World Peace Through Law Section

The World Peace Through Law Section promotes education on and discussion of law, peace, and human rights. Member benefits include frequent forums and Continuing Legal Education programs dealing with challenging global and human rights issues. The Section engages in additional educational activities with persons and organizations who share an interest in world peace through law.

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Shape Your Section for the Future: Apply Today to Become a Section Leader

Applications open on March 14, 2022, and close at 5 p.m. April 15, 2022.

The following section executive committee positions are open for applications. All terms begin Oct. 1, 2022.

• Chair-elect: one-year position beginning Oct. 1, 2022, and ending Sept. 30, 2023.
• Secretary/Treasurer: one-year position beginning Oct. 1, 2022, and ending Sept. 30, 2023.
• At-Large Member (one position open): partial-year position ending Sept. 30, 2022.
• At-Large Member (one position open): three-year position beginning Oct. 1, 2022, and ending Sept. 30, 2025.

To learn more about roles and expectations for serving on the section executive committee, review this volunteer position description, which provides a general overview of section executive committee positions—these may differ for each section.

Eligibility Requirements

Applicants must be a current section member and should be eligible to vote in accordance with the section’s bylaws.

Application Process

Go to the myWSBA portal to complete the online application for open executive committee positions. The Section has requested that each applicant submit a statement of interest with your application. This document can be uploaded with your online application (pdf format only). Please be advised that application materials may be posted on this website for public viewing.

Note: If you are applying for more than one position on this or multiple sections’ committees, you must complete and submit all applications at the same time, as you will not be allowed back into the portal at a later time. Please make sure you are completing the applications within the application window for all of the relevant sections.

Nomination Process

The executive committee shall annually appoint a nominating committee of not fewer than three (3) members of the Section who are not members of the executive committee. All applicants will apply though an electronic process administered by the Bar. The executive committee will also have an alternative process to allow for nominations to occur outside of the nominating committee process. The nominating committee shall make and report nominations for the upcoming vacant positions of the offices of Chair-elect, Secretary/Treasurer, and one (1) At-Large member of the executive committee. In the event that the office of Chair-elect is vacant at the time of the election, the position of Chair shall also be included with the nominations. The executive committee will approve a list of nominees for each open position.

Alternate Nomination Process

A section member may self-nominate or nominate another member by emailing John Gray. If materials (resume, statement of interest, etc.) are required, the nominator is required to submit those materials as well.

All eligible applicants/nominees who accept nomination will be placed on ballot as candidates, even if not recommended by the section’s nominating committee.

Elections Process

All voting members of the section will receive an electronic ballot sent to their email in June 2022. Visit this webpage in early June for election updates and voting instructions.

Questions? 
For more information about the Section, its executive committee roles, and elections process, please review the Section’s bylaws. You may also contact any member of the current Section Executive Committee or email sections@wsba.org.

Webinar: Corporate Liability Under the Alien Tort Statute: Developments Under Nestlé v. Doe and Cargill v. Doe

The Alien Tort Statute (ATS) allows federal courts to hear lawsuits filed by foreign nationals for torts committed in violation of international law. The 2021 U.S. Supreme Court cases of Nestlé v. Doe and Cargill v. Doe consider whether suits under the ATS are permissible against these U.S. corporations that allegedly aided and abetted in perpetration of child slavery on cocoa plantations in Ivory Coast. The Court is specifically considering two issues: whether there can be ATS liability against U.S. corporate defendants and whether aiding and abetting liability is permitted under the statute. Please join us for a presentation by Professor Tyler Giannini of Harvard Law School regarding these two cases and their possible impact on ATS-based litigation in the future.

Faculty:

Tyler Giannini, Harvard Law School, Cambridge, MA

Watch the video.

This video is not accredited for CLE credit and is available for viewing for up to one year after the live event date (Sept. 30, 2021).

Webinar: A Study of Love Jihad in Asia: Interfaith Marriage Laws and Human Rights in India and Other Countries

This seminar covers:

• A review of India’s recent Prohibition of Unlawful Religious Conversion Ordinance and its impact on interfaith marriages
• Overview of laws prohibiting interfaith marriage in India and other countries
• Response by NGOs and other human rights organizations

Faculty:

Dr. Garima Tiwari, School of Law, Bennett University, Greater Noida, India

Watch the video.

This video is not accredited for CLE credit and is available for viewing for up to one year after the live event date (July 19, 2021).

Webinar: Leadership for All: Minority Bar Associations in Washington

This seminar takes a close-up look at two state minority bar associations: the Loren Miller Bar Association and the South Asian Bar Association of Washington:

• What are the roles, best practices, and challenges faced by minority bar associations in Washington?
• What strategies are effective for leading a smaller minority bar association?
• What issues should be considered when starting, building, and expanding new projects?
• What has it been like leading a change in direction during the pandemic?

Faculty:

James Johnson, Emery Reddy PLLC, Seattle

E. Rania Rampersad, President, South Asian Bar Association of Washington

Watch the video.

This video is not accredited for CLE credit and is available for viewing for up to one year after the live event date (June 14, 2021).

Listen In: LGBTQ+ and Race: Identities and Intersections

Hosted by the World Peace through Law Section of the WSBA

The World Peace through Law Section of the Washington State Bar Association is continuing its "Listen In" series focusing on issues which intersect with race. This session focused on LGBTQ and Race. Listen to our panel discuss the intersection of these identities.

This recording was made on March 25, 2021, and will be available here for approximately three months after that date.

Watch the video.

Access Passcode: qj^nhiT1

Moderator: Brent Williams-Ruth, WSBA Governor, District 8

Panelists: Serena Freewomyn, Frankie Rojas, Joel Gemino, Kenrick Ross, and Charlotte Ishida

Listen In: Environmental Racism

Hosted by the World Peace through Law Section of the WSBA

What is environmental racism? How do decisions regarding the environment disproportionately impact minority people? This panel will examine these issues in different contexts. 

This recording was made on Jan. 27, 2021, and will be available here for approximately three months after that date. 

Watch the video.

Access Passcode: @Ih!8.^z

Moderator: Camille McDorman (Executive Comm. WPTL)

Panelists: Nykeeba Brown, Prayank Jain, and Jordan Lesser

Working Group on Prison Book Bans

The WPTL has started a working group on book bans in prisons. The working group hopes to look into the matter and find existing gaps and then create solutions to those gaps. All work is pro bono. Please contact Immediate Past Chair Anne Watanabe.

Executive Committee

Meetings

The Executive Committee of the World Peace Through Law Sections holds hour-long Zoom meetings on the third Wednesday of each month at 4:30 p.m.

Please contact committee member for further details about upcoming meetings.

Visit Our LinkedIn Group

LinkedIn members are invited to visit the World Peace Through Law Section's LinkedIn group page.

Join Our List Serve

To join the section list serve, request an archived issue of the section newsletter, and for general section questions, please send your email address and Bar number to sections@wsba.org.