Polish Contributions to International Criminal Law on Tuesday, March 3, 2026, 1:30 p.m. ET/ 19:30 CET.date: 2026-03-03
The Jagiellonian Law Society in collaboration with the Kosciuszko Foundation will present a scholarly webinar on Polish Contributions to International Criminal Law on Tuesday, March 3, 2026, 1:30 p.m. ET/ 19:30 CET.
The program features the legal scholars and co-authors of the book Professors Patrycja Grzebyk, Bartłomiej Krzan, and Karolina Wierczyńska who examine enduring influence on the development of international criminal law of Poland. Moderated by a JLS President, a member of the KF National Advisory Council, and the KF Philadelphia Chapter, dr. Elizabeth M. Zechenter, JD, PhD, the discussion will challenge traditional narratives that attribute the field’s evolution exclusively to the Great Powers.
The event is free and open to the public. Spots are limited. Registration is required.
TO register: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_nL0b8fRNRO-EYoIrZbHntw#/registration
Abstract of the webinar:
Polish contributions to international law are both historically and substantively important. In fact, the early articulation of the ius gentium doctrine dates back to Pawel Włodkowic and Stanislaw from Skarbimierz in the 16th century. Poland has also helped shape key modern international legal norms and institutions. This webinar will focus primarily on the input of Polish lawyers, judges, and Polish institutions into the practice and theory of modern international criminal law.
The prevalent view in the West has been that international criminal law is a creation solely of the Great Powers, who imposed the Nuremberg Principles after World War II. The recently published monograph, Polish Contributions to International Criminal Law, authored by Patrycja Grzebyk, Bartłomiej Krzan, and Karolina Wierczyńska, breaks with this simplistic perspective. We are fortunate to host the authors of this recent book — namely, Professors Patrycja Grzebyk, Bartłomiej Krzan, and Karolina Wierczyńska. Dr Elizabeth M. Zechenter will moderate the webinar.
The webinar will focus primarily on three pillars of the modern Polish contributions to the international criminal law: diplomacy, legislation and courts, and legal theory.
First, we will present how the Polish engagement was critical in formulating the first concrete legal demands for individual prosecution during the negotiations on the Versailles Treaty. We will also describe – as an example – the Polish contribution to the creation of the 1948 Genocide Convention.
Second, we will examine the adoption of various innovative legislative acts by Polish authorities, which introduced definitions of international crimes. We will examine Polish judicial practice, demonstrating how Polish courts have tried and, indeed, influenced the development of international criminal law. We will also show that Polish courts were the first to judge genocide, crimes against humanity, and the crime of aggression, even before the announcement of the Nuremberg judgment by the International Military Tribunal.
Finally, the panel will discuss the role of academia and various publications by Polish authors in shaping principles of international criminal responsibility for individual persons. It will explain the role Polish scholars played in the development of international criminal law and the main centers of international criminal law debates in Poland during the first century of the Polish state, from the moment of regaining independence in 1918.
FEATURED SPEAKERS:
Karolina Wierczyńska, Dr. habil. iur., is an Associate Professor at the Institute of Law Studies of the Polish Academy of Sciences, where she also serves as Director of the Center for Research on International Criminal Law. She is a member of the Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ advisory board on international law and Deputy Editor-in-Chief of the Polish Yearbook of International Law. Her research focuses on international criminal law, the International Criminal Court, and the challenges facing the multilateral legal order. She has published extensively with leading international publishers and journals, has been a visiting professor at institutions including the University of Cologne and the Lauterpacht Centre for International Law in Cambridge, and regularly participates in international academic and policy-oriented forums.
Patrycja Grzebyk, Dr. habil. iur., is an Associate Professor at the Faculty of Political Science and International Studies, University of Warsaw, specializing in international humanitarian law, international criminal law, the use of force, and international courts. She serves on the advisory board of the Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, is a member of the Board of the European Society of International Law, and is President of the Network on Humanitarian Action (NOHA). She is Editor-in-Chief of ESIL Reflections and the Journal of International Humanitarian Action. Prof. Grzebyk has acted as legal adviser to Poland before the International Court of Justice and authored expert analyses for state institutions. She has published widely with leading academic presses and is a frequent visiting scholar and international speaker.
Bartłomiej Krzan, Dr. habil. iur., is a University Professor at the Department of International and European Law, Faculty of Law, Administration and Economics, University of Wrocław, Poland. He also serves as Vice-Dean for Research and International Cooperation and contributes to legal education by teaching courses, including Public International Law. His academic work focuses on international criminal law, EU law, international dispute settlement, and other aspects of the international legal order, with numerous publications in respected journals and edited volumes. Krzan is engaged in scholarly research and participates in academic events, contributing to the development of international legal scholarship. He has been appointed to the Advisory Legal Committee to the Polish Minister of Foreign Affairs, offering expertise in international and European law.
Elizabeth M. Zechenter, Ph.D., J.D. is a U.S.-educated international attorney, social scientist, published author, and public speaker with extensive experience in international law, human rights, and the rule of law. She is currently a visiting scholar at Emory University. Born in Poland and educated in the United States, she practiced law at Hogan & Hartson (now Hogan Lovells), Morgan Lewis, and GlaxoSmithKline, where she served as Assistant General Counsel in international legal leadership roles. Admitted in Pennsylvania and Washington, D.C., she speaks five languages. Dr. Zechenter also holds an M.A. from Emory University and a Ph.D. from UCLA, where her research focused on social complexity and cultural evolution. She has led major international research projects, taught at leading universities, and remains actively engaged in global human rights and legal advocacy.