506 Public International Law (Harrington)

LAW 506

Public International Law

(Harrington)

Prerequisite courses: None

Prerequisite for: Recommended for courses with "International" in the title and the Jessup Moot 

Instructor: Professor Joanna Harrington

Method of presentation: lecture

METHOD OF EVALUATION

Examination (100%)

COURSE DESCRIPTION

This course is a foundational course in an area of law that is not covered in the first year of a JD degree, and thus provides a foundation for taking advanced courses in international law subject areas such as international trade law, international criminal law, international human rights law, and international environmental law, etc.

The course aims to appeal to those looking for just one course in international law to round out their JD program, and to those wanting to sequence their courses so as to have a foundational  knowledge before taking more specialized courses in the various subfields of international law. LAW 506 is a prerequisite (and in a pinch, a co-requisite) for the Philip C. Jessup International Law Moot Court Competition. And these days, it is very hard to understand International Criminal Law without first covering jurisdiction and immunity in LAW506.

Public International Law (also called International Law, as you will see from the titles of books in the library) is not the same as Private International Law (also called Conflicts of Law). Public International Law is concerned with an entire system of law, separate from, but relevant to, and interacting with, domestic law (Canadian law). Private international law determines which law applies as between two domestic law jurisdictions.

Public international law is concerned with the rules, principles, practices, and procedures that regulate the interaction between countries, and between countries and international organizations, and in some situations, between countries, corporations and humans. It is a field of increasing importance given the realities of globalization and the internationalization of legal practice in Canada and elsewhere. Lawyers dealing with people, transactions, and property in multi-jurisdictional scenarios need to understand the basics of public international law. Hence, when Harvard Law School underwent a sweeping reform of its first-year curriculum, it required students to take a course in either international law, international economic law, or comparative law.

The aim of this course is to cover the basics, including sources, subjects, jurisdiction and immunities, as well as topics of relevance to Canada such as the law of the sea and the Arctic. A detailed schedule of topics and readings is always posted to the course TWENsite in advance of the beginning of term to help with planning. The TWENsite also provides 24/7 access to past exams, past feedback on exams, and other learning aids. 

SPECIAL COMMENTS

Description updated 2023-24. Please contact the instructor for any specific questions you may have related to this particular course section.

REQUIRED TEXT:

Currie, Forcese, Harrington & Oosterveld, International Law: Doctrine, Practice, and Theory, 3rd ed (Toronto: Irwin Law, 2022)