We meet Lena Raxter, writer, international law enthusiast, and winner of the winner of the 2025 Young ITA Writing Competition, during the 37th ITA Annual Conference and Workshop.
Lena shares her journey from studying veterinary science to obtaining JDs in Canada and the U.S. and an award-winning legal scholar. She discusses her paper on the Crimea cases dealing with the 2014 annexation by Russia, which has sparked scholarly debate on territorial jurisdiction in international law.
Lena recounts her diverse educational background, international experiences, and her path to law through American University. She emphasizes the importance of passion in a law career and shares insights from her multicultural perspective, as well as her love for animals.
STORY
00:00 Sound Check
00:18 Sleep Habits and Excel Skills
01:29 Winning the Writing Contest
03:09 The Crimea Cases and Territorial Jurisdiction
05:13 Journey to International Arbitration
05:25 From Vet Dreams to Law School
13:38 Navigating Law School and Career Advice
18:11 Living Abroad and Cultural Insights
21:28 Pets and Personal Life
23:04 Conclusion
BIOGRAPHY
Lena Raxter is a dual-qualified lawyer (District of Columbia, USA; Ontario, Canada) and an international dispute specialist who earned an Advanced LL.M. in International Dispute Settlement and Arbitration from Leiden University (cum laude) and J.D. degrees from American University WCL and the University of Ottawa. She currently serves as Legal Advisor to ILC Member Claudio Grossman and as an Attorney-Advisor in the Office of the General Counsel at the U.S. International Trade Commission, after internships and roles at the ILC, ICSID, the Inter-American Court of Human Rights, the UN Office of Legal Affairs, and related clinics. Lena pairs strong academic credentials with practical experience in investor-state and public international law.
LINKS
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lenaraxter/
Paper: "Responsibility After Succession: The Work of the International Law Commission and its Application for Seeking Redress after the Breach of Investor-State Agreements" https://itainreview.org/articles/2025/Vol7/Issue2/jurisdiction-ratione-loci-the-effect-of-the-crimea-cases-on-analyzing-territorial-jurisdiction-in-situations-of-occupation-and-annexation.html
CIArb Winner Announcement: https://www.ciarbnab.com/lena-raxter-wins-second-annual-writing-competition/
