International Society for Military Law and the Law of War

What International Society for Military Law and the Law of War does

The International Society for Military Law and the Law of War (ISMLLW) is an international non-profit association (AISBL) under Belgian law, founded in Strasbourg in 1956 and headquartered in Brussels since 1988. It functions as the principal global professional association for the study and dissemination of international humanitarian law, military law, and peace operations law, serving approximately 700 individual members and liaising 23 national groups across Europe, North America, and South America. Its core audience consists of military and civil legal advisors, judges, prosecutors, and academics operating in armed forces, defense ministries, and universities.

The Society's product portfolio is content- and event-driven rather than technology-driven. It publishes the Military Law and the Law of War Review (founded 1962, distributed via Edward Elgar Publishing since volume 58 in 2020), the Recueil of congress proceedings, the Leuven Manual on the International Law Applicable to Peace Operations (a 146-rule reference work published by Cambridge University Press in 2017 and endorsed by the UN, EU, NATO, African Union, and ICRC), the NATO Legal Gazette, and periodic News Flash updates. It also operates a Documentation Centre in Brussels and organizes triennial international congresses, annual Seminars for Legal Advisors of the Armed Forces, the biennial 'Silent leges inter arma?' conferences in Bruges, and a new Summer Course on peace operations law.

Revenue is generated through three streams: recurring membership fees from ~700 individual members, fees for participation in congresses, seminars, and conferences (open to members and non-members), and publication sales and subscriptions. The Society is governed entirely by volunteer office holders and has no disclosed parent company, equity ownership, or commercial funding. It holds UN consultative status (granted 1997) and is GDPR-compliant, with operational multilingual outreach in English, French, Spanish, and Russian.

Name

International Society for Military Law and the Law of War

Legal name

Société Internationale de Droit Militaire et de Droit de la Guerre

Website

https://ismllw.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1956

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The International Society for Military Law and the Law of War is a Belgian-registered international non-profit association, founded in 1956, that serves approximately 700 members and 23 national groups of military and civil legal advisors, judges, prosecutors, and academics through publications, triennial congresses, seminars, and the Leuven Manual reference work on peace operations law.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Professional Military Law Association

NAICS

Professional Organizations (813920), Business Associations (813910)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), International Affairs (9721)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYEDAGAFAK

Scholarly Society & Association Publishing

Education/Educational Publishing & Learning Content/Academic & Scholarly Publishing (Journals, Monographs)

SECONDARYMPAJABAK

Scholarly Societies & Conference Proceedings Publishing

Media, Entertainment & Sports/Publishing (Books, News, Magazines)/Educational & Academic Publishing (Textbooks, Scholarly, STM)

SECONDARYBPADANAA

International Standards Development & Standardization Bodies

Business & Public Services/International Organizations & Development/International Standards, Policy & Regulatory Cooperation

SECONDARYBPADAGAK

Human Rights Monitoring, Documentation & Advocacy

Business & Public Services/International Organizations & Development/Human Rights, Democracy & Governance

Keywords

• Military law association
• Law of war review
• International humanitarian law
• Peace operations manual
• Armed forces legal seminars

Headquarters

HQ city

Brussels

HQ country

Belgium

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership fees: The Society generates revenue from annual membership fees paid by approximately 700 members worldwide, including military legal advisors, civil legal advisors, judges, prosecutors, and academics. The membership application process is handled through the general secretariat.
2. Event participation fees: Revenue is generated from fees charged for participation in congresses, seminars, and international conferences. Events such as the triennial congresses, the 'Silent leges inter arma?' conferences, and seminars for legal advisors are open to both members and non-members.
3. Publication sales and subscriptions: The Society publishes the Military Law and the Law of War Review (Revue de Droit Militaire et de Droit de la Guerre), the Recueil (congress proceedings), and the Leuven Manual. From volume 58 (autumn 2020), the Review is published in collaboration with Edward Elgar Publishing. The Society also distributes News Flash publications and the NATO Legal Gazette.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The Society is a non-profit international association (AISBL under Belgian law) that studies and disseminates international humanitarian law, military law, and the law of peace operations. It sells membership subscriptions to approximately 700 members worldwide, publishes the Military Law and the Law of War Review (in partnership with Edward Elgar Publishing), the Recueil of congress proceedings, the Leuven Manual (a 146-rule reference work on peace operations published by Cambridge University Press), and the NATO Legal Gazette. It also charges registration fees for triennial international congresses, annual Seminars for Legal Advisors of the Armed Forces, and the biennial 'Silent leges inter arma?' international conference in Bruges.

Product overview

The International Society for Military Law and the Law of War operates as a professional association offering a portfolio of publications, educational programs, and documentation services centered on military law and humanitarian law. The core offerings include the Military Law and the Law of War Review journal, the Recueil congress proceedings, the Leuven Manual reference work, and the Ciardi Prize. The Society organizes triennial congresses, annual seminars for legal advisors, and the Silent Leges Inter Arma? conference series. A Documentation Centre provides research resources, and the NATO Legal Gazette and News Flash supplement the publication lineup. The Society functions as a membership-based international organization with approximately 700 members worldwide.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Military Law and the Law of War Review (MLLWR) Peer-reviewed academic journal covering military/security law and the law of armed conflict. Founded in 1962 and now co-published with Edward Elgar Publishing, it is one of the oldest and most respected international publications in the field. Targeted at military legal advisors, academics, judges, and prosecutors.
• Leuven Manual on the International Law Applicable to Peace Operations A 146-rule legal reference manual on peace operations, addressing consensual peace operations grounded in consent, impartiality, and limited use of force. Endorsed by UN, EU, NATO, African Union, and ICRC. Sold globally through Cambridge University Press.
• Recueil Published collection of papers and proceedings from the Society's triennial international congresses, covering topics on military law and the law of war. Distributed to members and conference participants.
• NATO Legal Gazette Publication documenting NATO legal developments and gazette issues, available through the Society's Documentation Centre.
• Documentation Centre Research resource housing extensive collections of military law publications from various countries, law of war materials, armed conflict legal aspects, peace operations, international criminal law, and international organizations resources.
• News Flash Periodic newsletter publication keeping members and subscribers informed about Society activities, events, and developments in military law.

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered major, core and minor.

• Edward Elgar PublishingmajorTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2020From volume 58 (autumn 2020), the Military Law and the Law of War Review is published in collaboration with Edward Elgar Publishing. The Review was previously self-published and is now distributed through Edward Elgar's academic publishing platform.
• International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017The ICRC participated as an observer during the drafting of the Leuven Manual and has been briefed on its findings. The ICRC is referenced as a key international organization whose practices are considered in the Society's work on international humanitarian law.
• North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017NATO participated as an observer during the drafting of the Leuven Manual. The Society held a special event on the Leuven Manual at NATO HQ in Brussels in November 2018. The Society also produces the NATO Legal Gazette as part of its documentation activities.
• African UnioncoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017The African Union participated as an observer during the drafting of the Leuven Manual. The Society has engaged with African military law communities through events such as the presentation in Yaoundé, Cameroon in November 2018.
• European UnioncoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017The EU did not officially designate an observer for the Leuven Manual project, but benefited from the expertise of Dr. Frederik Naert from the EU Council Legal Service who participated in a personal capacity. The Society has presented the Leuven Manual to EU audiences.
• Cambridge University PressmajorTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2017The Leuven Manual on the International Law Applicable to Peace Operations was published by Cambridge University Press following its launch in February 2018. The Society's revenues from Manual publication are directed to the Society's objectives.
• Geneva Centre for Security Policy (GCSP)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017The GCSP hosted the presentation of the Leuven Manual to the Geneva international community in May 2018. GCSP personnel, including Dr. Tobias Vestner, have participated in the Society's Board of Directors and conference activities.
• United NationscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1997The Society was granted UN consultative status by the United Nations in 1997. The Society has presented the Leuven Manual to UN leadership, including Secretaries-General at the launch event in New York in February 2018, and engaged with the UN's Department of Peace Operations (DPO) and Office of Legal Affairs during the drafting of the Leuven Manual.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Direct peers

• T.M.C. Asser Institute: The T.M.C. Asser Institute is an inter-university research center in The Hague focused on international and European law, including IHL, armed conflict and security. It is comparable to ISMLLW in producing scholarly research, training programs and convening expert communities.
• Geneva Academy of International Humanitarian Law and Human Rights: The Geneva Academy is an academic institution focused on international humanitarian law, human rights and transitional justice, producing research, training and publications. It is comparable to ISMLLW's academic and standard-setting work in IHL and its convening of expert communities.
• American Society of International Law (ASIL): ASIL is a U.S.-based professional association promoting the study and use of international law, with a flagship journal, annual meetings and member services. It is highly comparable to ISMLLW as a scholarly society that publishes academic journals and convenes international law practitioners.
• International Institute of Humanitarian Law (IIHL): The IIHL is a non-profit institute dedicated to the study and dissemination of international humanitarian law, with a strong training and conference program. It is directly comparable to ISMLLW in operating training courses (e.g., the Summer Course on the Law of Armed Conflict) and publishing in the IHL field.
• International Law Association (ILA): The ILA is a long-established international scholarly association focused on the study, development and codification of international law. It is comparable to ISMLLW in operating as a membership-based scholarly society that organizes conferences and produces authoritative publications.
• European Society of International Law (ESIL): ESIL is a regional scholarly society for international law, organizing annual conferences and interest groups across European jurisdictions. It is comparable to ISMLLW's structure as a non-profit scholarly society with national groups and recurring international conferences.

Broad incumbents

• International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC): The ICRC is the leading humanitarian organization focused on international humanitarian law and the laws of war, sharing the Society's IHL subject area. The ICRC participated as an observer during the drafting of the Leuven Manual and is a key stakeholder the Society engages with on shared IHL matters.
• NATO: NATO is a major intergovernmental military alliance whose legal activities intersect with the Society's domain. NATO participated as an observer during the Leuven Manual drafting, hosts Society events at NATO HQ, and the Society produces the NATO Legal Gazette — making NATO both a strategic partner and a broad incumbent in military-law matters.
• United Nations Office of Legal Affairs (OLA): The UN OLA is the central legal organ of the United Nations, advising on international law across UN bodies. It is comparable as a broad incumbent in international law whose substantive areas (peace operations, armed conflict, treaties) overlap directly with the Society's mandate, and with which the Society holds consultative status.
• International Criminal Court (ICC): The ICC is the standing international court prosecuting war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide. It is comparable as a broad incumbent applying and developing IHL, providing a major institutional venue whose doctrinal work intersects with the Society's publications and seminars.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/international-society-for-military-law-and-the-law-of-war

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about International Society for Military Law and the Law of War