(FULLERTON, Calif. – February 4, 2013) Western State College of Law at Argosy University (“Western State”) and the American Society of International Law are pleased to present a lecture, given by renowned Human Rights attorney, Paul Hoffman. The lecture which serves as the inaugural event of the Institute for Global Law and Policy at Western State, will take place on Tuesday, February 19, 2013, from 4 pm – 5 pm at Western State College of Law, located at 1111 N State College Blvd., Fullerton, CA 92831. The event is open to the public at no charge.
“Should it be possible to sue corporations in American courts for violations of international human rights standards committed entirely on foreign soil?” asks Hoffman in this discussion of Supreme Court case Kiobel v. Royal Dutch Petroleum, #10-1491. In the case, the United States Supreme Court is considering the claims of twelve Nigerian nationals who filed suit in a United States District Court against three international oil companies for allegedly aiding the Nigerian military in torturing and killing civilians who protested oil exploration in Nigeria. The suit was filed under the Alien Tort Claims Act, which foreign nationals are increasingly seeking to use to file suits in United States federal courts for actions committed in violation of international law.
Hoffman served as the lead appellate counsel in Kiobel v. Royal Dutch Petroleum on behalf of the Nigerian nationals and argued the case before the United States Supreme Court in February and October 2012. Hoffman is a civil and human rights lawyer based in Venice, California. He is a partner in the law firm of Schonbrun, DeSimon, Seplow, Harris, Hoffman and Harrison LLP, former Legal Director of the ACLU Foundation of Southern California, former Chair of the Board of Amnesty International USA and the International Executive Committee of Amnesty International worldwide. Additionally, he serves as an Adjunct Professor at UCI School of Law and has written extensively on civil and human rights issues.
For more information or to RSVP, contact Christy Alvarez at calvarez@wsulaw.edu or 714.459.1168.
About Western State College of Law at Argosy University
Western State College of Law at Argosy University, (www.wsulaw.edu/) was founded in 1966 and is the oldest law school in Orange County with more than 11,000 alumni. Located in the heart of Southern California, Western State College of Law offers both full- and part-time programs, taught by a dedicated and highly motivated faculty who serve as scholars and mentors both inside and outside of the classroom. Argosy University is accredited by the Accrediting Commission for Senior Colleges and Universities of the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (985 Atlantic Avenue, Suite 100, Alameda, California, 94501, www.wascsenior.org/). Western State College of Law at Argosy University is fully accredited by the American Bar Association (321 North Clark Street, Chicago, IL 60610, (312) 988-5000). See wsuprograms.info for program duration, tuition, fees, and other costs, median debt, federal salary data, alumni success, and other important info.