at Paris-Panthéon-Assas University; one of the leading legal academics in France; Director of the Institut Michel Villey

“Comparative Constitutional Law: Law and Forms of Government” (Fall 2022)

Damilola Olawuyi

Damilola S. Olawuyi

Professor of Law and UNESCO Chair on Environmental Law and Sustainable Development at Hamad Bin Khalifa University. Independent Expert, UN Working Group on Business and Human Rights.

“Energy Justice and Sustainable Development” (Fall 2022)

   Louise Gullifer

Louise Gullifer

Rouse Ball Professor of English Law at the University of Cambridge; recognized for her teaching and extensive writing in all areas of commercial and financial law.

“The Export of UCC Article 9” (Spring 2022)

   Katja Langenbucher

Katja Langenbucher

Professor of Private Law, Corporate and Securities Law at Goethe; published extensively in the fields of corporate law, corporate finance and European securities law.

“Corporate Scandals” (Spring 2022) co-taught with Professor Jill Fisch

Armin Von Bogdandy

Director of the Max Planck Institute for Comparative Public Law and International Law in Heidelberg. Former President of the OECD Nuclear Energy Tribunal and member of the Scientific Committee of the EU Agency for Fundamental Rights.

“International Law and Pandemics” (Fall 2021)

Bing Bing Jia

Bing Bing Jia

One of the most prominent and influential scholars of international law in China – in particular, one of China’s leading authorities on China’s maritime territorial disputes and on international humanitarian and criminal law.

“China and International Law: Select Topics” (Fall 2021)

Hauwa Ibrahim

In recognition of her human rights work for women in Nigeria, the European Parliament awarded Ibrahim the Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought; Founding partner at Aries Law Firm

“Women, Justice and Shariah” (Spring 2021)

Tracy Robinson

Internationally recognized for her work regarding sexual rights, sexual harassment, LGBTI rights, and rights of the child; Former President, Inter-American Commission on Human Rights

“Queer Questions, Moral Contentions” (Fall 2020)

Akua Kuenyehia

Akua Kuenyehia

Ghana’s first female professor of law; expert in gender and the law, public international law, and human rights; Former Judge of the International Criminal Court; Former Law Dean of University of Ghana

“The International Criminal Court and Africa” (Fall 2020)

Thomas Fetzer

Thomas Fetzer

One of the most distinguished German scholars in the field of telecommunications law; Chair of Public Law, Regulatory Law, and Tax Law; Director of Mannheim Center for Innovation and Competition

“EU Competition Law and the Digital Economy” (Spring 2020)

Maina Kiai

Maina Kiai

Globally recognized Kenyan human rights activist; UN Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association (2011-2017)

“Right to Protest in Africa” (Spring 2020)

Nicholas Bamforth

Nicholas Bamforth

One of the most prominent scholars of gender and sexuality in the UK; Fellow in Law at The Queen’s College, Oxford

“The UK Constitution, the Westminster Parliament, and Brexit” (Fall 2019)

Radhika Coomaraswamy

Radhika Coomaraswamy

An internationally respected human rights advocate and the first UN Special Rapporteur on Violence against Women (1994-2003); Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations, Special Rep. for Children and Armed Conflict (2006-2012); Member of the UN Fact Finding Mission on Myanmar

“Women, Peace, and Security” (Fall 2019)

Marc Weller

Marc Weller

An esteemed expert in international dispute settlement, with experience in international peace negotiations; Chair of International Law and International Constitutional Studies in the University of Cambridge

“The Rights of Peoples and the Use of Force in International Law” (Spring 2019)

Shamnad Basheer

Shamnad Basheer

A leading public intellectual in India who worked extensively with India’s government and courts to craft and shape India’s IP policy; Scholar of intellectual property and innovation law; architect of the influential IP blog (SpicyIP)

“GRS: Intellectual Property Strategies for National Development: A Case Study of Current Issues in India” (Spring 2019)

Samantha Besson

Samantha Besson

Besson’s work addresses a wide variety of controversial and urgent issues facing Europe; Professor of Public International Law and European Law at the University of Fribourg

“Due Diligence in International Law” (Spring 2019)

Michael Lobban

Michael Lobban

A Fellow of the British Academy who has has written widely on the history of English legal theory and legal practice; Professor of Legal History at the London School of Economics

“The Rule of Law in the History of the English Common Law” (Fall 2018)

Luigi Alberto Franzoni

Luigi Alberto Franzoni

One of the clear leaders in law and economics in Europe; former President of the European Law and Economics Association; Professor of Public Economics at the University of Bologna

“Law and Economics of Intellectual Property Rights” (Spring 2018)

Ivan Simonovic

Ivan Simonovic

Internationally recognized for his work on the prevention of atrocity crimes; Special Adviser on the Responsibility to Protect; former Assistant Secretary-General for Human Rights and Head of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights in New York

“Human Rights Violations, Atrocity Crimes and the Responsibility to Protect” (Fall 2017)

Matthias Mahlmann

Matthias Mahlmann

Leading thinker on Philosophy, Legal Sociology, and International Public Law; Professor of Law at University of Zurich

“Human Rights and Human Cognition” (Spring 2017)

Richard Goldstone

Richard Goldstone

Globally respected jurist recognized for his work in international human rights; Former chief prosecutor of the ICTR and ICTY; led the UN Fact Finding Mission on Gaza

“The Politics of International Criminal Justice and the Challenges Facing the ICC” (Spring 2017)

Hina Jilani

Hina Jilani

World renowned civil society activist who has dedicated her life to the fight for human rights and democracy; Former UN Special Representative for Human Rights Defenders

“The Right to Defend Human Rights: Opportunities and Risk for Human Rights Defenders” (Fall 2016)

Tracy Robinson

Tracy Robinson

Internationally recognized for her work regarding sexual rights, sexual harassment, LGBTI rights, and rights of the child; Former President, Inter-American Commission on Human Rights

“Global Human Rights and National Moral Debates” (Spring 2016)

Takao Suami

Takao Suami

Regarded scholar on the intersection of international and domestic legal norms; Professor of Law at Waseda University

“International Law and East Asia” (Spring 2016)

Indira Jaising

Indira Jaising

One of India’s leading lawyers; known around the world for her advocacy in human rights and women’s rights; Former Additional Solicitor General of India

“Cause Lawyering: New Directions in Public Interest Litigation in India” (Fall 2015)

Akua Kuenyehia

Ghana’s first female professor of law; expert in gender and the law, public international law, and human rights; Former Judge of the International Criminal Court; Former Law Dean of University of Ghana

“The ICC from the Perspective of an Appellate Judge” (Fall 2015)

Helena Alviar

Helena Alviar

Dean of Faculty of Law at University of the Andes, one of Latin America’s top law schools; leading scholar of law and development and feminist legal theory

“Latin American Law and Institutions” (Spring 2015)

Wolfgang Schoen

Wolfgang Schoen

One of the world’s leading inter-disciplinary tax scholars, and a foremost authority on EU tax law and policy; Managing Director of Max Planck Institute for Tax Law and Public Finance

“Leading Cases in European Corporate and Tax Law” (Spring 2015)

Johannes Chan

Johannes Chan

Leader of one of the top law faculties in Asia; renowned scholar in areas of constitutionalism and human rights; Dean of Faculty of Law, Hong Kong University

“A Common Law System Within a Civil/Socialist Law Sovereign: The Development of Constitutionalism in Hong Kong” (Fall 2014)

Martin Loughlin

Martin Loughlin

Leading theorist of public law in the UK; Professor of Public Law and Department Head, London School of Economics

“Fundamental Concepts of Public Law” (Fall 2014)

Emanuele Conte

Emanuele Conte

Esteemed scholar in areas of legal history, theory, and law & humanities; Professor of Legal History at Roma Tre

“Role of Society in Shaping Western Legal Institutions” (Spring 2014)

Sir Roy Goode

Sir Roy Goode

One of world’s leading scholars of commercial law; Emeritus Professor of Law at Oxford University

“Transnational Commercial Law: Policies and Problems” (Spring 2014)

Yaffa Zilbershats

Yaffa Zilbershats

Expert in international law, human rights law, and immigration law; Deputy President of Bar Ilan University

“Legal Aspects of the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict” (Fall 2013)

Brigitte Haar

Brigitte Haar

Professor of Law at Johann Wolfgang Goethe-University

“Executive Compensation before and after the Crisis: Corporate Governance in Comparative Perspective” (Fall 2012)

Gary Born

Gary Born

Widely regarded as world’s preeminent authority on international commercial arbitration and international litigation; Partner at Wilmer Hale; Chair of firm’s International Arbitration Practice Group

“International Commercial Arbitration” (Fall 2013)

Johannes Masing

Johannes Masing

Sitting Judge on Germany’s Constitutional Court; Judge on the Federal Constitutional Court of Germany; Professor of Law at University of Freiburg

“Federal Variety of Human Rights Protections in Europe” (Fall 2013)

Hualing Fu

Hualing Fu

Legal expert in corruption, human Rights in China, and legal relations between Hong Kong and Mainland China; Professor of Law at University of Hong Kong; Former head of HKU Law Department (Hong Kong)

“Chinese Law” (Spring 2013)

Xixin Wang

Xixin Wang

A significant figure in law reform in China; founder of a pioneering center on public participation in government; Vice Dean and Professor of Constitutional & Administrative Law at Peking University

“Administrative Law as a Vehicle for Political Reform in China” (Spring 2013)

Joseph McCahery

Joseph McCahery

An esteemed scholar of corporate law, international securities and banking regulation; Professor of International Economic Law at Tilburg University; Program Director of the Finance and Law Program at Duisenberg School of Finance (Netherlands)

Guest lecturer for several corporate and law and economics courses (Spring 2013)

Fabrizio Cafaggi

Fabrizio Cafaggi

A leading scholar of private law and regulation in Europe, Cafaggi has also focused on transnational private law’s impact on new EU member states; Professor of Comparative Law at the European University Institute

“The Making of European Law” (Fall 2012)

Hideki Kanda

Hideki Kanda

Widely regarded as the top corporate and securities academic in Japan; his corporate law book is the standard text on the subject; Professor of Law at the University of Tokyo Spring 2012

“Law and Society in Japan” (Spring 2012)

Joshua Getzler

Joshua Getzler

One of the leading theoretical contributors to the area of riparian rights, Getzler’s historical text has been cited in the highest common law courts.; Professor of Law and Legal History at Oxford University

“Roman Foundation of Western Law” (Spring 2012)

Henrik Lando

Henrik Lando

One of the leading law-and-economics scholars in Europe; Professor of Law and Economics at the Copenhagen Business School (CBS) and Director of the Center for Law, Economics, and Financial Institutions

“Contracting in a Globalized World” (Spring 2012)

Arie Reich

Arie Reich

A world-renowned expert on international trade law, Reich serves as Israel’s representative to UNCITRAL; Dean of the Law Faculty at Bar-Ilan University

“The European Court of Justice” (Fall 2011)

Juan Guzmán Tapia

Juan Guzmán Tapia

Led the investigation and prosecution of General Augusto Pinochet for human rights violations; Former Dean of the Central University of Chile Law School and Director of the Center for Human Rights Studies

“Transitional Justice” (Fall 2011)

Michael Stolleis

Michael Stolleis

Widely considered the leading historian of modern continental European public law; Former Director of the Max Planck Institute for European Legal History

“Rise and Decline of the European Nation State” (Spring 2011)

Zhaojie Li

Zhaojie Li

One of China’s leading and maverick scholars on international law; Professor of Law at Tsinghua University Law School and Director of the Center for International Legal Studies

“China and International Law” (Spring 2011)

KP Krishnan

KP Krishnan

Responsible for setting policy reform agenda and strengthening institutional and legislative framework of capital markets in India; Secretary of the Economic Advisory Council of the Prime Minister of India

“Indian Capital Market Regulation” (Spring 2011)

Hauwa Ibrahim

Hauwa Ibrahim

In recognition of her human rights work for women in Nigeria, the European Parliament awarded Ibrahim the Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought; Founding partner at Aries Law Firm

“Women, Justice and Shariah” (Spring 2011)

Okko Behrends

Okko Behrends

Emeritus Professor of Roman Law, German Private Law and the History of Civil Law at Göttingen University

“Civil Law: Cultural Importance and Practical Utility” (Fall 2010)

Armin Von Bogdandy

Armin Von Bogdandy

President of the OECD Nuclear Energy Tribunal and a former member of the Scientific Committee for the EU Agency for Fundamental Rights; Director at the Max Planck Institute for Comparative Public Law and International Law and Professor of Public Law at Goethe-University

“Universalism and Particularism in International Law” (Fall 2010)

Chenguang Wang

Chenguang Wang

A major contributor to modern legal education in the PRC; Dean of Tsinghua Law School and Professor of Legal Theory, Legislative and Judicial Theory, and Comparative Law

“China and International Law” (Spring 2010)

Setsuo Miyazawa

Setsuo Miyazawa

Professor of Law at Aoyama Gakuin University Law School; Miyazawa’s first English-language book, Policing in Japan, received the Distinguished Book Award from the American Society of Criminology.

“Justice System Reform in Japan” (Spring 2010)