The Southwestern Institute for International and Comparative Law's premier event is the Academy of American and International Law. Since 1964, this multi-week program has attracted over 3,300 participants from 121 countries. Through its extraordinary classroom and extracurricular schedule, the Academy offers opportunities to forge valuable international relationships that last a lifetime.

The Academy is an activity-packed program designed for non-U.S. lawyers or legal professionals. It provides a substantive introduction to the U.S. legal system and international business transactions. International, regional, and local law firms have used the Academy to train their lawyers so that they may better represent and interact with U.S. based clients or handle transactions involving U.S. laws. Similarly, U.S. and international companies have utilized the Academy to train their non-U.S. legal professionals so that they better understand U.S. laws and international legal systems, which allows them to work more efficiently with their U.S. counterparts and to better meet the needs of companies based in or with substantial business in the U.S. or other parts of the globe. Participants have also attended the Academy to prepare to attend an LL.M. program in the U.S.

During the Academy, participants from more than 20 countries study and socialize together, learning from an impressive faculty and from each other. They receive instruction from some of the best teachers and practitioners of international law from U.S. law schools, law firms, and corporations. Past participants have become President of the General Assembly of the United Nations, Prime Minister of Peru, Chief Justice of the Philippines, Chief Justice of Italy’s Court of Cassation and much more.

The practical curriculum includes both skills training and substantive law subjects. Topics include legal writing, negotiations, international arbitration and litigation, international business transactions, mergers and acquisitions, international taxation, intellectual property, human rights and business, cybersecurity, and more.