History

Since the turn of the century, the Northwestern Law faculty, library, and curriculum have recognized the importance of international legal problems. The Journal is evidence of the Law School’s continuing commitment to excellence in the study of international law.

The Journal has a substantive focus on private international law, which is different from that of many other publications in the international field. Our task is the analysis of transnational and international legal problems and their effect on private entities. Of course, the distinction between private and public international legal problems can be difficult to draw. Today, the interdependence of government and business is greater than at any other time in history; each must coordinate its policies with the other because their decisions affect one another. Economics, trade, and business are such vital components in present-day international affairs that many nations are actively engaged in traditionally private commercial matters, such as the production and marketing of products. We hope that the pages of the Journal will promote an understanding of the future course of international legal developments as they relate to private entities.

For decades, numerous deans and professors have nurtured the international and comparative law collection in the Elbert H. Gary and Owen L. Coon Law Libraries at the Northwestern University School of Law. The size, breadth, and sophistication of the library’s international collection has grown over the years and has greatly aided us in the preparation of Journal issues. The Journal’s Board of Advisors draws from the distinguished international faculty of Northwestern Law, and adds to the resources we have available in our efforts to publish the highest quality articles available.