Human Rights Law Teacher Honored

Congratulations to Professor James Silk (Yale), the recipient of the 2019 M. Shanara Gilbert Human Rights Award from the Society of American Law Teachers.   Silk is the Binger Professor of Human Rights at Yale Law School, where he teaches the Allard K. Lowenstein Human Rights Clinic.    

The SALT selection committee offered the following tribute in announcing the award:

Prof. James Silk (Yale):  

The selection committee was impressed with your contributions to international human rights issues over a number of years, and with great effect. We were particularly excited at recognizing a consistent contributor to the expansion of human rights initiatives through clinical teaching and group projects, at a time when some standards long considered settled have come under assault, and notions of human rights have been marginalized.  You were selected from a highly impressive group of nominees, including organizations working on such issues as immigrant rights and gun-control advocacy, and individuals who have dedicated themselves to teaching and the expansion of legal services to marginalized communities.  The consistency and breadth of your work over time and the effect on expanding rights by engaging students in your projects set your nomination apart.