Reparations: Comparing U.S. Efforts and International Approaches

By Jonelys (Nelly) Lozano

Nelly Lozano graduated from Albany Law School in May 2026. Prior to attending law school, Nelly graduated from the State University of New York at New Paltz where she majored in Sociology and minored in Black Studies. She then gained hands-on experience working on the in-house legal teams at SONY and KIND before attending law school.

During law school, Nelly served as the Managing Editor for Symposium on the Albany Law Journal of Science and Technology. She also worked as both a Summer Associate and part-time law clerk with Barclay Damon LLP. 

Since passing the bar exam, Nelly joined Barclay Damon’s Intellectual Property practice area, focusing on Trademarks, Copyright and Licensing.

Reparations are a recognized principle of international law and justice and have been used by governments to provide remedy for victims of human rights violations and other forms of state-sanctioned harm. As calls for reparations for victims of the transatlantic slave trade and slavery in the United States have gained momentum globally, questions remain regarding how reparations should be justified and what forms those reparations should take.

This paper examines historical and current U.S. reparations efforts for addressing slavery through a comparative analysis of reparations programs implemented by Germany and Japan following World War II. Specifically, it analyzes how each country justified reparations and the factors that shaped the forms those reparations ultimately took.

Through this comparison, the paper demonstrates that many reparations measures could provide meaningful redress for the harms of slavery in the U.S. However, the scale and severity of slavery, the passage of time, the absence of domestic and international law at the time it occurred and continued political and social opposition to reparations distinguish the U.S. from other reparations efforts and complicate the search for a proper remedy..

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To read the paper, open HERE.

International Law Studies Staff, 2026 - 2027

Director

Vincent M. Bonventre 

Student Editorial Board, 2026 - 2027
Editor-in-Chief

Sophie Nye is a third-year law student at Albany Law School. She is serving as the Executive Editor for Coordinating & Operation for Vol. 89 of the Albany Law Review.

Sophie received her Bachelor of Arts degree from Boston University in Political Science with a minor in Journalism. While at Boston University she studied abroad in Geneva, Switzerland, where she studied global governance, economic development, and human rights.

During her 1L summer, Sophie worked as a Legal Fellow at the Offices of the New York State Inspector General, and this past summer she worked as a Summer Associate at the Barclay Damon, LLP.

In her free time, Sophie enjoys figure skating, traveling, and hiking in the Adirondacks.

Executive Editor

Anthony K. Brent is a third-year law student at Albany Law School. Prior to attending Albany Law Anthony served in the United States Air Force on Active Duty as a Traffic Management Technician. He attended Regent University and graduated  with a Bachelors in Biblical and Theological Studies.

During his 2L Summer, Anthony worked as a Army JAG Corps Summer Associate at Fort Lee, Virginia. He was accepted by the Army JAG Corps Early Entry Program and plans to continue his military service with the Army as a JAG Officer after graduation.

He currently works as an intern with Albany Law Schools Family Violence Litigation Clinic. He is primarily interested in criminal law, national security law, and military justice.

In his free time, Anthony enjoys hiking, fishing, crabbing (when he’s home in Maryland), and traveling.

Executive Editor

Avery C. Fenton is a second-year law student at Albany Law School. She received her Bachelor of Arts degree from Fairfield University in Politics, with an additional major in International Studies and minors in Humanitarian Action, Peace and Justice, French, and Health. While at Fairfield, she studied abroad in Aix-en-Provence, France, where she took courses on French Colonialism in the Middle East and North Africa, International Law and Politics of Armed Conflict, and Contemporary French.

Prior to attending law school, Avery worked as a legal assistant at Cioffi, Slezak, Wildgrube P.C. During her 1L summer, she worked as a Summer Associate at Whiteman Osterman & Hanna LLP, and she looks forward to continuing to develop her professional skills there again next summer.

Avery is currently a Sponsler Fellow teaching assistant for Professor Armstrong's Torts class. She is also a subeditor for Volume 90 of the Albany Law Review.

In her free time, Avery enjoys yoga, traveling, and going to concerts.

Executive Editor

Miah A. Idzi is a third-year student at Albany Law School. She is currently an Executive Managing Editor for Volume 90 of Albany Law Review.

Miah graduated from Houghton University in 2023 with a bachelor’s degree in Politics, Philosophy, and Economics, with a minor in History. During her time at Houghton, Miah had the opportunity to study abroad as a member of the London Honors Program.

Following her first year of law school, Miah worked as a judicial intern for Judge Francisco Calderon of the New York State Court of Claims. She then served clients at the Immigration Clinic in the Edward P. Swyer Justice Center at Albany Law School during her second year. This past summer, Miah was the Hon. Hugh C. Humphreys Fellow at the Legal Aid Society of Mid-New York, working in the tenant defense unit.

In her free time, Miah enjoys weightlifting and trying new recipes.

Executive Editor

Maryam H. Jaffri is a third-year law student at Albany Law School. She received her undergraduate degree from Siena University, where she majored in Political Science and minored in History, graduating in three years.

During law school, Maryam has worked with the Legal Aid Society of Northeastern New York and served as an extern with the New York State Office of the Attorney General’s Litigation Bureau. Most recently, she spent her summer interning with the Saratoga County District Attorney’s Office.

Maryam currently serves as President of the Muslim Law Students Association and Secretary of the Asian Pacific American Law Students Association.

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For previous years' boards, click HERE. 

Just War Theories: Western and Eastern Philosophical Foundations

By Marco D. Palumbo

Marco Palumbo is graduating 3L at Albany Law School, Class of 2026. Prior to law school, Marco graduated Summa Cum Laude from University at Albany with a bachelor’s degree in political science and a minor in philosophy.

Marco is also a board member of the law school's club hockey team. Last year, he completed a field placement with the New York State Department of Veterans' Services.

After the bar exam, Marco plans on practicing in the Albany area at RoseWaldorf PLLC.

During the early stages of civilization, commonly devoid of philosophical and political theories, the resort to violence and warfare was not commonly supported by articulated moral principles or systematic logical reasoning. Instead, conflict functioned primarily as a means of survival within harsh and unforgiving environments, where strength and dominance often determined access to essential resources. Only later did societies begin to develop philosophical, ethical, and legal frameworks to justify and regulate war, transforming it from a purely survival-driven activity into one increasingly shaped by normative values.

Much of Western Just War Theory is rooted in the theories of Judeo-Christian philosophers, in particular those of St. Augustine and Thomas Aquinas. However, philosophical traditions in the East—many of which predate Christianity—developed their own theories concerning the moral justification and conduct of war. Eastern perspectives find some of their philosophical foundations in the teachings of Confucianism and Hinduism.

This paper will examine jus in bello principles developed in Western thought and compare those with Eastern perspectives.

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To read the paper, open HERE.

The Security Council’s Veto Power

Irrelevance by Inaction at the United Nations

By Connor Weingarten

Connor Weingarten graduated from Albany Law School in May 2025. He is currently working as an Assistant County Attorney in the Schenectady County Attorney’s Office, representing the Department of Social Services.

During law school, Connor worked for the Schenectady County Attorney’s Office, the New York State Department of Labor, and in the office of New York State Senator Kristen Gonzalez.

The creators of the United Nations Charter conceived that five countries—China, France, the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) [which was succeeded in 1990 by the Russian Federation], the United Kingdom and the United States—because of their key roles in the establishment of the United Nations, would continue to play important roles in the maintenance of international peace and security.

These nations were granted the special status of Permanent Member States at the Security Council, along with a special voting power known as the “right to veto.” It was agreed by the drafters that if any one of the five permanent members cast a negative vote in the 15-member Security Council, the resolution or decision would not be approved.

However, this power has ultimately made the Council powerless. The Council’s standard operating procedure has been inaction, allowing the Permanent Member States to strike down any attempts at intervention which aimed to prevent human suffering and violations of international law across the globe.

This paper explores that inaction, and how without reform, the Council is on the brink of irrelevance.

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To read the paper, open HERE.

Ante “Genocide:” Atrocities Before the Word

By Michael Gerth

Michael Gerth is a 2025 graduate of Albany Law School. Prior to attending Albany Law, Michael earned a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice with a minor in music from Elmira College. During undergrad, Michael also became a member of the Alpha Phi Sigma National Honor Society for criminal justice majors.
Upon graduating law school, Michael accepted a position as an associate for Spence Curnalia PLLC in Chenango County and is actively working toward becoming an ADA. In his free time, Michael enjoys reading, gaming, and spending time with his cat named Duck.

Raphael Lemkin first used the term “Genocide” in 1944 to describe the Holocaust. To many, the Holocaust was the first of its kind, a great atrocity worthy of its own word. Since then, the United Nations has defined “Genocide” as a crime against humanity and has worked to define what acts constitute a genocide. This paper examines several pre-Holocaust atrocities and compares each to the United Nations definition of genocide to determine whether, in a modern view, such atrocities constitute forms of genocide.
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To read the paper, open HERE.