International Center for Law and Religion Studies

What International Center for Law and Religion Studies does

The International Center for Law and Religion Studies (ICLRS) is a non-profit academic research center housed at the J. Reuben Clark Law School at Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah. Founded in 1994 by W. Cole Durham, Jr., who continues to serve as Founding Director, the center's stated mission is to help secure the blessings of freedom of religion and belief for all people through research, education, and international dialogue. Its offerings include the flagship Annual International Law and Religion Symposium (held each year since 1994, with the 32nd iteration in October 2025), the Religious Freedom Annual Review (launched 2014, focused on US religious freedom law), regional conferences, certificate training programs, and student fellowship/leadership programs. By 2023, the center reported that more than 1,400 government officials, academics, and religious leaders from 138 countries had participated in its symposia.

ICLRS's core technology footprint consists of research databases and online information resources rather than commercial software. The Religlaw Database aggregates law and religion research resources including UN instruments, country framework overviews, and bibliographic links. The Strasbourg Consortium tracks the Freedom of Religion and Belief jurisprudence of the European Court of Human Rights, linking to HUDOC and providing case tables and Article 9 guides. Additional resources include the Religious Freedom Library, Religious Freedom Toolkit, UN Research Links portal, and the Talk About blog. Scholarly output is channeled through BYU Law Review and annual reports. No APIs, SDKs, or AI features are documented.

The center operates as an academic institution with no commercial product or service revenue. It is funded through Brigham Young University institutional support (including the Sterling and Eleanor Colton Chair in Law and Religion), donations solicited via its website, and event programming. All programs, databases, and resources are offered at no direct cost to participants. Its customer base comprises four primary personas: government officials and policymakers (constitutional court justices, members of parliament, heads of state religion committees), scholars and academics, religious leaders, and students. Strategic partnerships include the J. Reuben Clark Law Society (co-presenter of the International Religious Liberty Awards since 2010), Notre Dame's Center for Civil and Human Rights, Georgetown's Berkley Center, and Catholic University of America's law and religion program.

Name

International Center for Law and Religion Studies

Legal name

International Center for Law and Religion Studies

Website

https://iclrs.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1994

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The International Center for Law and Religion Studies (ICLRS) is a BYU Law School-affiliated academic research center that promotes religious freedom globally through annual conferences, research databases, and educational programs for government officials, scholars, and religious leaders.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Academic Research and Advocacy Services

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (61131), Research and Development in the Social Sciences and Humanities (541720), Human Rights Organizations (813311), Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Legal Services (8111)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industries

Law & Legal Studies Research Universities (EDAHABAF), Faith-Affiliated Private Research Universities (EDAHABAJ), Research Administration & Compliance (Sponsored Programs, IRB/REB) (EDADAKAH)

Keywords

• Religious freedom research
• Law and religion studies
• Academic research center
• Human rights advocacy
• International conferences

Headquarters

HQ city

Provo

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Academic/Research Institution: The center operates as a research and education center at BYU Law School, funded primarily through Brigham Young University support and donations. No explicit revenue streams were identified from product or service sales.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The International Center for Law and Religion Studies (ICLRS) operates as an academic research center at BYU's J. Reuben Clark Law School, organizing annual international symposia and regional conferences, maintaining research databases on religious freedom law, publishing scholarly articles, and offering certificate training programs. Its core work is promoting freedom of religion and belief worldwide through research, education, and dialogue among government officials, academics, and religious leaders.

Product overview

The International Center for Law and Religion Studies (ICLRS) is an academic research center at BYU Law School that operates as a research and educational organization rather than a technology company. Its offerings include annual conferences (International Law and Religion Symposium since 1994, Religious Freedom Annual Review since 2014), research databases (Religlaw, Strasbourg Consortium tracking ECtHR jurisprudence), the Talk About blog, educational programs (certificate training, student programs), publications (symposia proceedings in BYU Law Review), and the International Religious Liberty Awards. The center provides resources including the Religious Freedom Library, Religious Freedom Toolkit, and UN Research Links. All offerings are focused on promoting and protecting freedom of religion or belief globally through research, education, dialogue, and recognition of contributors.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• International Law and Religion Symposium Annual international conference bringing together scholars, judges, government officials, and religious leaders from multiple countries to discuss freedom of religion and belief. Held each year since 1994.
• Religious Freedom Annual Review Annual conference providing up-to-date information on the status of laws affecting religious freedom in the United States. Established in 2014, expanded from a lawyer-focused conference to include all interested in religious freedom.
• Religlaw Database Research resources landing page providing access to law and religion headlines, country framework overviews, international human rights instruments, European Court of Human Rights resources, and links to international organizations.
• Strasbourg Consortium Database tracking Freedom of Religion and Belief jurisprudence of the European Court of Human Rights, providing case tables, court information documents, and guides on Article 9 ECHR.
• Religious Freedom Library Digital library providing access to religious freedom resources and materials.
• Religious Freedom Toolkit Online toolkit providing tips and resources about religious freedom for practitioners and researchers.
• International Religious Liberty Awards Annual awards recognizing individuals and organizations for outstanding contributions to the promotion and preservation of religious freedom. First awarded in 2010.
• Certificate Training Programs Global teaching and certificate training programs providing education on religious freedom and law and religion studies.
• Publications Academic publications including BYU Law Review issues from symposia, books of interest, selected articles and speeches on freedom of religion or belief.
• Human Dignity for Everyone Everywhere (Punta del Este Declaration) International initiative promoting human dignity principles globally under the Punta del Este Declaration.
• UN Research Links Compilation of research links to UN resources including Treaty Collection, Human Rights Council, Special Rapporteur on FoRB, and other UN human rights instruments.

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and flagship.

• Brigham Young University (BYU)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerICLRS is housed at the J. Reuben Clark Law School at Brigham Young University. BYU provides institutional support, facilities (452 JRCB), and administrative infrastructure for the center's operations.
• J. Reuben Clark Law SocietycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe J. Reuben Clark Law Society partners with ICLRS to co-present the International Religious Liberty Awards annually and organize related events.
• Center for Civil and Human Rights at University of Notre DameflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-sponsor of the 2015 International Religious Liberty Awards Dinner along with ICLRS.
• Religious Freedom Project at Georgetown University's Berkley CenterflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-sponsor of the 2015 International Religious Liberty Awards Dinner, bringing academic partnership from Georgetown University.
• Interdisciplinary Program in Law & Religion at Columbus School of Law, Catholic University of AmericaflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-sponsor of the 2015 International Religious Liberty Awards Dinner, partnering with Catholic University's law and religion program.
• The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day SaintscoreOthersThe Church provides institutional connections through BYU affiliation. LDS Church leaders, including Elder D. Todd Christofferson, participate in center events and award presentations.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Pew Research Center - Religion & Public Life: A major nonpartisan research organization producing data and analysis on religion, politics, and public life globally. Comparable to ICLRS in producing research on law and religion but at much larger scale and broader scope including demographic and social trends.
• US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF): An independent US federal commission that monitors religious freedom abroad and advises the US government on policy. Comparable in international religious freedom focus, though operating as a US government body rather than academic center, with overlapping award honorees and policy networks.

Direct peers

• Religious Freedom Institute: A non-profit that works to protect religious freedom through education, advocacy, and scholarship. Directly comparable to ICLRS in mission, focus on international religious liberty, and educational programming approach with conferences and training.
• International Religious Liberty Association (IRLA): An interfaith organization promoting religious liberty worldwide through world congresses and educational initiatives. Comparable to ICLRS in convening international leaders on religious freedom; Dr. John Graz, an IRLA Secretary-General, is a past ICLRS award recipient.
• First Liberty Institute: A non-profit legal organization dedicated to defending religious freedom for all Americans. Comparable to ICLRS in religious liberty focus, but primarily US-domestic litigation and advocacy rather than international academic convening.
• Notre Dame Center for Civil and Human Rights: A university-based center researching civil and human rights including religious liberty. Directly comparable as an academic research center with similar convening and scholarship role, and an explicit ICLRS partner that co-sponsored the 2015 Religious Liberty Awards Dinner.
• Georgetown Berkley Center for Religion, Peace and World Affairs - Religious Freedom Project: A university research initiative focused on religious freedom as a component of international affairs. Comparable to ICLRS in academic approach to religious freedom research, and an explicit ICLRS partner that co-sponsored the 2015 Religious Liberty Awards Dinner.
• Becket Fund for Religious Liberty: A non-profit legal and advocacy organization dedicated to defending religious liberty in courts worldwide. Directly comparable to ICLRS in mission focus on religious freedom, though it operates primarily through litigation rather than academic research and conferences.

Emerging players

• Hudson Institute - Center for Religious Freedom: A think tank center focused on international religious freedom policy research and advocacy. Comparable to ICLRS in religious freedom focus, though primarily policy-oriented rather than academic/scholarly, with overlapping networks of international religious freedom advocates.

Others

• BYU Law School (J. Reuben Clark Law School): The parent academic institution housing ICLRS, offering JD and graduate law programs with religious liberty scholarship. Directly comparable as the institutional host providing faculty, students, facilities, and administrative infrastructure for ICLRS operations.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/iclrsorg
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCpT5i2kif4hWlg_7bgO0a0w
• Facebookfacebook.com/iclrs.org
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/international-center-for-law-and-religion-studies

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about International Center for Law and Religion Studies