Learn how to report international law with clarity, precision, and editorial confidence — without needing a law degree.
The problem
You’re covering the biggest legal stories in the world. Without a map.
War crimes. ICJ judgments. ICC arrest warrants. Treaty violations. Sanctions regimes. Ceasefire agreements.
These stories are now central to international news coverage. And the legal claims inside them made by governments, NGOs, lawyers, and activists are frequently imprecise, contested, or simply wrong.
As a journalist, you are expected to translate and assess them accurately. In real time. On deadline.
Without legal training.
Many journalists have told me they struggle with this, and haven’t found a solution because…
“International law is dense and inaccessible”
“I’ve never studied international law before”
“The international law courses out there are too theoretical”
“I have no time to study international law right now”
“It’s difficult to know where to find trustworthy information”
“When I find the right law, I don’t know how to read it to get what I want”
“I don’t have a trustworthy international lawyer to call”.
Introducing the SAIL Intensive
Applied International Law for Journalists
A single intensive course that gives you the frameworks, tools, and confidence to report international legal claims with precision on any story, anywhere in the world.
What do I get when I enroll?
The SAIL Intensive course. Four sessions of applied international law training, delivered by me. Self-paced online pre-recorded videos with exercises and quizzes, and module tests. You must pass each test before advancing to the next session.
Here’s what our course curriculum looks like:
Session 1: International Law Fundamentals for Reporters
What international law actually is, who it binds, what it can and cannot do, what accountability looks like, and which courts and institutions do what.Session 2: Reporting on Whether an Attack Is Legal
Self-defence, aggression, occupation (the most contested legal questions in every conflict), and how to report them accurately.Session 3: Reporting on How Wars Are Fought
Civilian casualties, hospitals, siege, starvation, human shields, and the most common reporting errors in journalism.Session 4: War Crimes, Crimes Against Humanity, and Genocide
When you can use these words, when you can’t, and what the legal threshold actually requires.
You will also get access to…
The complete SAIL Toolkit. Seven frameworks, checklists, and templates in a single reference document your team keeps and uses on every story going forward.
The Court Map: which court does what, when, and why it matters for your story
The Force Decoder: types of military force, legal justifications, and the conditions each one requires
The War Cheat Sheet: the rules of how wars must be fought, in plain language
The Crime Identifier: war crime, crime against humanity, or genocide? Here’s how to tell
The SAIL Glossary: international law terms journalists use, defined precisely
The Source Finder: where to find the right legal sources and how to use them fast
Lifetime access to session recordings. You will get access to the full session recording; review any module, any time.
Plus! Register today and receive these free bonuses:
Bonus 1 — The Headline Audit Template
A pre-publication checklist for any story involving international legal claims. Run it before you file. It catches the errors that create corrections and credibility damage before they reach your editor.Bonus 2 — Real Headline Case Studies
A curated collection of real international law headlines from major outlets analysed through the SAIL Method™. What was accurate, what was imprecise, what created legal risk, and how it should have been written.Bonus 3 — The Quick Reference Card
A single card summarising the entire SAIL Method™. The four steps, key thresholds, most common errors, and primary sources to check first. Designed to sit on your desk or live on your phone for deadline use.
You will learn…
The SAIL Method™:
Four steps. Every story. Every legal element.
S — Situate
What are you dealing with? Classify the legal element of your story before anything else.
A — Assess the legal standard
What does the law actually say? Find the primary source and understand precisely what it requires.
I — Interpret what it actually means
What does this legal element actually mean in practice, and equally importantly, what does it not mean?
L — Lock it down before publishing
Audit your story before filing.
The SAIL Method™ is applicable to claims, court processes, legal instruments, and more.
Who this is for
This course is for you if you have ever…
✓ Quoted someone calling something a “war crime” without knowing whether it actually meets the legal threshold for a war crime
✓ Feared a correction getting issued because you used a legal term incorrectly
✓ Been on a deadline, needed a legal answer fast, and had no one to ask who could actually answer it
✓ Feel the gap between the certainty you project in your reporting and the uncertainty you actually feel about the legal questions at the centre of the story.
About me
I’m an Associate Professor of International Law at the University of Manchester, and I’ve practiced international law in many of the rooms journalists write about (e.g.: United Nations, International Court of Justice).
Journalists from the Guardian, Al Jazeera, and Reuters have come to me for legal analysis on the stories you’re covering right now. I’ve delivered trainings for the United Nations and the World Economic Forum.
In 2025 I founded SAIL (Simplified Approach to International Law): a newsletter explaining international law in plain language, with 1400+ subscribers including journalists, UN staff and foreign ministry officials from 118 countries.
The messages I received from my journalist audience were remarkably consistent: the legal layer of a story was the part they always felt least certain about.
I spoke with journalists from Al Jazeera, Reuters, the Financial Times and others, and built the SAIL Intensive around exactly what they told me they needed.
Trusted by:
The SAIL Intensive
£ 147 / $ 198 USD
or 3 interest-free payments of £ 32 / $ 43
Self-paced access to the complete SAIL Intensive recordings
The full SAIL Toolkit
Lifetime access to materials, and
A certificate of completion.
Pre-sale: Join the founding cohort
£ 95 / $ 129 USD
until 15 November 2026
or 3 interest-free payments of £ 49 / $ 66
Founding members who pre-register now receive:
The lowest price this course will ever be offered at
Priority access to the first cohort
First access to the SAIL Toolkit on release
Try it risk-free
If you have completed 80% of the course but don’t feel meaningfully more confident assessing and reporting international legal claims, email us (within 30 days of purchasing the course) and we will refund all your money back.
Please note that the money-back guarantee only applies if you’ve completed 80% of the course and included your reason for the cancellation in the email.
FAQs
How long does the course take?
The SAIL Intensive comprises four sessions totalling approximately 7 hours of content, whether live or pre-recorded. If pre-recorded, you can work through it at your own pace, in your own time, and return to any session whenever you need a refresher.
Is the course relevant outside of conflict journalism?
Yes! While the course uses conflict reporting as its primary context, the SAIL Method™, foundational module (session 1) and a few materials in the toolkit apply to any story involving international legal claims: sanctions, trade disputes, human rights, climate law, international institutions, and more.
I’m not a journalist. Can I sign up for the SAIL Intensive?
Yes. The course is designed for journalists, but the content is useful for anyone who needs to assess and communicate international legal claims clearly. Contact hello@learnsail.org if you have questions about your background.
When does the course launch and when will I get access?
The SAIL Intensive launches in January 2027. Founding members who pre-register now get priority access at the lowest price this course will ever be offered.
Can I access the course on my phone or tablet?
Yes; all recordings and materials are accessible on any device.
What happens after the founding rate closes on 15 November 2026?
The price increases. Founding members lock in the lowest rate permanently; your access and toolkit are unaffected by any future price changes.
Questions?
Get in touch: hello@learnsail.org.