Athens, Ga. – The University of Georgia School of Law’s Dean Rusk Center was recently honored in India for its work in the area of international legal education and outreach with an International Jurists Award.
The award was presented to Rusk Center Director C. Donald Johnson on Nov. 21 during the International Conference of Jurists in New Delhi, India, by the President of India Pratibha Devisingh Patil. Also presenting the award were the Chief Justice of India K.G. Balakrishnan and the Union Minister for Law and Justice M. Veerappa Moily.
“Chief Justice Balakrishnan nominated the Rusk Center for this award after his visit to campus this past spring, and we were deeply honored when we were selected,” Johnson said. “It is a great accomplishment for the work of the Rusk Center to be recognized at this level.”
The Dean Rusk Center plays an active role in the global arena by hosting conferences and visiting scholars and speakers, by undertaking international research and outreach projects, and by coordinating the Master of Laws program, global internships and study abroad initiatives for students. Through these activities, the center seeks to provide a sound basis for policy judgments, to increase the understanding of international law and policy and to contribute to the solution of problems and issues of global significance.
While in India to receive the award, Johnson met with the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of India, the Minister of Law and Justice, and officials from the Indian Law Institute to discuss the potential for future collaboration in international legal education. He also presented a talk at the conference along with Rusk Center Associate Director María E. Giménez on new challenges regarding intellectual property aspects of international trade and the challenges of providing a world class legal education, respectively.
Four others were also recognized at the conference with an International Jurists Award including the Chief Justice of Singapore Chan Sek Keong, International Court of Justice Judge Awn S. Al-Khasawneh, retired judge of the English High Court of Justice Sir Gavin Lightman and prosecutor at the International Criminal Court Fatou Bensouda.