University of Pittsburgh
March 1, 2009

Pitt School of Law to Present a Lecture March 5 by M. Cherif Bassiouni, Distinguished Research Professor of Law

The talk, titled "The Conflict Between Justice and Power," is this year's selection for the annual Lawyering for Social Change lecture
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PITTSBURGH-The University of Pittsburgh's School of Law will present a lecture by M. Cherif Bassiouni, distinguished research professor of law at DePaul University College of Law, at 4:30 p.m. March 5 in 113 Barco Law Building, 3900 Forbes Ave., Oakland. The lecture, "The Conflict Between Justice and Power," is this year's selection for the annual Lawyering for Social Change lecture.

Bassouni also is president emeritus of the International Human Rights Law Institute. He serves as president of the International Institute of Higher Studies in Criminal Sciences in Siracusa, Italy, as well as the honorary president of the International Association of Penal Law in Paris, France.

Bassiouni held several positions with the United Nations, including as chair of the Security Council's Commission to Investigate War Crimes in the former Yugoslavia (1992-94), vice chair of the General Assembly's Ad Hoc Committee on the Establishment of an International Criminal Court (1995), chair of the Drafting Committee of the 1998 Diplomatic Conference on the establishment of an International Criminal Court, and as a member of Compensation and Rehabilitation for Victims of Grave Violations of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms (1998-2000).

Among Bassiouni's many honors is his nomination for the Nobel Peace Prize in 1999 for his work in the field of international criminal justice and for his contribution to the creation of the International Criminal Court.

He also is the author of 27 books and hundreds of articles dealing with criminal law and international human rights law. He earned his JD degree at Indiana University, LLB degree at the University of Cairo, and LLM degree at the John Marshall Law School. He also has received honorary doctorates from several international universities.

The event is open to the public and will be followed by a reception. The lecture has been approved by the Pennsylvania Continuing Legal Education (CLE) Board for one and one-half (1.5) hours of substantive CLE credit. For more information, contact Lila Turner Steffy at 412-648-1305 or steffy@pitt.edu.

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