George Washington University Law School

Faculty Liasons: The George Washington University Law School

Susan L. Karamanian
Associate Dean for International and Comparative Legal Studies and Professorial Lecturer in Law

Education: B.S., Auburn University; B.A., Oxford University; J.D., University of Texas

Biographical Sketch: Dean Karamanian joined the Law School in 2000, after a 14-year career at Locke Liddell & Sapp, LLP in Dallas, Texas. While in private practice, Dean Karamanian represented foreign and domestic clients in a variety of commercial disputes. She also maintained an active pro bono docket, in which she represented inmates on Texas death row in their post-conviction appeals.

Dean Karamanian was vice-president of the American Society of International Law from 1996 to 1998, and currently serves as a counsellor of the Society. She is a member of the board of the Center for American and International Law, the Texas Appleseed Foundation, and the Washington Foreign Law Society.

She is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations and the American Council on Germany and a fellow of the American Bar Foundation and the Texas Bar Foundation.

Sean D. Murphy
Professor of Law; Patricia Roberts Harris Research Professor of Law
George Washington University - Law School

Education: B.A., Catholic University; J.D., Columbia University; LL.M., Cambridge University; S.J.D., University of Virginia

Biographical Sketch: Before joining the Law School faculty in 1998, Professor Murphy served as legal counselor at the U.S. Embassy in The Hague, arguing several cases before the International Court of Justice and representing the U.S. government in matters before the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia, the Permanent Court of Arbitration, and The Hague Conference on Private International Law. He also served as U.S. agent to the Iran-U.S. Claims Tribunal, arguing cases on behalf of the U.S. government and providing advice to U.S. nationals appearing before that tribunal.

Between 1987 and 1995, he served in the U.S. Department of State Office of the Legal Adviser, primarily advising on matters relating to international environmental law, international claims, and politico–military affairs. Professor Murphy has published numerous articles on international law; his article on international environmental liability won the American Journal of International Law 1994 Deak Prize for best scholarship by a younger author. His book Humanitarian Intervention: The United Nations in an Evolving World Order won the American Society of International Law 1997 certificate for preeminent contribution to creative scholarship.

Professor Murphy is a member of the board of editors of the American Journal of International Law. His most recent books are United States Practice in International Law, Volume 1: 1999-2001 (2002) and Volume 2: 2002-2004 (2005), and Principles of International Law (2006).