David Scheffer

professor, Northwestern University School of Law

David Scheffer teaches International Human Rights Law, International Criminal Law, and Corporate Human Rights Responsibility. He supervises the International Externship Program and in 2007-08, received the Dean’s Teaching Award. Prof. Scheffer was previously the U.S. Ambassador at Large for War Crimes Issues (1997-2001) and led the U.S. delegation in U.N. talks establishing the International Criminal Court. During his ambassadorship, he negotiated and coordinated U.S. support for the establishment and operation of international and hybrid criminal tribunals and U.S. responses to atrocities. During the first term of the Clinton Administration, he was senior adviser and counsel to the U.S. Representative to the U.N., Dr. Madeleine Albright. Prof. Scheffer recently held visiting professorships at Georgetown and George Washington University. Earlier he taught at Duke and Columbia University School of International and Public Affairs. He has published extensively on international legal and political issues and appears regularly in the national and international media. Member of the New York and DC Bars, the American Society of International Law (formerly serving on the Executive Council), and the Council on Foreign Relations, he was Chairman of the Board of Directors of the International Law Students Association (2004-08). He earned his AB from Harvard University, his BA (Honour School of Jurisprudence), Oxford University and LLM, Georgetown University. Prof. Scheffer has been a Senior Fellow, U.S. Institute of Peace; Senior Vice President, U.N. Association of the U.S.A.; Senior Associate, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace; Senior Consultant, Committee on Foreign Affairs, U.S. House of Representatives; International Affairs Fellow, Council on Foreign Relations; and Associate, Coudert Brothers.