Southwestern Institute for International and Comparative Law

What Southwestern Institute for International and Comparative Law does

Southwestern Institute for International and Comparative Law (SWIICL) is an operating division of The Center for American and International Law (CAIL), a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1947 and headquartered at 5201 Democracy Drive, Plano, Texas. SWIICL delivers international and comparative law education to legal professionals worldwide, anchored by its flagship six-week Academy of American and International Law, which in its 61st session (2026) hosted 32 lawyers from 19 countries. The institute also runs the annual Symposium on Global Markets, the Dean Robert G. Storey Rule of Law Lecture Series, alumni reunions including international events in locations such as São Paulo, Brazil, and a quarterly newsletter covering global legal developments.

The business model is a hybrid of membership dues, program tuition, and charitable donations. Individuals, corporations, law firms, and other organizations join through Advisory Board representatives and receive benefits including free Symposium attendance and fellowship nominations for the Academy. Program revenue covers tuition for the Academy and ancillary conferences, seminars, and workshops, while tax-deductible contributions extend programming reach to developing nations. Pricing is unit-based, with ILEA-adjacent sponsorship tiers ranging from $1,000 (lunch sponsor) to $10,000 (5-program package) and tuition sponsorships at $1,950-$3,000 per participant.

SWIICL has no proprietary technology platform; it operates as a traditional nonprofit educational institution. Its scale spans tens of thousands of lawyers and law enforcement professionals across all 50 U.S. states and 130 countries. Distribution is anchored at the Plano campus with hosted programs at partner locations internationally, and content partnerships extend its reach through Oxford University Press, Wolters Kluwer, and Matthew Bender (LexisNexis). Governance rests with CAIL's Board of Trustees, and SWIICL maintains its own Advisory Board overseeing member-driven programming.

Name

Southwestern Institute for International and Comparative Law

Legal name

The Center for American and International Law

Website

https://cailaw.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1947

Operating status

Operating

Short description

The Southwestern Institute for International and Comparative Law (SWIICL), a division of The Center for American and International Law, delivers international and comparative law education to legal professionals worldwide through its six-week Academy, annual Symposium on Global Markets, rule of law lectures, and a global membership program spanning 130 countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Legal Continuing Education and Professional Development

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (61131), Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Legal Services (8111)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYEDAHAIAJ

Law School Research Centers & Institutes (e.g., Law & Economics, Human Rights)

Education/Higher Education (Colleges & Universities)/Law Schools

Keywords

• International law education
• Comparative law programs
• Legal professional development
• Rule of law training
• Membership legal institute

Headquarters

HQ city

Plano

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Tuition and Program Fees: Tuition covers the cost of many programs including the Academy of American and International Law, various conferences, seminars, and workshops for legal professionals
2. Membership Dues: Annual membership fees provide access to Advisory Board appointments, tuition-free symposium attendance, fellowship nominations, and other member benefits
3. Donations and Charitable Contributions: Tax-deductible contributions support education for those with limited access and resources, extending CAIL's reach to developing nations

Pricing tiers

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

SWIICL is a nonprofit legal education institute that delivers international and comparative law programming, headlined by its six-week Academy of American and International Law, the annual Symposium on Global Markets, rule of law lecture series, and membership-based Advisory Board services for legal professionals, corporations, law firms, and government agencies. It supplements in-person programs with publications, newsletters, and alumni reunions to support a global network of legal practitioners from 130+ countries.

Product overview

The Southwestern Institute for International and Comparative Law (SWIICL) is a division of The Center for American and International Law, offering a portfolio of legal education programs focused on international and comparative law. Its core offerings include the six-week Academy of American and International Law, the annual Symposium on Global Markets, various rule of law programs and lectures, membership services with Advisory Board participation, and alumni networking opportunities. The institute connects legal professionals from over 130 countries through educational programming, publications, and member services, serving as an internationally recognized forum for advancing the administration of justice and promoting the rule of law worldwide.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Academy of American and International Law A six-week intensive educational program that educates lawyers from developing nations about the American judicial system and rule of law. Designed for international legal professionals seeking comprehensive U.S. law training.
• SWIICL Membership Program A membership program offering individuals, corporations, law firms, and organizations the ability to join through appointed Advisory Board representatives. Benefits include free attendance at the annual Symposium on Global Markets and ability to select candidates for tuition fellowships to the six-week Academy.
• Symposium on Global Markets An annual symposium addressing global market topics and international law issues, free to Advisory Board members of SWIICL.
• Rule of Law Programs and Lectures Programs and lectures addressing rule of law topics including the Dean Robert G. Storey Rule of Law Lecture Series, covering rule of law in the Middle East, transnational contexts, and international trade.
• Alumni Programs and Reunions Programs connecting Academy alumni through regional reunions and ongoing networking opportunities, including events such as the Academy Alumni Latin America Reunion in São Paulo, Brazil.

Quantifiable outcome

• Tens of thousands of lawyers and law enforcement officers trained from all 50 states and 130 countries

Named customers4 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered notable and core.

• Texas A&M University School of LawnotableStrategic or Co-development PartnerCAIL partners with Texas A&M University School of Law for the Annual Actual Innocence conference, bringing together criminal justice professionals for innocence reform initiatives
• Innocence Project of TexasnotableStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborates with CAIL on the Annual Actual Innocence conference to address wrongful convictions and criminal justice reform
• Wolters Kluwer - ITA CollaborationcoreTechnology or IntegrationInstitute for Transnational Arbitration (ITA) has a collaboration with Wolters Kluwer for arbitration resources and publications
• Oxford University PresscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorITA publishes book series with Oxford University Press including titles on international arbitration and investment law
• Matthew Bender (LexisNexis)coreTechnology or IntegrationIEL publishes the Oil and Gas Reporter and Proceedings of the Institute on Oil and Gas Law in conjunction with Matthew Bender
• TMLIRP (Texas Municipal League Intergovernmental Risk Pool)notableStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-hosts the Texas Sergeant Academy with ILEA for law enforcement leadership training
• Texas DPS (Department of Public Safety)notableStrategic or Co-development PartnerHosts training programs such as Background Investigation and Oral Interview Procedures

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• International Bar Association: The IBA is a global membership organization for lawyers with conferences, committees, and publications in international legal practice, comparable in mission to SWIICL but operating at far greater scale.
• Practising Law Institute: PLI is a large, established CLE provider offering courses across practice areas including international law; it competes for the same corporate and law-firm training budgets as SWIICL but at much greater scale and breadth.
• American Bar Association - Section of International Law: The ABA's International Law Section offers CLE programming, publications, and networking for international law practitioners, overlapping with SWIICL's audience and member benefits.

Emerging players

• ASIL's Lieber Society / Columbia Center on Global Legal Orders: Columbia Law School hosts research centers and programs in international and comparative law, competing for the same academic and policy-oriented legal audience that SWIICL serves through the Academy and rule-of-law lectures.
• Fordham Law International Programs: Fordham Law offers international law institutes and conferences with a global practitioner audience, providing an emerging academic alternative to SWIICL's forum-style programs.
• NYU Center for International Law and Justice: NYU Law operates internationally focused research and training programs that intersect with SWIICL's international law and rule-of-law mission, targeting a similar academic and practitioner audience.
• Center for International Legal Education (University of Pittsburgh): Pitt Law's CILE trains lawyers from transition economies and developing countries in international law and rule of law—closely matching SWIICL's Academy audience and educational model.

Direct peers

• Hague Academy of International Law: The Hague Academy delivers intensive summer and winter programs in public and private international law to a global cohort of lawyers, mirroring SWIICL's Academy model for international legal education.
• International Law Institute: ILI provides capacity-building training in international law, rule of law, and economic development to lawyers and government officials from developing and transition countries, closely paralleling SWIICL's mission and target audience.
• American Society of International Law: ASIL is a nonprofit professional membership organization dedicated to international law, offering conferences, publications, and educational programs—a direct organizational and mission peer to SWIICL.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/groups?gid=2330559&trk=myg_ugrp_ovr

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Southwestern Institute for International and Comparative Law