Professor Rebecca Ingber has been appointed by the U.S. government to serve as one of two U.S. members to the Council of Europe’s European Commission for Democracy through Law. The "Venice Commission," as it is better known, serves as an advisory commission on constitutional matters, democracy, human rights, and the rule of law for the Council of Europe and states around the world.

The Venice Commission was established in 1990 to assist emerging Eastern European democracies in establishing democratic institutions, strengthening the rule of law, and protecting public rights and freedoms. Its work has expanded dramatically to include members far beyond Europe and to advise nations around the world on democracy, human rights, and the rule of law. The United States became a full Member in 2013, and Ingber will be the U.S. Substitute Independent Expert to the Commission. Experts are designated by member states for four-year terms of service, but they serve in their individual capacities. “The foundational mission of the Venice Commission to advance democracy and the rule of law is as timely and important today as it was at the Commission’s creation,” said Professor Ingber. “I could not be more honored to serve with this extraordinary community of scholars and practitioners working to protect and strengthen democratic institutions, political processes, and fundamental rights.”

This past summer, Professor Ingber returned to the Cardozo faculty after serving from 2021 to 2023 as the Counselor on International Law in the Office of the Legal Adviser at the U.S. Department of State. In addition to co-directing Cardozo’s Floersheimer Center for Constitutional Democracy, she serves on the Advisory Committee on International Law to the U.S. Department of State’s Office of the Legal Adviser, and as one of the U.S. representatives to the roster of experts of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe’s Moscow Mechanism.

Rebecca Ingber's faculty profile