Does International Law Still Matter? Trinity Minds on Hot Topics
With David Hughes
Date: Thursday, March 5, 2026
Time: 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm, Toronto time
Cost: Free (RSVP required)
Location: Trinity College - Seeley Hall, 6 Hoskin Ave, Toronto, ON M5S 1H8
About the Event
Does International Law Still Matter? In these turbulent geopolitical times, we all have questions as we seek to better understand the changing world around us. Join Trinity alumni, faculty, and experts to explore the strengths, limitations and impact of international law in an increasingly complex global landscape. The evening will begin with a moderated panel discussion, followed by an audience Q&A and a reception to connect and continue the conversation.
This is the second in a new public lecture series, Trinity Minds on Hot Topics, designed to spark meaningful conversations on timely issues while showcasing experts within the Trinity Community.
PANELISTS:
Ljiljana Stanic ’10
Ljiljana is a partner at McCarthy Tétrault LLP, where her practice focuses on complex commercial and shareholder disputes, including securities litigation, fraud, and fiduciary and trust-related matters. She also advises domestic and international clients on international trade, sanctions, and export control compliance and enforcement.
Michael A. Smith ’87
Michael is a partner at Broadfield Law in New York, where his practice focuses on capital markets, cross-border M&A, fund formation, and Islamic finance. He advises private equity firms, financial institutions, sovereign wealth funds, and natural resource companies on complex international transactions across North America, Europe, and the Middle East.
Amb. Dr. Namira Negm, leading expert
Amb. Dr. Namira Negm is a leading international law scholar and diplomat whose career has been dedicated to strengthening multilateral legal institutions. She is the first Director of the African Migration Observatory and Honorary President of the African Society for International Law. More details can be found here.
Olabisi D. Akinkugbe, leading expert
Olabisi D. Akinkugbe is the Purdy Crawford Chair in Business Law and Associate Professor at the Schulich School of Law, Dalhousie University. A scholar of public international law and international economic law, his research examines issues at the intersection of human rights, law and development, international courts, and regional economic integration in Africa and the Global South. More details can be found here.
MODERATOR:
David Hughes
David Hughes teaches in the Ethics, Society & Law program at Trinity College, University of Toronto and in the first-year program at Osgoode Hall Law School. From 2022 to 2024, he was an Assistant Professor at the Canadian Forces College. Before that, he was the Trebek Postdoctoral Fellow at the University of Ottawa. He holds a PhD from Osgoode Hall Law School, during which time he spent two years at the University of Michigan Law School as a Grotius Research Fellow. David has written about various topics and themes relating to international law, which have appeared in several leading journals.
Registration is required to enjoy this free event. Register now