Raj Bhala Keynote Speaker

Raj Bhala is one of the world’s foremost experts on international trade, widely recognized for blending scholarly depth with practical, results-driven insights. He holds the inaugural Brenneisen Distinguished Professorship at the University of Kansas School of Law, where he teaches International Trade Law, Law and Literature, and Islamic Law. A Fulbright Specialist and member of the U.S. State Department’s Speaker Program, he has taught globally and is among Ingram’s “50 Kansans You Should Know.” ​

Raj practiced international banking law at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, earning the President’s Award for Excellence on two occasions for his service as a U.S. delegate to UNCITRAL. He also served as Senior Advisor to Dentons, advising governments, multinational corporations, and NGOs on WTO law, free trade agreements, and American trade measures. A graduate of Harvard Law School (cum laude), he completed Master’s degrees at the London School of Economics and Oxford as a Marshall Scholar, and earned his undergraduate degree at Duke (summa cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa). ​

An active member of the London-based IBA, the Tokyo-based IPBA, the Royal Society for Asian Affairs, the Council on Foreign Relations, and the Indian Society of International Law, Raj’s influence spans continents. He has authored 13 books and over 100 articles, notably the eight-volume International Trade Law: A Comprehensive E-Textbook, now in its sixth edition and free to access. In 2024, he received the Shulenburger Award for Innovation & Advocacy in Scholarly Communication for his efforts to make legal education more accessible. Through his engaging “Big Idea” presentations, he connects high-level trade policy to the timeless lessons of Shakespeare’s stage, showcasing a liberal arts approach that inspires, informs, and equips global audiences for the challenges of rapidly shifting trade landscapes.