The CISDL’s Annual International Legal Specialist Awards recognize the outstanding contributions of recipients to key topics in international law which contribute to the achievement of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, including climate change, human rights, biodiversity, trade and investment, peace, justice and governance, natural resources and health. Through their knowledge, professional skills and insights, recipients of the CISDL International Legal Specialist Awards demonstrate a serious, significant longstanding commitment to advancing peace, justice and sustainable development in the world.
Natural Resources Programme
Adv Katherine Lofts
Advocate Katherine Lofts is the managing director of Nomomente Institute, a legal officer for the One Justice Project, former White & Case, Mumbai Community Outreach Programme, former executive editor of the International
Journal of Sustainable Development Law and Policy.
Climate Change Programme
Adv Hafijul Khan
Advocate Hafijul Khan is a climate negotiator with the Least Developed Countries Group on loss and damages with the Bangladesh delegation, is the Director of the Centre for Climate Justice in Bangladesh, a Senior Fellow at the Centre for International Governance Innovation, A National Consultant for the UNFCCC and Adjunct Professor at North South University.
Trade, Investment & Finance Programme
Adv Erick Kassongo 
Advocate Erick Kassongo is the Executive Director of the Centre Congolais poue le Droit du Developpement Durable in the Democratic Republic of Congo. He has been an Expert-Member at the Working Group on Extractive Industries of the African Commission since 2014, Legal Research Fellow at the Centre for International Sustainable Development Law and Staff Attorney at Environment Law Alliance Worldwide.
Human Rights Programme
Adv William Shipley 
Advocate William Shipley is a recently-licensed attorney in New York with seven years’ professional experience in labor arbitration, representation and union governance. He has been engaged with the Centre for International Sustainable Development Law for over nine years and is the Program Manager for the Human Rights Programme.
Peace, Justice & Governance Programme
Adv Freedom-Kai Phillips 
Advocate Freedom-Kai Phillips, BSc honors (E. Michigan), MA (Seton Hall), LLB (Dalhousie), LLM (Ottawa), is a PhD Candidate at the University of Cambridge, Operations Director and a Legal Research Fellow with the Centre for International Sustainable Development Law (CISDL), and a member of the IUCN World Commission on Environmental Law. Mr. Phillips has most recently served as Senior Research Associate with the International Law Research Program (ILRP) at the Centre for International Governance Innovation (CIGI), and previously as Interim Director of the Centre for Law Technology and Society at the University of Ottawa Faculty of Law, and Legal Researcher for the Ramsar Convention Secretariat. His research focuses on access and benefit sharing (ABS), governance of marine and terrestrial biodiversity, ocean climate interfaces, carbon offsetting and renewable energy promotion, and legal measures to support the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Health Law Programme
Dr Dane Ratliff 
Dr. Dane Ratliff is an environmental law, international business and dispute resolution consultant for both governments and private actors. He is also a professor at Emory and Henry colleges and formerly served as the director of the Commissions for Environmental Cooperation (CEC) Submissions on Enforcement Matters Unit, and Lead Counsel at the Permanent Court of Arbitration at The Hague.