How do lawyers help end wars—and build a peace that lasts? Paul R. Williams, JD ’90 in conversation with Allen S. Weiner, JD ’89

Join us as we honor Paul R. Williams, JD '90, with the Stanford Award for the Advancement of the Common Good, followed by a conversation between Dr. Williams and Allen S. Weiner, JD '89. How do lawyers help end wars—and build a peace that lasts? Drawing on decades of experience advising parties in peace negotiations around the world, Paul Williams, JD ’90, joins Stanford Law School Senior Lecturer Allen Weiner, JD ’89, for a conversation about the role of law, lawyers, and justice in ending armed conflict. Together, they will explore what actually happens at the negotiating table, the difficult choices involved in crafting peace agreements, and the opportunities for the next generation of lawyers to contribute to the work of building peace.

Dr. Paul R. Williams holds the Rebecca I. Grazier Professorship in Law and International Relations at American University where he teaches in the School of International Service and at the Washington College of Law. Dr. Williams is also the co-founder of the Public International Law & Policy Group (PILPG), a pro bono law firm providing legal assistance to states and governments involved in peace negotiations, post-conflict constitution drafting, and the prosecution of war criminals. As a world renowned peace negotiation lawyer, Dr. Williams has assisted over three dozen parties in major international peace negotiations and has advised numerous parties on the drafting and implementation of post-conflict constitutions. Several of Dr. Williams' pro bono government clients throughout the world joined together to nominate him for the Nobel Peace Prize.

Dr. Williams has served as a Senior Associate with the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, as well as an Attorney-Adviser for European and Canadian affairs at the U.S. Department of State, Office of the Legal Adviser. He received his J.D. from Stanford Law School and his Ph.D. from the University of Cambridge. Dr. Williams is a sought-after international law and policy expert. He is frequently interviewed by major print and broadcast media and regularly contributes op-eds to major newspapers. Dr. Williams has authored eight books on various topics concerning international law, and has published over three dozen scholarly articles on topics of international law and policy. He has testified before the U.S. Congress on a number of occasions relating to specific peace processes, transitional justice, and self-determination. Dr. Williams is a member of the Council of Foreign Relations, and has served as a Counsellor on the Executive Council of the American Society of International Law. In 2010, Paul was awarded the American University School of International Service’s Scholar/Teacher of the Year, the School’s highest honor for faculty. In 2019, Paul was awarded the Cox International Law Center's Humanitarian Award for Advancing Global Justice. 

This event is co-sponsored by Stanford Law School and the Haas Center for Public Service.