Ira H. Trako, J.D.

Instructor of Law; Executive Director, Center for International and Comparative Law; Director, LL.M. Program in American Law for Foreign Lawyers

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Courses Taught

Philip C. Jessup International Law Moot Court, Immigration and Crime in the International Context, International Courts and Tribunals

Education

Practice Areas

• Criminal Law
• Comparative Criminal Law
• International Law
• Immigration Law

Research Interests

Trako's areas of focus include criminal law, international and comparative criminal law, international law and immigration law.

Honors and Awards

Trako received the Atlas Week Lorenzini Compass Award for faculty in 2020. The Atlas Week Lorenzini Compass Award recognizes and celebrates the significant efforts of students, student organizations, faculty and staff in promoting awareness of global issues and global injustices. Named in honor of former Atlas Program Director Dr. Michelle Lorenzini, this award is given to those who exemplify leadership and service in consistently promoting the celebration and understanding of global multiculturalism and diversity. As the Atlas logo features a compass to emphasize the global vision of Saint Louis University, recipients of the Lorenzini Compass Awards are visionaries and pioneers who continue to lead Saint Louis University forward in global education and understanding.

Professional Organizations and Associations

Trako is a licensed member of the Missouri Bar (MoBar). She is also an active member of the American Bar Association (ABA) and the ABA's International Law Section, where she currently serves as Immediate Past Co-Chair of the Section’s International Legal Education & Specialist Certification Committee, and as a current Vice Chair of the International Courts & Judicial Affairs Committee. In 2022 and 2023, she received an ABA Presidential Appointment to serve as a member of the Law Library of Congress Advisory Commission.

Community Work and Service

Trako is an instructor of law and serves as the executive director for the Center for International and Comparative Law. She has a service appointment to serve as the director for the LL.M. in American Law for Foreign Lawyers program. Prior to joining the SLU LAW faculty, Trako's areas of legal practice focused on municipal and state criminal offenses, appeals, and immigration law as it applies to criminal convictions. During law school, Trako received a concentration in international and comparative law and held an externship with the Honorable William D. Stiehl at the U.S. District Court, Southern District of Illinois.