Professor Sterio Co-Hosts International Law Chats Podcast

Professor Milena Sterio co-hosted a new episode of the International Law Chats podcast, a monthly podcast by the American Branch of the International Law Association co-hosted by Professor Sterio, Professor Chiara Giorgetti (University of Richmond Law School), and Alison McDonald, KC.  The episode, published on Feb. 2, 2026, featured as guest Professor Harold Koh, Yale Law School, speaking on “The Future of the International Legal Order.”  Professor Koh is the most highly cited international legal scholar; he is former dean of Yale Law School as well as former Legal Advisor to the U.S. State Department.

Professor Sterio Invited to Publish on Autonomous Weapons Systems in Australian Journal

Professor Milena Sterio has been invited to submit an article to La Trobe University’s (Melbourne, Australia) inaugural volume of the La Trobe University Law Review. The volume will focus on the theme “AI on the Battlefield: Navigating Legal and Ethical Frontiers in 21st Century Conflict,” and Professor Sterio’s article will focus on the issue of individual criminal responsibility for operators of autonomous weapons systems which use AI.

Professor Sterio to Publish on Use of AI in Autonomous Weapons

Professor Milena Sterio has accepted a publication offer from the American University International Law Review, one of the most prestigious international law journals, for her article “Artificial Intelligence, the Use of Autonomous Weapons, and Individual Criminal Responsibility: A Paradox or a Possibility.”  The article will be published in the journal’s forthcoming 2026 issue.

Professor Sterio Ranked in International Law Scholarly Impact Rankings by Hein Online

Professor Milena Sterio ranks 39th in the United States in Scholarly Impact Rankings for International Law scholars, according to Hein Online. Hein Online publishes a list of top 100 scholars by subject area, and Professor Sterio is listed in the International Law Impact Rankings. The impact rankings are based on the number of citations, as well as additional factors.  

Professor Sterio Participates as Expert in Training of Ukrainian Prosecutors and Judges in Poland

Professor Milena Sterio participated as an expert in a week-long training of Ukrainian judges and prosecutors on International Humanitarian Law, War Crimes Prosecutions, and International Environmental Law, from January 19-23, in Rzeszów, Poland. 

The training was organized by the International Bar Association, and the expert team, in addition to Professor Sterio, consisted of professors and practitioners from the United Kingdom, Brazil, Chile, and the United States.  Professor Sterio delivered two presentations about the sources of International Humanitarian Law and the fundamental principles of International Humanitarian Law.  In addition, she also led several discussion groups and simulated exercises, where she guided Ukrainian colleagues across various evidentiary challenges as they relate to complex war crimes trials.  This was Professor Sterio’s second trip to Poland as an expert; she had previously participated in a similar training in September 2024.

Professor Sterio (front row, far right) with other experts at the training program.
Professor Sterio presenting on the Principle of Distinction during a training session for Ukrainian judges and prosecutors in Rzeszów, Poland.

Professors Sterio and Shen Speak at a Public Forum on Venezuela at CSU College of Law

Professors  Milena Sterio and Kyle Shen spoke at a public forum at the CSU College of Law on January 13, on the topic of “The U.S. Attacks Against Venezuela: Does Might Make Right?” The event was recorded and is available on demand.

Professors Sterio and Shen discussed various international law issues related to the January 3 U.S. attack against Venezuela, as well as the kidnapping of Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro and his wife.  Some of the international law topics discussed included use of force issues under the United Nations Charter and related customary law; jurisdiction to enforce; the ability of federal courts to prosecute defendants who had been forcibly brought to the U.S.; recognition of governments; and head-of-state immunity.  In addition, Professors Sterio and Shen discussed the global implications of U.S. actions in Venezuela, and the risks associated therewith from a multi-lateral geo-political perspective.  

This event was sponsored by CSU College of Law’s International Law Center.  

Professor Sterio Participates in Legal Face-Off Radio Program

Professor Milena Sterio participated in an episode of the Legal Face-Off Radio Program on Chicago’s WGN station.  In this episode, Professor Sterio was interviewed regarding the legality of U.S. action in Venezuela, including the kidnapping of Venezuela’s President Maduro, as well as the prosecution of Maduro and his wife in the Southern District of New York.  The episode is available on the WGN Radio website, as well as on various social media: 

Professor Sterio concluded that the U.S. actions in Venezuela were illegal under international law as they violated the U.N. Charter as well as corresponding customary law, which bans states from using force against each other.  Professor Sterio also opined that the U.S. prosecution of Maduro in the Southern District of New York will most likely proceed.  She explained that U.S. federal district court judges tend to defer to the executive branch on matters implicating foreign relations and national security. Moreover, there is Supreme Court precedent confirming that a forcibly kidnapped defendant can nonetheless be prosecuted in U.S. court, and precedent from the 1989-90 Panama situation, where the leader of Panama, General Noriega, was prosecuted by U.S. court despite his claims of sovereign immunity.  Last, Professor Sterio discussed legal issues surrounding the enforcement of arrest warrants extra-territorially; she concluded that jurisdiction to enforce is purely territorial under international law and that the U.S. violated international law when it arrested Maduro in Venezuela.  

Professor Debbie Hoffman Publishes on Digital Assets and Estate Planning

Professor Deborah Hoffman, Visiting Assistant Professor of Law at CSU Law, has published an article titled “Digital Assets and Estate Planning: Preventing and Resolving Trust and Probate Challenges,” co-authored with Wesley Brandi, CTO of Praefortis. The article appears in the January/February 2026 issue of ABA Probate & Property, a publication of the American Bar Association’s Real Property, Trust and Estate Law Section.

The article addresses the growing intersection of digital assets and traditional estate planning, as cryptocurrencies, NFTs, and other blockchain-based holdings become increasingly common in trusts and probate proceedings. It explores the unique challenges these assets present, including inventory and documentation gaps, access issues involving private keys and recovery phrases, and limitations fiduciaries may face under federal and state law.

The article also speaks to practical strategies for estate planners and fiduciaries, including drafting trust provisions that authorize access and management of digital assets, planning for secure custody and recovery, and anticipating disputes that may arise when assets are missing, inaccessible, or alleged to be misappropriated. It is aimed at trusts and estates attorneys, fiduciaries, and litigators navigating the legal and technical realities of digital wealth.

Professor Sterio Presents at the AALS; Elected Treasurer of International Law Section

Professor Sterio presented on six different panels at the AALS Annual Meeting in New Orleans.  

On January 6, she spoke on a Hot Topics panel entitled “Ukrainian Resilience on the Front Lines of Democracy: What is the Role of International Law?.  On January 7, she spoke on a panel entitled “Declaring a Climate Emergency,” where she focused on the recent rulings by international and regional courts establishing that there is a human right to live in a healthy environment. 

Also on January 7, Professor Sterio spoke on a late-breaking panel, which she also organized, on “Maduro’s Capture and the Venezuelan Incursion: Untying the Legal Knots?”  On January 8, she presented at two teaching/pedagogy panels, on the topics of “Teaching Human Rights: From Specialized Courses to Doctrinal Integration” and “Teaching International Law & Intergroup Dialogue in Challenging Times” (Professor Sterio organized the latter panel as well).  Finally, also on January 8, Professor Sterio provided comments to a junior scholar on a panel entitled “New Voices in International Human Rights and International Law.”  

Professor Sterio was also elected Treasurer of the International Law Section; she continues to serve on the Executive Committees of the International Human Rights Law and the National Security Law Sections, where she is past chair.  

Professor Sterio Publishes Blog Post on Venezuela

On January 6, Professor Milena Sterio published a blog post on Opinio Juris, a leading international law blog, where she discussed the legality of the U.S. attacks against Venezuela and the related abduction of Nicolas Maduro. Her post is titled “The United States’ Attack Against Venezuela: Might Does Not Make Right.”

Professor Sterio concludes that the U.S. violated Article 2(4) of the United Nations Charter, as well as customary law, when it launched its January 3 attack against Venezuela, and when it kidnapped then-Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro. Professor Sterio also concludes that this type of military intervention by a Great Power represents problematic policy, as it opens the door to other similar interventions across the world.