Mac Richards is a law student at American University Washington College of Law, focusing on international criminal law and technology law. He has previously worked with the War Crimes Research Office, the Human Rights Brief, and Scouting America, and will be studying international counterterrorism law at the Asser Institute in The Hague.
His research centers on accountability for war crimes and human rights violations under international law, with an emphasis on corporate responsibility in conflict settings. His work has explored issues including atrocities committed during the Russian invasion of Ukraine, international crimes in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and the intersection of business and international criminal liability.
In addition to his academic work, he has contributed to legal blogs and journals, served as a blog writer for the International Criminal Law blog, and will work on post-conflict legal development initiatives through the Lawyering Peace Program. He brings over a decade of national leadership experience in youth development and public service through Scouting America, and has a technical background in IT infrastructure and web systems integration.
Legal Research
Legal Writing & Analysis
Human Rights Advocacy
Policy Analysis
Public Speaking & Communication
Project Management
IT & Infrastructure Support
Cross-Cultural Competence
Collaborative Leadership
Journal: Business Law Review,
Junior Staffer
Activities: Human Rights Brief,
Senior Columns Editor
| War Crimes Research Office,
Blog Writer | Lawyering Peace Program
Study Abroad: T.M.C. Asser Institute, The Hague, NL, June 2025
Minor in Law, Societies, and Justice
overall GPA: 3.61
Honors: Dean's List
Activities: Phi Alpha Delta Pre-Law Fraternity,
Social Committee Member
Awards: Distinguished Service Award
Vol. 28 No. 2 Forthcoming This article examines international legal mechanisms for holding corporations accountable when doing business with sanctioned war criminals. It analyzes the Dodd-Frank Act, the EU Conflict Minerals Regulation, and the Rome Statute, and proposes reforms to address legal gaps.
Apr. 20, 2025 The article argues that Comcast’s monopoly over internet infrastructure in many areas has led to slow service and predatory pricing, harming vulnerable communities. It proposes that local governments could use eminent domain under the Fifth Amendment to seize Comcast’s infrastructure and open it to competition, similar to the Kelo v. City of New London case. Given the internet's essential role in modern life, such a move could be justified as serving the public interest.
Feb. – Apr. 2025 Reported on developments on the International Criminal Court's investigation into the Situation in Ukraine and Preliminary Investigation into the Republic of Belarus.
Copyright © Michael Richards. All Rights Reserved.