With the start of the Spring 2020 term, Professor Jose Enrique Alvarez joined the U.S.-Asia Law Institute as lead faculty advisor. He takes the leadership reins of the Institute from its founder, Professor Jerome A. Cohen, who is now faculty director emeritus. Professor Cohen remains an active member of the Institute’s faculty advisory committee, along with Professors Frank Upham and Roderick Hills.

Professor Cohen, an expert in Chinese law who pioneered the study of Chinese law at American law schools, founded the Institute in 2006 to promote mutual understanding between the United States and East Asia on legal issues, and engage constructively with East Asian partners in advocating legal reforms. Professor Alvarez is a leading authority on international law and organizations. He is a former president of the American Society of International Law and former co-editor-in-chief of the American Journal of International Law, and has written more than 140 articles/book chapters and six books. He will help the Institute increase its programming on issues of international law that are of concern in East Asia. He will work closely with Executive Director Katherine Wilhelm, who manages programming and day-to-day operations of the Institute.