University of Arkansas alumna Dr. Kasey McCall-Smith B.A.’98, J.D.’01 has built an impressive international career advancing human rights and treaty law. After earning her Juris Doctor and qualifying for the Bar in Arkansas and Tennessee, Kasey began her career in legal practice before pivoting to academia. Her journey took her to Scotland, where she earned an LL.M. and Ph.D. in public international law from the University of Edinburgh — her academic home ever since.
In May 2025, McCall-Smith was awarded a Personal Chair in International Law and Human Rights at the University of Edinburgh, recognizing of her distinguished scholarship and teaching. Her research explores how international treaties — particularly human rights treaties — are interpreted and implemented in domestic and supranational systems. She has written extensively on legal issues ranging from the 9/11 military commissions to Scotland’s incorporation of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC).
McCall-Smith is completing a book for Oxford University Press on treaty reservations and leads multiple projects related to children’s rights and environmental conditions of detention. She is also the postgraduate research director at the Edinburgh Law School and the Global Justice Academy director. Her leadership extends beyond academia — she was executive chair of the Association of Human Rights Institutes (AHRI) from 2017–2023 and now edits its book series. She also advises the Scottish Government on human rights policy and law reform.
Despite her global reach, McCall-Smith maintains strong ties to the U of A, where she is an adjunct professor. She is also a visiting professor at KU Leuven in Belgium and consults widely on treaty and human rights issues.
Now based in Edinburgh with her husband and two children, McCall-Smith continues to shape the future of international law, proving that a Razorback education can take you just about anywhere.
