Jessica Tillson (2L) was selected to deliver her paper, focusing on the rule of reservations and declarations before the Inter-American Court of Human Rights, at the prestigious Yale Journal of International Law Young Scholar’s Conference on March 4, 2006. Ms. Tlllson based her paper on her work as an intern with the Inter-American Court of Human Rights in San Jose, Costa Rica, and her selection was made by the conference organizers from among papers submitted nationwide.
Selection for clerkships at this Court is highly competitive, and is one of the internships made available to students at the SCU summer law study abroad program this summer. Last summer, Ms. Tillson shared her clerkship with students from other top law schools from the United States, Canada, and Latin America. To earn academic credit for her work, Ms. Tillson enrolled in the Judicial Externship program at SCU, and she participated in the Judicial Externship Seminar from Costa Rica via web cam–a first for the School of Law. Students who are fluent in Spanish, have an interest or background in Human Rights, and are interested in applying for this and other internships in Costa Rica, should contact Professors Robert Peterson or Beth van Schaack or request information from the Center for Global Law and Policy at http://lawscuedustage.wpengine.com/international.
Ms. Tillson is one of three students from Santa Clara to clerk for the Court. Recent graduate Elizabeth Wheeler also clerked in the summer of 2004, and Esmeralda Lopez is clerking in the spring semester of 2006. “The quality of our interns, and Santa Clara’s reputation in the area of International Law and Human Rights, have aided greatly our ability to place interns with the Court,” says Professor Robert Peterson, who directed the Judicial Externship program last year, and who will co-direct the new Costa Rica summer law study abroad program this summer.
The Court hears claims for violations of human rights against member states. Most Latin American countries are members. Claims arise under the American Convention on Human Rights, related human rights treaties, and general international law. The Court usually sits in panels of 7 or 8 highly qualified judges drawn from the member countries. Ms. Tillson, who is fluent in Spanish, reviewed evidence, researched issues, and drafted documents for the Court. The clerkships are overseen by Prof. Beth van Schaack and Prof. Robert W. Peterson. You may visit the Court’s web site at http://www.corteidh.or.cr/
