Professor Donald Rothwell

Donald R Rothwell is Professor of International Law at the ANU College of Law, Australian National University where he has taught since July 2006. His research has a specific focus on ocean legal governance (law of the sea), polar legal governance, and Australia's engagement with international legal governance and structures as reflected in over 200 articles, book chapters and notes in international and Australian publications. Rothwell has authored, co-authored or edited 30 books including most recently the Elgar Concise Encyclopedia of Polar Law (2025), and Islands and International Law (Hart, 2022). Major works include The International Law of the Sea 3rd (Hart, 2023) with Tim Stephens; and The Oxford Handbook of the Law of the Sea (Oxford, 2015) co-edted with Oude Elferink, Scott and Stephens. Rothwell has since 2007 been an Editor of the Australian Year Book of International Law. In 2012 he was appointed as Rapporteur of the International Law Association (ILA) Committee on Baselines under the International Law of the Sea, and is curently Chair of the ILA Study Group on International Law, Human Rights and Islands. He has acted as a consultant or been a member of expert groups for UNEP, UNDP, IUCN, the Australian Government, and acted as advisor to the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW). In 2012 Rothwell was also appointed an inaugural ANU Public Policy Fellow by the ANU Vice-Chancellor, Professor Ian Young. He is a regular media commentator on international law issues.