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Robert F. Drinan, S.J., Chair in Human Rights

Robert F. Drinan, S.J., Chair in Human Rights

Georgetown Law established the Robert F. Drinan, S.J., Chair in Human Rights in 2006. This position is designed to bring distinguished human rights practitioners to Georgetown Law to teach and engage with our community.

Past Drinan Chairs

Profile
Diann Rust-Tierney
2021–2022 Drinan Chair

Former Executive Director of the National Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty

2022 Drinan Lecture on "Race, the Death Penalty, and the Foundations of American Democracy"
Profile
Elisa Massimino
2019–2021 Drinan Chair

Former President and CEO of Human Rights First

Perspectives piece on "Chutzpah and Humility: Twin Virtues for Changing the World" 2020 Drinan Lecture on "Chutzpah and Humility: Twin Virtues for Changing the World"
Profile
Hina Jilani
2018–2019 Drinan Chair

Former UN Special Representative on Human Rights Defenders and former President of the World Organisation Against Torture

Hina Jilani delivered the Drinan lecture on "Human Rights and the Rule of Law in Times of Crisis"
Profile
Stephen Rapp
2017–2018 Drinan Chair

Former Ambassador-at-Large for Global Criminal Justice. Distinguished Fellow at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum’s Center for the Prevention of Genocide and The Hague Institute for Global Justice.

"Bridging the Hague-Geneva Divide: Strengthening the Capacity of Human Rights Inquiries to Collect and Preserve Evidence of Legal Responsibility"
Profile
François Crépeau
2016–2017 Drinan Chair

Former UN Special Rapporteur on the Human Rights of Migrants and Full Professor at the McGill University Faculty of Law

"Mobility and Diversity: New Horizons for Human Rights"
Profile
Eric Rosenthal (L'92)
2015–2016 Drinan Chair

Founder and Executive Director of Disability Rights International

"A Mandate to End Placement of Children in Institutions and Orphanages: The duty of governments and donors to prevent segregation and torture"
Profile
Bela Kapur (LL.M. '92)
2013–2014 Drinan Chair

Former UN Human Rights and Political Affairs Officer; Senior Advisor at TrustWorks Global

"5 Stations on the Way to Damascus: Protecting Human Rights During and After Conflict"
Profile
Gay McDougall
2011–2012 Drinan Chair

Former UN Independent Expert on Minority Issues

Gay McDougall speaks to Georgetown Law class of 2012 about the responsibility of lawyers in an "unjust society."
Profile
Aryeh Neier
2009–2010 Drinan Chair

President Emeritus, Open Society Foundations

Profile
Fatsah Ouguergouz
2008–2009 Drinan Chair

Justice, African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights

Justice Fatsah Ouguergouz—Algeria
Profile
Thomas Buergenthal
2007–2008 Drinan Chair

Former Judge, International Court of Justice

Life After the Holocaust: Thomas Buergenthal