Harold Hongju Koh
Sterling Professor of International Law
Harold Hongju Koh is Sterling Professor of International Law at Yale Law School, where he first began teaching in 1985. He served as the 15th Dean of Yale Law School from 2004 to 2009 and as the 22nd Legal Adviser of the U.S. Department of State from 2009 to 2013. A Korean-American who has served in four presidential administrations of both parties, Koh is the author or co-author of 10 books and more than 250 articles and has received 18 honorary degrees and over 30 awards for his human rights work.
Teaching Style
Professor Koh employs an intensive Socratic method rooted in his deep experience as a government practitioner and human rights advocate. He cold-calls frequently and expects students to engage with both doctrinal and policy dimensions of international law. His classes draw heavily on real-world scenarios from his time as State Department Legal Adviser, making theory come alive through practice.
Cold Call Tips
- 1Prepare to discuss how international law principles apply to current events and U.S. foreign policy
- 2Understand the interplay between domestic constitutional law and international legal obligations
- 3Be ready to defend or critique the U.S. government's legal positions on human rights issues
- 4Review both the treaty provisions and the relevant customary international law for each topic
Areas of Expertise
Education
- B.A., Harvard College
- B.A. and M.A., Magdalen College, Oxford University (Marshall Scholar)
- J.D., Harvard Law School
Notable Publications
- The Trump Administration and International Law
- Transnational Litigation in United States Courts
- The National Security Constitution
Research Interests
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Constitutional Law, Constitutional History, Criminal Procedure
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Legislation and Statutory Interpretation, Constitutional Law, Family Law, Sexuality, Gender, and the Law
Criminal Law, Criminal Procedure, Policing and Public Policy
Contracts, Legal Ethics, Distributive Justice
Contracts, Antitrust, Property, Law and Economics