Martin S. Flaherty serves as Leitner Family Professor of International Human Rights Law and Founding Co-Director of the Leitner Center for International Law and Justice at Fordham University School of Law. He holds concurrent positions as Visiting Professor at Princeton University's School of Public and International Affairs, Charles and Marie Robertson Visiting Professor, and teaches at Columbia Law School and Barnard College. His extensive career includes clerkships with Justice Byron R. White of the U.S. Supreme Court and Chief Judge John Gibbons of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit. Flaherty's educational background includes a B.A. summa cum laude from Princeton University, an M.A. and M.Phil. with distinction from Yale University (in history), and a J.D. from Columbia Law School where he served as Book Reviews and Articles Editor of the Columbia Law Review. His research spans constitutional law and history, international human rights, and foreign relations law. Flaherty examines the intersection of judicial power and international affairs, advocating for robust judicial review in foreign policy matters. His work critically analyzes U.S. constitutional interpretation through historical lenses while addressing contemporary human rights challenges in authoritarian regimes and post-colonial contexts. Recent scholarship focuses on Hong Kong's autonomy, drone warfare legality, and academic responsibility in authoritarian states. His publications reveal a consistent focus on constitutional interpretation in foreign affairs, historical analysis of legal doctrines, and human rights protection mechanisms. Key trends include challenging executive power essentialism, examining judicial globalization, and addressing the practical implementation of international human rights standards in domestic legal systems. President of the American Association of the International Commission of Jurists Member of the Council on Foreign Relations Legal Expert Advisor at the Sixth Committee of the United Nations General Assembly Flaherty directs the Leitner Center for International Law and Justice, leading human rights missions to Northern Ireland, Turkey, Hong Kong, Mexico, Malaysia, Kenya, Romania, and China. His advocacy work with Human Rights First and the New York City Bar Association demonstrates significant engagement with practical human rights implementation. His research has been supported by institutional affiliations and publication in premier law journals, though specific grant details aren't provided in the source material. As Founding Co-Director of the Leitner Center, Flaherty oversees a multidisciplinary team focused on international human rights advocacy and education. The Center conducts field missions, produces policy reports, and collaborates with global human rights organizations. His work bridges academic scholarship with practical human rights interventions through this institutional framework.
