Orde Félix Kittrie has been a law professor at Arizona State University since 2004. He is the author of the landmark book Lawfare: Law as a Weapon of War (Oxford University Press), which describes how and why law has become an increasingly powerful and prevalent weapon of war. He has also authored numerous scholarly articles and book chapters in fields including international law, criminal law, nuclear non-proliferation, and international negotiations.
Prior to entering academia, Kittrie served for 11 years at the Department of State, where he received the Superior Honor Award and Meritorious Honor Award. As the department’s lead nuclear affairs attorney, Kittrie participated in successfully negotiating five U.S.-Russia nuclear agreements during 15 trips to Moscow. Kittrie also served as director of the department’s Office of International Anti-Crime Programs, as lead attorney for export controls, and as special assistant to the Under Secretary of State for Economic and Business Affairs. Earlier, he served as legislative assistant and press spokesman for a Member of Congress.
While serving as a professor, Kittrie has remained active as a practitioner, including by serving since 2019 as a part-time advisor on international legal issues to NATO’s Supreme Allied Commander Europe. He has also testified before various Senate and House committees.
Kittrie is a recipient of the Centennial Professor of the Year award at ASU, a university-wide honor presented in recognition of outstanding teaching inside and outside of the classroom. In addition, he served for a year as the elected Chair of the Committee on Scholarship of the Association of American Law Schools.
A Mexican-American, Professor Kittrie is active in the Latino community, including service in 2006 as President of the Hispanic National Bar Association’s Southwest Region. Kittrie was also named by Hispanic Outlook on Higher Education as one of the United States’ four most notable Hispanic professors of international law. He received the Dr. Manuel Servin Faculty Award from the Chicano Faculty/Staff Association of Arizona State University (an annual award to one faculty member for exemplary mentorship, scholarship and service to the Hispanic community). He also was honored by the Latino Law Students Association of the University of Michigan Law School with the annual J.T. Canales Award, which honors one “alumnus who has made a significant contribution to empowering the Latino community” each year.
Kittrie received a B.A. from Yale University and a J.D. from the University of Michigan Law School and is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations.