On Thursday, January 22, 2026, the ILI convened a conference at its headquarters entitled “New Directions in International Rule of Law Assistance.” The event brought together 40+ in-person and additional virtual participants for a timely discussion on the evolving landscape of international rule of law (ROL) assistance.
A series of expert panels addressed both lessons learned and emerging challenges in the field. The conference featured three thematic panels: Tour d’Horizon: What Have We Learned from Past ROL Support?; Current Challenges; and A Call to Purposeful Action and Vision of the Path Forward.
The conference was overseen by ILI Chairman Professor Don Wallace, Jr. and chaired by Jeffrey Kovar, former Assistant Legal Adviser at the United States Department of State. Panelists included leading experts on rule of law from major international organizations and legal institutions, featuring leaders from UNCITRAL, UNIDROIT, the International Bar Association, and the Hague Institute for Innovation in Law, among others. The program concluded with an informative closing presentation by Christopher Stephens, General Counsel of the World Bank.