It is with shock and sadness that we learned of the sudden passing of Karen Knop, Professor & Cecil A. Wright Chair, University of Toronto. Karen Knop is recognized as one of the leading scholars in public international law worldwide. At the time of her death, Karen Knop was in the middle of a three-year period as a Max Planck Law Fellow. Together with Institute Directors Anne Peters and Ralf Michaels , she led an ambitious research project titled ‘The State of/in International Relations—New Foreign Relations Law between Public International Law and Conflict of Laws’. As recently as June of this year, twenty young scholars from all over the world had the opportunity to experience her brilliance first-hand during a summer school in MPI-Heidelberg.
We remember Karen Knop as a colleague and friend to many, and mentor to countless more. She spread joy and ideas wherever she went.