Ireland Program Courses

2025 Regular Program

June 2 - June 13

Students choose 1 of 2 of the Regular Program classes, each being 3 credits.

Human Rights and International Conflict Resolution: A Northern Ireland Perspective
9:30 a.m. – 1 p.m.
John Feerick and Michael W. Martin, Fordham Law; Colin Harvey, Dominic Bryan, Brice Dickson, and Kieran McEvoy, QUB; Suzanne Egan, UCD.

Northern Ireland has become a celebrated example of attempts to resolve an intractable conflict using international dispute resolution and a human rights focus to potentially achieve the unimaginable: a shared future without politically motivated violence. This class will review 1) the history of the conflict, including its human rights issues, and of the attempts made to resolve the conflict; 2) the process that Senator George Mitchell implemented that ultimately allowed an agreement to take shape; 3) the Belfast (aka “Good Friday”) Agreement itself, including its human rights provisions and structures; and 4) the current issues regarding the implementation of the Belfast Agreement, 18 years after its execution. The course will touch upon the ADR processes of negotiation, mediation, and arbitration, the foundations of the body of international human rights law and its development, key current issues such as the balance between rights and security, and the relevance of the Northern Ireland experience to other intractable, international disputes. In addition to guest speakers who were involved in the resolution process and its aftermath, the course will also tie into the Program’s extracurriculars, including discussions with leaders of political parties, the judiciary, the bar, and policing institutions.

Introduction to Intellectual Property: A Global Perspective
9:30 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Ron Lazebnik, Fordham Law

An introduction how the United States and Europe have taken different paths in determining what deserves to be considered intellectual property worth protecting. This course will examine global issues in copyrights, patents, trademarks, and trade secret protection. The course will also address the conflict in enforcing IP across international borders based on the differences in grantable rights in various countries. The discussion will include the recent changes to U.S. patent law that bring it in line with Europe, a number of recent cases from the United States and Europe, as well as treaties (both signed and still being negotiated).

Extension Program
June 14 - June 21
9:30 a.m. – 1 p.m.

International Criminal Law
2 credits
Michael W. Martin, Fordham Law; Kieran McEvoy, QUB

The course will explore the substance of International Criminal Law, as well as the interplay between International Criminal Law, International Human Rights, and Humanitarian Law. Other topics to be explored include the role of International Criminal Law in transitional justice (with a focus, at least in part, on Northern Ireland), the controversial doctrine of universal jurisdiction, and the concept of American "Exceptionalism," particularly in light of the allegations of United States' sanctioned torture. Special attention will be paid to the international tribunals, including the International Criminal Court, the Khmer Rouge Trial Task Force, the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda, the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia, and the Special Court for Sierra Leone.

Academic Standards
Fordham Law's academic rules and regulations will apply for awarding academic credit. Fordham uses an "A-F" grading system. Taking courses on a pass/fail basis is not permissible. Participants may audit courses although they will not receive academic credit.

Other law schools generally accept Fordham credits. Each law school must determine whether the credits earned in this program can be transferred. Students should make inquiries with respect to transferring credit before they apply to the program.