Hannah R. Garry

Professor from Practice
Executive Director, Promise Institute for Human Rights

  • B.A. Political Science & History, Wheaton College, 1995
  • Grad. Cert. Forced Migration Studies, Oxford University, 1996
  • M.I.A. International Affairs, Columbia University, 2001
  • J.D. UC Berkeley School of Law, 2002

Hannah R. Garry is Professor from Practice and the Executive Director of the Promise Institute for Human Rights at the UCLA School of Law. Prior to becoming the Promise Institute's Executive Director, Hannah R. Garry was Clinical Professor of Law and founding director of USC Gould's International Human Rights Clinic, established in 2011. Her areas of teaching and scholarship include international criminal law, transitional justice, international courts and tribunals, international human rights, and international refugee law. She has been invited as an expert before the International Criminal Court, the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, the Canadian Parliament and various task forces. She is regularly quoted as an expert and has published OpEds with the following media outlets: the New York Times, Newsweek, Washington Post, BBC, Reuters, the Los Angeles Times and The Hill.

In 2022, Garry was USC Gould’s first Fulbright research scholar at the University of Oslo Law Centre for the Study of the Legitimate Roles of the Judiciary in the Global Order (PluriCourts). In 2015, she was awarded the prestigious USC Mellon Award for Faculty Mentoring Graduate Students in recognition of her excellence in teaching.

Garry is a member of the Faculty Advisory Council for the USC Shoah Foundation Center for Advanced Genocide Research and the Southern California International Law Scholars group. She is an active member of the American Society of International Law, an expert on the inaugural Clooney Foundation for Justice TrialWatch Initiative’s Experts Panel and a member of Human Rights Watch’s Justice Circle.

As for other experience, Garry has filed a brief on behalf of amici torture survivors before the United States Supreme Court in United States of America v. Husayn, et al. and given oral arguments as amicus curiae with former United Nations special rapporteurs in the Afghanistan investigation appeals hearing at the International Criminal Court. She has also previously served as a senior legal adviser to the Supreme Court Chamber of the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia and as a visiting professional in the Presidency of the International Criminal Court.

Prior to joining USC Gould, Garry was visiting assistant professor of law at the University of Colorado School of Law where she taught public international law, international criminal law and international human rights law. She also supervised students on Guantanamo detainee representation before U.S. military commissions as well as Alien Tort Statute litigation in federal court. While at CU Law, she was a Presidential Fellow at the American Society of International Law.

As for other academic experience, Garry has been a research consultant for two years with Oxford University’s Refugee Studies Centre and Makerere University’s Institute for Social Research implementing a multi-year socio-legal research project on protection of refugee rights under international law East Africa. She has also been a visiting law lecturer at Peking University Law School in Beijing; and a visiting scholar at the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg, France, where she published a study with the first compilation of statistics and analysis on the court's use of interim measures to stay deportation of refugees from Europe. Garry has also been a lecturer on refugee law at the International Institute of Humanitarian Law in San Remo, Italy.

Before academia, Garry was Deputy Chef de Cabinet and legal officer for President Judge Fausto Pocar in the President’s Office & Appeals Chamber of the International Criminal Tribunals for the former Yugoslavia and Rwanda in The Hague & Arusha, Tanzania, from 2004-07. Garry also clerked for Judge Rosemary Barkett on the U.S. Court of Appeals, 11th Circuit, and worked as an associate at Freshfields, Bruckhaus, Deringer LLP, in the international arbitration, dispute resolution and public international law groups where she assisted the Eritrea Ethiopia Claims Commission in compensating war crimes claims from prisoners of war and civilians. She is admitted to the New York Bar and United States Supreme Court Bar.

Garry obtained her JD from Berkeley Law, a master’s in international affairs from Columbia University, and a graduate certificate in forced migration studies with distinction as a Visiting Study Fellow at Oxford University’s Refugee Studies Centre.

LinkedIn: Link
Twitter: @HannahRGarry

Bibliography

  • Articles And Chapters
    • The Eritrea Ethiopia Claims Commission: at the Intersection of International Dispute Resolution and Transitional Justice for Atrocity Crimes? (with Morgan Brock-Smith & Nicholas Maisel), in By Peaceful Means: Adjudication and Arbitration of International Disputes, (Oxford University Press, forthcoming 2023).
    • Witness Proofing, in International Criminal Procedure: The Interface of Civil Law and Common Law Legal Systems, (Edward Elgar Publishing, 2013).
    • (with Guglielmo Verdirame, Barbara Harrell-Bond, and Zachary Lomo), in Rights in Exile: Janus-Faced Humanitarianism,. (Berghahn Books: Oxford, 2005)
    • From the Aspirational to the Operational: Multinational Corporations, Corporate Codes of Conduct and Human Rights (with Lucy F. Reed), in From Government to Governance: The Growing Impact of Non-State Actors on the International and European Legal System: 2003 Hague Joint Conference on Contemporary Issues of International Law,, pp. 176-85 (T.M.C. Asser Press, 2004).
    • (with Lucy F. Reed and Emily Daughter), in Alternative Dispute Resolution in Italy,, (Associazione Italiana Giuristi Di Impresa (AIGI) Publications,, Milan, Italy, Oct. 2003).
    • Harmonization of Asylum Law and Policy Within the European Union: A Human Rights Perspective, Netherlands Quarterly of Human Rights (2002). Intersentia Publishers, Vol. 20, No. 2, 2002: 163-84
    • When Procedure Becomes a Matter of Life or Death: Interim Measures and the European Court of Human Rights, European Public Law Journal (2001). Kluwer Publishers, Vol. 7, No. 3, Fall 2001 Full Text
    • Applying the Plumb Line of Uganda’s Bill of Rights to Uganda’s Draft Refugee Bill: An Analysis with Regard to the Rights of Refugees, East African Human Rights Law Journal,. Makerere University Press, Vol. 5, July 1998: 1-31
    • The Right to Compensation and Refugee Flows: A ‘Preventative Mechanism’ in International Law?, International Journal of Refugee Law,. Vol. 10, Number 1/2, Oxford University Press, Jan. /Apr. 1998: 97-117.
  • Works In Progress
    • From Policy Back to Principles? Refugee Protection under International Law & State (Non)-Compliance. (work in progress).
    • Mixed Claims Commission & International Criminal Trials: Towards Holistic Justice for Atrocity Situations. (work in progress).
  • Reviews
    • Stefano Maffei, The European Right to Confrontation in Criminal Proceedings: Absent, Anonymous and Vulnerable Witnesses, Journal of International Criminal Justice 609-10 (Oxford University Press,). Vol. 6, Issue 3, July 2008, pp. 609-10
    • Introductory Note to United Kingdom (U.K.) Supreme Court of Judicature—Court of Appeal (Civil Division): N v. Secretary of State for the Home Department, International Legal Materials,.  American Society of International Law, Vol. 43, No. 1, Jan. 2004: 112-15
    • Human Rights and Forced Displacement, Journal of Refugee Studies. Oxford University Press, Vol. 15, Issue 4, Dec. 2002, pp. 426-27
    • Evaluating the Effectiveness of Human Rights Institutions, Berkeley Journal of International Law,. Vol. 17, Issue 1, 1999, pp. 138-44.
  • Opeds
    • For Victims in Ukraine, saying ‘Genocide’ Does Matter, The Hill,. April 30, 2022. Full Text
    • Senate Can Help Ukraine by Confirming Beth Van Schaack Now, The Hill,. Feb. 4, 2022. Full Text
  • Select Presentations & Interviews
    • Genocide as Distinguished from Crimes Against Humanity, Catholic University Conference on the Nuremberg Principles: Contemporary Challenges. March 2023.
    • Closing Impunity Gap(s): Mixed Claims Commissions and Pluralist Global Justice for Atrocity Crimes. University of Oslo Faculty of Law PluriCourts Centre Workshop, Oslo, Norway, March 2022.
    • Quoted Expert on War in Ukraine & International Crimes by the BBC.  Newsweek, Law360, The Insider, March-June 2022.
    • From Policy Back to Principles? Refugee Protection under International Law & State (Non)-Compliance.  American Society of International Law Annual Meeting, March 2023; American Society of International Law Research Forum, University of Miami Law, November 2022; American Branch International Law Association International Law Weekend, Fordham University School of Law, October 2022; Refugee Law Initiative 6th Annual Conference, School of Advanced Study, University of London, June 2022; University of Oslo Faculty of Law PluriCourts Centre Workshop, Oslo, Norway, June 2022
    • The Global Refugee Crisis & Protection for Refugees Under International Law: What Way Forward?” US-Norway Fulbright Foundation. Oslo, Norway, February 2022.
    • Implementing the Duty to Prevent Genocide under International Law: Cameroon, Armenia & Ukraine, State of Luxembourg Side Event to the 21st Assembly of States Parties to the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court. The Hague, The Netherlands, Dec. 2022.
    • Quoted Expert, UN to Form Panel to Investigate Systemic Racism in Policing. The New York Times, July 13, 2021.
    • Accountability Mechanisms for the Atrocity Situation in Cameroon. Oxford University Conference on US Senate Resolution 684, Feb. 2021.
    • Police Brutality and Systemic Racism in U.S. Law Enforcement Responses to Peaceful Anti-Racism Protests. United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights Civil Society Consultation, Feb. 2021.
    • No Peace Without Justice: Mixed Claims Commissions & Transitional Justice for Victims of Atrocity Crimes. Southern California International Law Scholars Workshop, Feb. 2021.
    • Panel Discussant, "The War that Reached Los Angeles: Human Rights, Recycled Trauma and Diaspora Identity. USC Institute of Armenian Studies, Los Angeles, CA, 2021.
    • State Control of Internet Access, Freedom of the Press and Atrocity Situations: Introductory Remarks. International Criminal Court Assembly of States Parties Side Event Panel, Dec. 2020.
    • No Peace Without Justice: Ad Hoc Mixed Claims Commission & Transitional Justice for Victims of Atrocity Crimes. American Society of International Law Research Forum, Case Western Reserve University School of Law, Cleveland, OH, Sept. 2020.
    • Discussant, UCLA-American Society of International Law Task Force Round Table on Policy Options for US Engagement with the International Criminal Court.  Apr. 2020.
    • Discussant, “International Criminal Justice,” American Society of International Law Mid-Year Meeting. UCLA School of Law, Nov. 10, 2018.
    • Discussant, International Human Rights Advocacy and International Criminal Justice: Past, Present and Future. International Human Rights Clinicians’ Conference, UCLA School of Law, Apr. 27, 2018.
    • The International Criminal Court and its Role in the Peaceful Settlement of Disputes. China University of Political Sciences and Law Conference on the Peaceful Settlement of International Disputes and the Function of International Judicial Bodies, Beijing, China, Mar. 13, 2017.
    • Panel Chair, “Post-Genocide Justice”, USC Shoah Foundation Center for Advanced Genocide Research International Conference: Genocide and Resistance in Guatemala. USC, Sept. 13, 2016.
    • Quoted Expert, “Kenya is Pulling Welcome Mat on 600,000 Refugees. Triggering Fear of Another Mass Migration,” Los Angeles Times, May 11, 2016.
    • Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia, Decades after Genocide: is Justice Possible?”. USC Institute of Armenian Studies, Los Angeles, CA, Sept. 3, 2015.
    • Discussant with Nick Koumjian, Chief Co-Prosecutor at the Extraordinary Panel Discussant on the “Right to Fair Trial” with the Chief Prosecutor and Lead Defense Counsel for Nuon Chea, Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia. Phnom Penh, Cambodia, June 12, 2015.
    • Discussant and Moderator, 100 Years after the Armenian Genocide: Still Seeking Justice. World Affairs Council of Orange County, CA, Apr., 2, 2015.
    • Panel Discussant on the International Criminal Court and the Charles Taylor conviction by the Special Court for Sierra Leone, the “Scholars Circle”, KPFK radio. May 30, 2014 & May 6, 2012
    • Panel Discussant on the International The International Criminal Court and its Impact on International Justice,” introductory remarks at “Moving the World: An Evening with International Criminal Court Prosecutor Luis Moreno- Ocampo,” USC School of Cinematic Arts. Los Angeles, CA, Nov. 4, 2011.
    • Panel Discussant, “International Criminal Law Interest Group: ‘Fact Finding Without Facts’: a Conversation with Nancy Combs”, American Society of International Law Annual Meeting. Washington D.C., Mar. 25, 2011
    • Corporate Responsibility for Crimes under International Law?, Berkeley Journal of International Law Stefan Reisenfeld Symposium.  UC Berkeley School of Law, CA, Mar. 14, 2008.
    • Reconciling Concepts of Restorative and Retributive Justice in International Criminal Law: Victims’ Participation in International Proceedings. International Human Rights Section, American Association of Law Schools Annual Conference, New York, NY, Jan. 6, 2008.
    • Rights in Exile: The Janus Face of Humanitarianism. International Political Science Association Conference 2006, Fukuoka, Japan, July 10, 2006.
    • Refugees and Local Integration as Facilitators to Meaningful Regional Integration. East Africa Law Society Conference on the East Africa Court of Appeal and Conflict Resolution, Malindi, Kenya, Apr. 8-9, 1998.
    • Joint Drafting Committee for Developing Uganda's Draft Refugee Bill. Makerere University Institute of Social Research, Kampala, Uganda, Apr. 3, 1998.
    • Protection of Refugee Rights in Northern Uganda: A Field Research Report. Makerere University Institute of Social Research Seminar Series, Kampala, Uganda, Mar. 22, 1998.
    • The Enjoyment of Refugee Rights in Uganda. EU Health and Welfare Research Project Conference, Institute of Public Health, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda, Sept. 10, 1997.
    • Camp Sadako and Refugee Vulnerable Groups. Queen Elizabeth House, Oxford University, UK, Oct. 19, 1995.