Kish Parella to Deliver Class of 1960 Professor of Ethics and Law Lecture Parella’s talk “International Law in the Boardroom” will be held Sept. 17.

By Law Communications
September 9, 2024

Washington and Lee University law professor Kish Parella will present a public lecture in recognition of her appointment as the Class of 1960 Professor of Ethics and Law. The free talk will be held on Tuesday, Sept. 17 at 4:00 p.m. in the Millhiser Moot Court Room, Sydney Lewis Hall.

Titled “International Law in the Boardroom,” Parella’s lecture will explore how corporate actors shape global affairs through their own versions of foreign policy.

“CEOs make public statements about the actions of foreign governments, companies provide aid to civilians affected by conflicts or disasters, and sometimes they choose to leave countries even when their home governments have not imposed sanctions,” said Parella. “Additionally, some corporations adhere to international treaties that the U.S. has not signed or ratified. As a result, corporate behavior is now a significant factor in the realm of international law, which was originally intended for states.”

Parella says this shift raises critical questions for corporate leaders, business lawyers, and international policymakers: Why do corporations follow international law? Which international laws do they adhere to, and which do they disregard? Who is responsible for enforcing international law against corporations, and why do these corporations heed their directives? How can corporate executives better prepare their organizations to comply with international legal standards?

The Class of 1960 professorship seeks to honor and recognize a W&L faculty member whose teaching and scholarship include ethics, honor, integrity, honesty and applications of ethical reasoning in addressing contemporary issues. Parella has written extensively on corporate accountability and ethics, particularly as those issues apply to global value chains, and served as the Mudd Center Faculty Fellow from 2016-2017, when the center explored “Markets and Morals” as its theme.

Parella is a recognized expert on business and human rights, serving on the boards of directors for Corporate Accountability Lab and the Global Business and Human Rights Scholars Association. She is also an International Research Fellow for Oxford University’s Centre for Corporate Reputation. Parella served as a co-chair of the 2022 American Society of International Law (ASIL) annual meeting, which allowed her to organize a global, interdisciplinary conversation on emerging issues in international law. In 2024, Parella was elected to serve a three-year term on ASIL’s Executive Council.

Parella’s research explores different levers for encouraging corporate responsibility such as board governance, responsible contracting, reputational risk and supply chain compliance. Her scholarship has appeared or is forthcoming in Cornell Law Review, Duke Law Journal, Vanderbilt Law Review, Notre Dame Law Review and the peer-reviewed Journal of International Economic Law and the American Business Law Journal, among others. Her research on corporate social responsibility has been widely recognized by both academic and practitioner communities. Three of her articles were selected for presentation at the prestigious Stanford/Harvard/Yale Junior Faculty Forum in consecutive years. Additionally, the peer-reviewed American Business Law Journal awarded Parella its 2021 Ralph C. Hoeber Award for Excellence in Research for her article, “Protecting Third Parties in Contracts.”

Parella joined the W&L Law faculty in 2013. In addition to teaching seminars on corporate social responsibility, she teaches courses on torts, contracts, business associations, international business law and global compliance. Prior to joining the legal academy, Parella practiced international arbitration and litigation at Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP.

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