Center Distinguished Fellow Dr. Beth Van Schaack Named Commissioner to the International Commission of Jurists

The Center for Human Rights and International Justice is delighted to share that Distinguished Fellow Dr. Beth Van Schaack was recently named a Commissioner with the International Commission of Jurists (ICJ), a prominent global body dedicated to promoting human rights through the rule of law.

“At this critical time in human history when the rule of law is under assault on so many fronts, I am honored to have been appointed as a Commissioner with the International Commission of Jurists, an organization I have long admired,” said Van Schaack. “I look forward to contributing to the work of the ICJ to advance justice globally alongside so many experts from around the world.”

ICJ is a well-respected, non-governmental organization dedicated to building a just society governed by the rule of law where all people equally enjoy their human rights. They achieve this through international standard setting, research advocacy, capacity strengthening, and tool building – ensuring these universal values are applied everywhere around the world and that those whose rights are violated can seek and obtain appropriate remedy. They also support the development and implementation of international human rights law and standards, and provide assistance to legal practitioners around the world to ensure they are independent and impartial.

According to ICJ Secretary-General Santiago Canton, Van Schaack and other appointees were selected by their peers because they “embody the ICJ’s values of independence, integrity, and legal excellence.”

Van Schaack is one of six prominent legal experts to be joining the ICJ this month, in addition to accomplished human rights lawyer and practitioner Lawrence Mute, prominent Swedish lawyer Anne Ramberg, Member of the UN Independent International Fact-Finding Mission on the Sudan Mona Rishmawi, Barbadian lawyer and international human rights advocate Roberta Clarke, and Professor of Law at the Sorbonne Law School Laurence Burgorgue-Larsen. Together they bring expertise in constitutional law, international criminal justice, transitional justice, and judicial reform, with geographic ties to Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America, and the Middle East. 

Their appointment comes at an especially critical time, with human rights norms and the rule of law increasingly under threat around the world. Commissioners are key in guiding ICJ’s strategic direction, providing expert advice on legal interventions, and amplifying the organization’s voice in international forums. Their work strengthens the ICJ’s ability to respond to legal challenges in real time, support national judiciaries, and advocate for justice and accountability.

In addition to her role at the Center, Van Schaack recently served as the U.S. Ambassador-at-Large for Global Criminal Justice from 2022 to 2025. She previously held the position of Deputy to the Ambassador-at-Large in the same office from 2012 to 2013. Van Schaack was the Leah Kaplan Visiting Professor in Human Rights at Stanford Law School, where she taught international criminal law, human rights, human trafficking, and led a policy lab on legal and policy tools for preventing atrocities. She also directed Stanford’s International Human Rights & Conflict Resolution Clinic. With seven other senior human rights mandate holders from the Biden-Harris administration, she recently founded The Alliance for Diplomacy & Justice to protect and promote the advancement of human rights in U.S. foreign policy. 

“The ICJ is yet another landmark in Beth Van Schaack's remarkable career of government service  and  as one of the  world's leading international criminal law and human rights experts.  We are fortunate indeed to have her as a Distinguished Fellow at our Center,” said Center Faculty Co-Director David Cohen. 

All together, the 60 ICJ Commissioners – eminent judges, lawyers and legal academics from all parts of the world and all legal systems – bring unparalleled knowledge of human rights law in support of ICJ’s mission.