Laura Spitz

Laura Spitz is the Vice Provost for Global Engagement and Professor of Law at Seattle University, with a concurrent role as a regular Visiting Professor at Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne Law School. She holds a BA in History from the University of Toronto (1989), a JD from the University of British Columbia (1993), and a PhD in Law from Cornell University (2006).

Her research focuses on the law’s role in shaping borders, identities, and the intersection between legal systems and Indigenous frameworks. Key areas include corporate social responsibility, international commercial law, and the critique of legal subjecthood in environmental contexts. She has held leadership roles, including Vice Provost for International Affairs at Cornell University (2015-2018) and Carl Hatch Endowed Professorship at the University of New Mexico.

Her scholarship bridges legal theory and practice, addressing topics such as colonialism’s impact on legal systems, North American integration, and corporate liability. Notable awards include the 1993 Canadian National Association of Women and the Law Prize for her essay on gendered legal discourse.

Prof. Spitz advises on commercial transactions, tax law, and Indigenous economic development. She has taught at institutions including Emory University and the University of Ottawa, and her work frequently intersects with vulnerability theory and constitutional pluralism.