Drawing on her experience as the U.S. Government lawyer on numerous international negotiations, Ms. Biniaz will walk us through the use of commas, preambles, "constructive ambiguity," and other tools for resolving international disagreement.  

Susan Biniaz has been in the Legal Adviser’s Office at the State Department since 1984.

She has been the principal lawyer on the climate change negotiations since 1989. Biniaz has worked on legal issues related to the Middle East, diplomatic law, and outer space before turning to oceans, environmental, and scientific affairs, which has remained her specialization. After heading the legal Office for European Affairs, she headed the Oceans, Environment, and Science legal office for many years before becoming a Deputy Legal Adviser.

As Deputy, she supervised the Treaty Office and issues related to the law of the sea, human rights, the Western Hemisphere, East Asia, piracy off the coast of Somalia, international criminal law, and private international law.

Biniaz attended Yale College and earned her J.D. from Columbia Law School. She clerked for Judge Dorothy W. Nelson on the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals.

This event is sponsored by the Law School's International Programs and the International Law Society.

FREE and OPEN TO THE LAW SCHOOL COMMUNITY ONLY. Boxed lunches will be provided.