YLLI DAUTAJ ’18 LL.M. WINDS DOWN SUCCESSFUL TENURE AS VISITING ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR AND HEADS TO UK
April 2025 — A year after achieving his “dream job” of teaching at Penn State Dickinson Law, Visiting Associate Professor Ylli Dautaj ’18 LL.M. has accepted a position as an associate professor at Durham Law School in the UK, where he will begin teaching this fall.
Dautaj applied to Penn State Dickinson Law for his LL.M. after meeting Assistant Dean of Graduate and International Programs Steve Barnes in Sweden. Barnes showed Dautaj a video about the Penn State football team and the origins of “We Are,” and Dautaj was intrigued.
Already a successful practicing attorney abroad, Dautaj attended Penn State Dickinson Law with his brother. They lived together in University Park (“in one small room on a student budget”) and later launched two businesses together, building on the many connections they made during their LL.M. year. They have hired seven Penn State Dickinson Law alumni and also had various employees going in the other direction for their LL.M. degrees.
While studying at University Park, Dautaj dreamed of becoming a professor at Penn State Dickinson Law. “As a student, my dream was to come back to University Park and teach. I thought about it every day,” said Dautaj, who taught remotely as an adjunct professor before joining the faculty full time.
Penn State Dickinson Law Associate Dean for Academic Affairs Jud Matthews said Dautaj was a standout student. “I couldn’t be prouder of him. He has made a powerful mark in the field of international arbitration since his time here as a student,” said Matthews. “It was very special to see him return this year as a full-time visitor to Penn State, where he quickly established himself as a valued teacher and mentor to our students. I’m excited for this next chapter of his professional journey.”
Dautaj spent his recent spring break in India, where he taught and guest lectured at two universities along with Visiting Assistant Professor of Law Brendan Bernicker, who earned his bachelor’s and master's at Penn State. Dautaj enjoyed meeting Penn State alumni and sharing meals with chancellors, vice chancellors, and deans during the trip.
“I have done a lot of work in India over the years, including accompanying Steve Barnes on his trips,” said Dautaj. “I encourage everyone to follow him at least once just to realize how much work goes into building these bridges worldwide. I have never met a person with that level of dedication and work ethic. He has built a global network of Penn State Dickinson Law alumni who now hold offices of the highest order across our globe. It is truly inspiring and what makes us great. ‘We are’ a global family.”
Dautaj is certainly wrapping up a busy semester. In January, he received special recognition from the Association of American Law Schools (AALS) Section on Alternative Dispute Resolution, which honored him with the New Voices in Dispute Resolution award during the AALS Annual Meeting. Dautaj, who has also taught at Brunel University London, served as a teaching fellow at Durham earlier in his career. He described Durham as “one of the elite law schools in the UK and the world” with an exceptional administration and leadership. While sad to see his time in University Park end, he is excited to return to a place he loves just as much. “What I like with Durham is what I like with Penn State — there is a lot of energy and a lot of things happening,” said Dautaj.