James Crawford: His Legacy and Impact on International Law in Australia and Globally

Scholars and practitioners of international law mourned a true great with the passing of Judge of the International Court of Justice (ICJ), James Richard Crawford AC SC FBA (1948–2021).1 James Crawford’s passing was particularly poignant for Australian international lawyers given his critical role in international law in Australia as a teacher, scholar and advocate over many decades.2 His impact in all of those roles can be found throughout the pages of the Australian Year Book of International Law for over thirty-four years,3 and in the articles that follow. He was made Companion of the Order of Australia in 2013 for ‘eminent service to the law through significant contributions to international and constitutional legal practice, reform and arbitration, and as a leading jurist, academic and author’.4 Crawford’s encyclopedic command of international law and his enduring influence on its development inspire awe in generations of international lawyers. He served as judge, academic, advocate, expert (for both international and domestic law reform bodies and in international cases), teacher and mentor. Crawford’s intellectual legacy is significant in many fields, including state responsibility, statehood and the law of the sea.