Chimène KeitnerView profile
Professor
Chimène Keitner is the Martin Luther King Jr. Professor of Law at the University of California Davis School of Law, specializing in international law and transnational litigation. She previously served as the 27th Counselor on International Law in the U.S. Department of State, advising on national security and international law issues. Her work focuses on foreign sovereign immunity, human rights jurisdiction, cyber law, and transnational litigation. Education: A.B. History and Literature (magna cum laude), Harvard University, 1996 D.Phil. International Relations, Oxford University, 2001 J.D., Yale Law School, 2002 Her research explores the intersection of law, borders, and communities, with notable contributions on extraterritoriality, refugee rights, and cyber policy. She has testified before Congress and authored influential books like International Law (8th ed., Aspen 2023) and International Law Frameworks (5th ed., West Academic 2021). Her articles address cutting-edge issues such as cyber warfare, foreign election interference, and the limits of sovereign immunity in post-pandemic contexts. Keitner is a member of the American Law Institute and advises the ALI’s Fourth Restatement of Foreign Relations Law. She co-chairs the International Law Association’s Study Group on Individual Responsibility in International Law. Her recent work emphasizes transnational accountability mechanisms and legal responses to digital-age challenges.












