“ I ’ m most proud of the work I did prosecuting some of the most significant war crimes cases of the last 50 years ,” Corliss says . “ I was part of the trial team that secured the conviction of Bosnian Serb general Ratko Mladic for genocide , crimes against humanity and war crimes . I was also part of the appellate team that secured the life sentence of Radovan Karadzic , the former president of the Republika Srpska , on similar charges .”
Today , Corliss teaches criminal law , evidence , international law courses and a seminar on domestic and international terrorism at WVU . He is researching legal issues related to the war crime of terror and his newest research on the use of social media as an instrument of terror is forthcoming in the Columbia Journal of Transnational Law . However , his favorite part of teaching law is working with the students and seeing them grow . He has a first-hand empathy for young law students .
“ I remember from my own law school experience that law school , 1L year in particular , can be really hard ,” he says . “ I love seeing students become more confident with the material itself and more confident in their own abilities as thinkers and future lawyers . I try to encourage my students to not just learn the black letter law , but to critically examine law ’ s role in shaping society more broadly .”
Growing up in Wetzel County , Corliss attended Magnolia High School where he was class president , an all-state athlete and a National Merit Scholar . In those days , he dreamed of becoming a journalist because he loved the idea of investigating the facts and telling a story , tasks that lawyers spend hours with , as well . His father worked in the maintenance department of a local power plant and his mother was a Wetzel County teacher .
“ Even in retirement , my mother is a true force of nature ,” Corliss says . “ I am blessed because my mom is someone who fostered a home of love that also encouraged learning and exploration .”
In fact , he says his best trait is his natural sense of curiosity that was nurtured in his family while he was growing up . He loves learning new things and embracing new challenges .
“ It was curiosity that encouraged me to stay in the public gallery to watch a trial rather than find the library ,” Corliss says . “ I owe my career to that choice . Today , in my academic life , that same curiosity encourages me to look for opportunities to improve my research or innovate as a teacher .”
Although his education and eventually his career took him away from the Mountain State , Corliss kept feeling the tug of the West Virginia hills . He says he was thrilled when he was offered
an opportunity to teach at WVU College of Law and cites one of the great privileges of teaching as knowing his work today will help shape the future of West Virginia .
“ I grew up in Wetzel County but rarely visited Morgantown ,” he says . “ Now that I live in Morgantown , I have been happily surprised to find a welcoming community . I couldn ’ t imagine a better place to teach than WVU College of Law . My colleagues are committed to fostering greatness in our students . But more than that , the WVU law community is an incredibly caring place . The students at the law school aren ’ t just whip smart , they are some of the kindest , most thoughtful people I ’ ve ever met . If the law students I ’ ve taught are the future of West Virginia , we ’ re in great hands .” •
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