The Max Planck Yearbook of United Nations Law (UNYB), founded in 1997, appears under the auspices of the Max Planck Foundation for International Peace and the Rule of Law. Volume 27 of the UNYB features a special thematic forum titled 'Assessing the International Law Commission: The Past, Present, and Future'. In light of the recently concluded 75th anniversary of the International Law Commission (ILC), this edition of the UNYB contains a curation of high-quality contributions including interviews and articles that critically engage with and examine the work of the ILC throughout these years. Additionally, Volume 27 also features a few select articles related to the general editorial scope of the UNYB (‘The Law and Practice of the United Nations’ or ‘Legal Issues Related to the Goals of the United Nations’). Contributors hail from a range of international organizations, academic institutions, the United Nations and affiliated bodies along with other field practitioners, lawyers, and scholars working in varying capacities with or across the listed entities.

By concentrating on issues connected with the UN and its initiatives, the UNYB aims to facilitate an understanding of the changes the UN has been undergoing since its foundation. It also provides a forum in which the potential of international organizations to affect the future course of international law and relations can be examined and assessed. The UNYB addresses both scholars and practitioners, giving them insights into the workings, challenges and evolution of the UN.