Creating New Pathways for Penn Law Students

August 2, 2012

In an effort to create new pathways for students to build careers in international rule of law and human rights, the University of Pennsylvania Law School is establishing the ACE Rule of Law Fellowship with the generous support of both the ACE Charitable Foundation and ACE Limited General Counsel Robert Cusumano, L’80. Human Rights First, a preeminent legal advocacy organization, will partner with Penn Law to enable graduates to work at Human Rights First on cutting-edge projects in rule of law and global human rights.

The creation of the ACE Rule of Law Fellowship will provide five Penn Law graduates over the next five years opportunities to advocate for human rights, compliance with international norms and standards of good governance and human rights, and improved operation of legal systems around the globe.  Graduating law students and recent alumni will be eligible for the fellowship, whose applications will be reviewed by an International Advisory Board convened by Penn Law. One Fellow will be chosen each year, and Fellows will immerse themselves in one or more of Human Rights First’s programmatic areas, such as Egypt and the Arab Spring; internet freedom and privacy; national security and human rights; and crimes against humanity. 

“I see evidence every day that the rule of law is the central platform on which countries build stable economic, social, and political cultures around the globe,” Mr. Cusumano said regarding his gift to Penn Law.  “Law students today need to understand not only the content of the law, but how it is created and deployed, culture by culture, around the world.  It is my hope that this new fellowship at Penn Law will allow graduating students to see first-hand what it takes to make a legal system evolve, and encourage them to work for organizations and institutions aimed at promoting the rule of law, human rights and good governance around the world.”

The partnership between Penn Law and Human Rights First will allow the institutions to explore additional programs to support the development of curricular and extracurricular initiatives in human rights and the rule of law. You can read more on Penn Law’s website.

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