Stephen J. Petras, Jr.

Stephen J. Petras, Jr. serves as an Adjunct Professor in the International LL.M. program at Case Western Reserve University School of Law, concurrently holding leadership roles as Director of the Frederick K. Cox International Law Center and U.S. Director of the Canada-United States Law Institute. He also chairs the Council of the Great Lakes Region and serves as Vice Chair of the World Affairs Councils of America, driving bi-national initiatives across the Great Lakes economic corridor.

His academic foundation includes a Juris Doctorate from Case Western Reserve University School of Law (1979) and a Bachelor’s Degree in Physics from Wittenberg University (1976), blending scientific rigor with legal expertise.

Mr. Petras specializes in transnational legal frameworks governing U.S.-Canada relations, with concentrated focus on Great Lakes watershed protection, cross-border trade infrastructure, and regional economic resilience. Through the Council of the Great Lakes Region, he orchestrates policy research and sector dialogues that address climate adaptation, supply chain integration, and binational environmental governance—positioning the region as a model for sustainable cross-border collaboration.

Key recognitions include:

• Adjunct Professor of the Year (2017)
• Ohio Commodore appointment by Governor Voinovich
• U.S. Secretary of Commerce appointment to the Northern Ohio District Export Council

His advisory impact spans decades of institutional leadership: chairing the Cleveland Council on World Affairs, leading BakerHostetler’s International Industry Team (1998-2012), and founding roles in the Canada-United States Law Institute. Though no specific research grants are detailed, his Export Council appointment demonstrates federal trust in advancing trade policy. Current strategic initiatives center on the annual Great Lakes Economic Forum, where public-private partnerships develop actionable frameworks for binational competitiveness.

Mr. Petras directs the Frederick K. Cox International Law Center’s academic programming while steering the Council of the Great Lakes Region’s multi-sector consortium—which includes mayors, CEOs, and Indigenous leaders—to advance shared prosperity metrics and environmental stewardship benchmarks across the eight-state/three-province region.