Amal Clooney
Born 1978 · Age 48
British-Lebanese and French international human rights lawyer, barrister, academic, co-founder of the Clooney Foundation for Justice and advocate for journalists, victims of mass atrocities, and women's rights.
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Life & Career Timeline
Born in Beirut, Lebanon
Amal Alamuddin (later Clooney) born in Beirut to a Lebanese Druze father and Sunni Muslim mother.
Family fled Lebanon to the UK
Family moved to the United Kingdom (settled in Gerrards Cross, Buckinghamshire) to escape the Lebanese Civil War.
Started studies at St Hugh's College, Oxford
Won scholarship/exhibition and began studying Jurisprudence at Oxford (St Hugh's College).
Graduated Oxford (BA Jurisprudence)
Graduated from St Hugh's College, Oxford with an upper second-class degree in Jurisprudence; later named an Honorary Fellow.
Enrolled at NYU School of Law (LLM)
Pursued an LLM at NYU School of Law; received the Jack J. Katz Memorial Award for excellence in entertainment law.
Externship in Sonia Sotomayor's chambers
Worked one semester in the chambers of Judge Sonia Sotomayor while at NYU LLM.
Admitted to the New York Bar
Passed the New York Bar and completed her LLM at NYU; began practicing in New York.
Joined Sullivan & Cromwell (associate)
Started as a litigation associate in the Criminal Defense and Investigations Group; worked on high-profile matters including Enron/Arthur Andersen related work.
Judicial clerkship at the International Court of Justice
Completed a judicial clerkship at the ICJ working under multiple judges.
Judicial assistant at the ICTY
Based in The Hague; served as Judicial Assistant to Judge Patrick Robinson in the Milosevic-era ICTY proceedings.
Joined Special Tribunal for Lebanon prosecuting team (UNIIIC/STL)
Worked as a prosecutor/analyst on the tribunal investigating assassinations in Lebanon (including the Hariri case and related indictments).
Called to the Bar of England & Wales (Inner Temple)
Called to the Bar (Inner Temple) and began practising as a barrister in London.
Joined Doughty Street Chambers
Became a practising barrister at Doughty Street Chambers focusing on international human rights and international criminal law.
Admission: Qualified to practice in New York & England & Wales
Admitted to practice in two major jurisdictions (NY Bar 2002, Called to Bar England & Wales 2010) — a foundational credential for international practice.
Adviser to Kofi Annan on Syria; Counsel to UN Drone Inquiry
Appointed adviser to the UN and Kofi Annan on Syria and served as counsel on the 2013 UN inquiry into use of drones in counter-terrorism.
Co-edited book: Special Tribunal for Lebanon: Law and Practice
Co-edited volume on the Special Tribunal for Lebanon (Oxford University Press, 2014).
Represented Yulia Tymoshenko
Represented former Ukrainian Prime Minister in challenges to politically-motivated prosecutions (high-profile international casework).
Represented Julian Assange (historic counsel)
Has been one of the lawyers who represented WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange in extradition and related proceedings (publicly known historic representation).
Engaged to George Clooney
Engaged to actor George Clooney; high-profile public announcement.
Married George Clooney in Venice
High-profile wedding in Venice; George Clooney is a major Hollywood figure — marriage increases Amal's public profile and financial household resources.
Purchased Mill House at Sonning Eye
The Clooneys purchased the Mill House on the Thames; reported purchase price ~£10 million.
Represented former Maldives President Mohamed Nasheed
Joined legal team seeking Nasheed's release, arguing conviction was politically motivated; Nasheed later granted asylum in UK (2016).
Joined legal team for Armenia in ECHR genocide denial case
Became part of a team representing Armenia in an appeal before the European Court of Human Rights re: genocide denial.
Appointed to UK Attorney General's Public International Law Panel
Named to a panel of international law experts advising the UK Attorney General (Panel C initially from 2014; ongoing membership noted).
Visiting faculty / Senior Fellow at Columbia Law School
Served as visiting faculty and senior fellow at Columbia Law School's Human Rights Institute (2015–2025), co-teaching human rights courses.
Co-founded Clooney Foundation for Justice (CFJ)
Co-founded CFJ with George Clooney to provide free legal aid for journalists and women's rights; operates TrialWatch and Waging Justice for Women.
Named World Economic Forum Young Global Leader
Recognized as a Young Global Leader by WEF.
Clooneys donate $1M to Southern Poverty Law Center
Philanthropic donation to fight hate groups in the U.S.
Birth of twins Ella and Alexander Clooney
Gave birth to fraternal twins, a daughter and a son.
Pledged support for March for Our Lives ($500k) and migrant children ($100k)
Public philanthropy: $500,000 pledge for March for Our Lives and $100,000 donation to Young Center for Immigrant Children's Rights via CFJ.
Represented/advocated for jailed journalists and political prisoners (ongoing)
High-profile representation includes Mohamed Fahmy (released 2015), Khadija Ismayilova (release 2016), continued defence of persecuted journalists.
Joined legal team for Reuters journalists in Myanmar
Joined defence team for Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo; they were released in May 2019 after more than 500 days in custody.
Appointed UK Special Envoy on Media Freedom
Served as the UK Foreign Office's Special Envoy on Media Freedom (2019–2020).
Appointed Deputy Chair, High Level Panel of Legal Experts on Media Freedom
Named inaugural Deputy Chair by Lord Neuberger to a panel producing legal/policy advice to protect media freedom (2019–2021).
Became lead international counsel for Maria Ressa
Joined as co-counsel and leader of international legal team defending Filipino-American journalist Maria Ressa facing multiple charges in the Philippines.
Donated $1M for COVID-19 relief
The Clooneys donated approximately $1 million to COVID-19 relief including NHS support and Lebanese Food Bank efforts.
Received Gwen Ifill Award and Simon Wiesenthal Center Humanitarian Award
Honoured by the Committee to Protect Journalists (Gwen Ifill Award) and the Simon Wiesenthal Center for humanitarian work.
Published 'The Right to a Fair Trial in International Law' (with Philippa Webb)
Major academic work on fair trial standards published by Oxford University Press; later awarded ASIL Certificate of Merit.
Represented Yazidi victims; involved in first ISIS genocide conviction cases
Acted for Yazidi survivors in multiple German trials and other jurisdictions; in 2021 represented a Yazidi victim in the first known conviction of an ISIS member for genocide.
Awarded multiple recognitions (ASIL Champion, Reporters Committee, NYU Alumni Achievement)
Received awards recognizing her contribution to international law and press freedom.
Led legal task force advising Ukraine
Following the 2022 Russian invasion, led a task force advising the Government of Ukraine on accountability mechanisms at national, ICC and UN levels and reparations mechanisms.
Delivered remarks at UN Security Council Arria-Formula meeting on Ukraine atrocities
Addressed the UN Security Council meeting on ensuring accountability for atrocities committed in Ukraine following the 2022 Russian invasion.
Published op-eds and major press pieces (NYT, FT, Economist collaborations)
Authored and co-authored major opinion pieces on international accountability and justice including New York Times and Financial Times essays.
Provided statement to UN Security Council on Sexual Violence in Conflict
Spoke on Sexual Violence in Conflict at the UN Security Council (formal statement/advocacy).
Filed civil lawsuit against Lafarge on behalf of Yazidi-Americans
Filed a civil case in the Eastern District of New York representing 800+ Yazidi-American plaintiffs seeking accountability for Lafarge's payments to ISIS.
Served on ICC advisory panel reviewing Gaza/Israel investigation
Served on a panel convened by the ICC Prosecutor (panel of international law experts) that unanimously recommended arrest warrant applications for senior leaders; published joint FT op-ed on 20 May 2024.
Received Legal 500 Lawyer of the Year Award
Awarded by The Legal 500 for outstanding contributions in international law (2024).
Continued representation of high-profile journalists and political prisoners
Ongoing counsel for clients including Maria Ressa, Julian Assange (historic representation), and other journalists and political prisoners.
Co-edited 'Freedom of Speech in International Law' (Oxford University Press)
Co-editor (with Lord Neuberger) of a major Oxford volume on freedom of speech in international law (2024).
Co-founded Oxford Institute of Technology and Justice
Co-founded the Oxford Institute of Technology and Justice (with Clooney Foundation for Justice and Oxford) to harness AI and tech to expand access to justice (October 2025).
Appointed Professor of Practice in International Law at Oxford (Blavatnik School)
Named Visiting/Professor of Practice at the Blavatnik School of Government, University of Oxford.
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