Visiting Professor of Law at Charleston School of Law, Jennifer Lanz, received the International Law Junior Scholar Award at the Association of American Law Schools (AALS) Annual Meeting last week in New Orleans.

The Junior Scholar Award recognizes excellence in scholarship by newer faculty members at AALS member and affiliate schools. The award is presented for an article in the field of international law.

“It was a great honor to be recognized by fellow colleagues passionate about international law. Being able to gather as a community of law professors to support the rule of law and enhance the quality of legal education is what defines our profession.” — Jennifer Lanz

At the conference, Professor Lanz presented her latest research titled, From Drugs to Fish: U.S. Strikes Against Drug Runners in the Caribbean Threaten the Net That Can Be Cast to Combat Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated Fishing.  The paper examines the consequences of recent U.S. military strikes against alleged Venezuelan drug-trafficking vessels in the Caribbean.

Professor Lanz teaches Business Organizations, Contracts, Public International Law, and Mediation Advocacy at Charleston Law. Prior to joining the Law School faculty, she worked as a mediator for community-based non-profits, focusing on homelessness prevention, truancy resolution, and family law. Her academic passion is international law, and she has previously worked to promote the rule of law and the status of women in the legal profession in the Middle East & North Africa.

Lanz received her J.D. from the Washington College of Law at American University, where she served as Editor-in-Chief of the International Law Review. Upon graduation and admission to the Maryland Bar in 2003, she worked as Deputy Director of the American Bar Association’s Middle East & North Africa program.

A Coast Guard spouse, Lanz used her law degree in a variety of non-traditional ways for the betterment of the communities where the military sent her, from serving on the board of the Cleveland Mediation Center to running the Juneau (Alaska) District Court’s youth court, a program to adjudicate minor juvenile misconduct via a student-led tribunal. She also served as a Coast Guard ombudsman, helping military families navigate the challenges of relocating to Alaska and connecting them to support resources.

The annual AALS conference provides legal educators across disciplines with the opportunity to celebrate the best and brightest members of our community.