Acclaimed international human rights lawyer Amal Clooney will be appearing at Salem State University on September 20 as part of the school’s annual speaker series that features eminent world leaders, artists, intellectuals, athletes, and activists.
Clooney works representing clients before international courts including the International Criminal Court, the International Court of Justice, and the European Court of Human Rights, as well as providing advice to governments and individuals on legal issues in her areas of expertise. She has represented victims of genocide, sexual violence, and other mass atrocities. Her cases often break new legal ground, such as her work on the world’s first trial against an ISIS member for genocide and the first case alleging complicity in crimes against humanity by a company that funded the terror group.
Clooney has a long history working in international human rights. She was, among many other things, counsel to the United Nations inquiry on the use of armed drones, senior advisor to Kofi Annan when he was the UN’s envoy on Syria, and a member of the United Kingdom’s team of experts on preventing sexual violence in conflict zones. In 2021 she was appointed Special Adviser to the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court on Darfur.
Clooney joins a long tradition of notable speakers at Salem State. The annual Salem State Series was founded in 1982 and has hosted an impressive list of accomplished guests, including author Maya Angelou, Archbishop Desmond Tutu, and Red Sox legend David Ortiz. Former presidents Gerald Ford, Jimmy Carter, George H.W. Bush, and Bill Clinton have all spoken as part of the series.
For more details about Clooney and her work, a complete list of past speakers, and tickets to Clooney’s appearance, visit the Salem State Series website.