Columbia is a planned community that consists of ten self-contained villages, located in Howard County, Maryland, United States. Columbia is a suburb of Baltimore and, to a lesser degree, Washington, D.C. It began with the idea that a city could enhance its residents' quality of life. Creator and developer James W. Rouse saw the new community in terms of human values, not just in terms of economics and engineering. Opened in 1967, Columbia was designed to not only eliminate the inconveniences of then-current subdivision design, but also eliminate racial, religious, and income segregation. Today, Columbia has a population of about 97,200 and is the most populous census-designated place in Maryland. By the early 2000s, the town had acquired many of the characteristics of other contemporary U.S. suburbs, such as increasingly large private homes on large parcels and "big box" retail stores accessible mostly by automobile. Rouse's ethos remains a strong influence upon the physical and political development of Columbia.

What is international law?

Private International law (or conflict of laws) is a set of rules of procedural law which determine which legal system and the law of which jurisdiction apply to a given legal dispute. They typically apply when a legal dispute has a foreign element such as a contract agreed by parties located in different countries. Private International Law attorneys represent clients in legal disputes involving citizens and businesses in other countries.

Attorneys who practice Public International Law handle cases involving legal and practical relationships between nations -- including issues like agreements and treaties between nations, international trade regulation, and human rights.