Thomas M. McDonnell

Education

Professor Thomas M. McDonnell is an expert in international law, and the author of The United States, International Law and the Struggle against Terrorism (Routledge, hard copy 2009; revised paperback ed. 2011). His book discusses the critical legal issues raised by the U.S. responses to the terrorist threat, analyzing the actions taken by the Bush and Obama administrations during the so-called "War on Terrorism" and their compliance with international law. Professor McDonnell highlights specific topics of legal interest including torture, extra-judicial detentions, targeted-killing-drone strikes, the invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq, and examines them against the backdrop of terrorist movements that have plagued Britain and Russia. The book extrapolates from the actions of the U.S., going on to look at the difficulties all modern democracies face in trying to combat international terrorism. Listen to Professor McDonnell talk about his book here.

Professor McDonnell has written scholarly articles on international law, international human rights law, international refugee law, lawyering, and legal writing and research. He was the principal author of an amicus curiae brief to the New York Court of Appeals on a right to counsel issue. Professor McDonnell teaches International Law, International Human Rights Law, Immigration Law, and Criminal Law, and helps coach the Jessup International Moot Court Team.

Before joining the Pace faculty, Professor McDonnell was Director of the Department of Legal Research and Writing and Appellate Advocacy at the University of Florida College of Law. Prior to that, he was Acting Director of the Legal Skills Program at California Western School of Law. He has also taught legal research and writing, as well as pretrial and appellate advocacy, at University of Puget Sound School of Law. Admitted in New York and California, Professor McDonnell has worked in Legal Services, representing the indigent, and in private practice.  For Legal Services, he practiced consumer, immigration, and housing law.  As a private practitioner, he focused on consumer law, immigration law, social security law, and criminal appeals.

Professor McDonnell is the Chair-Elect of the International Human Rights Law Section of the American Association of Law Schools (“AALS”) and is a member of the AALS International Law Section’s Executive Committee. He has previously chaired the AALS International Law Section and the AALS Section on Legal Writing, Reasoning and Research. He also previously served as the Co-Chair of the Teaching International Law Interest Group of the American Society of International Law (ASIL).