What's New



The web casts of the conference on Reparations in the Inter-American System: A Comparative Approach (Tuesday, March 6, 2007) are now available:

WCL's Impact Litigation Project

The Future of the Inter-American Human Rights System

Monday, October 15, 2012
9:00 am ��� 6:00 pm
American University Washington College of Law
4801 Massachusetts Avenue, NW, Washington, DC, USA, Room 603

More than 160 people will be attending this conference. For more information, please view the agenda. For registration click here


WCL's Impact Litigation Project seeks to promote the rule of law and democracy within the Americas through the international litigation of pivotal cases lending to promote and enhance the development and furtherance of international jurisprudence and standards.

The term impact litigation describes the strategy of selecting and pursuing lawsuits as a tool to achieve broad and lasting effects, beyond the particular case involved, on both public policy and legislation. At the same time, impact litigation supports the rule of law, provides a foundation for future litigation, serves as a means for documenting human rights and other violations, promotes government accountability, and fosters public awareness and education by attracting domestic and international media attention to the important issues involved.

WCL's Impact Litigation Project seeks to achieve the following objectives:

  • Litigate paradigmatic, high impact cases
  • Obtain domestic and international media coverage of the cases and of related developments (e.g., hearings and reports).
  • Develop impact litigation strategies for widespread distribution to human rights advocates seeking to advance international human rights jurisprudence.
  • Create a formal network of universities and non-governmental organizations committed to promoting human rights, the work of the Project and similar efforts.
  • Submit and call for the filing of amicus curiae briefs in relevant cases pending before international bodies.