Left: ICC Registrar Peter Lewis opening the online ICC Training for Counsel; right: some of the keynote speakers addressing Training participants ©ICC-CPI
On 22-26 March 2021, the International Criminal Court (ICC) held a five-day Training for Counsel with the participation of 197 lawyers registered on the ICC List of Counsel and the List of Assistants to Counsel. This year’s training was held online due to COVID-19 restrictions and was organised in collaboration with the International Criminal Court Bar Association (ICCBA) and with the financial support of the European Commission.
Welcoming the participants in his opening address, the ICC Registrar, Peter Lewis, said that “the Court celebrates once more another edition of the Training for Counsel, event that highlights and emphasises the commitment of the ICC to international justice and the importance of disseminating information about the Court’s mandate and its activities. This annual event has been evolving since its inception and adapting to new challenges but always firm in its commitment to bring together legal professionals as an opportunity for discussion and dialogue on issues of importance to the Court’s activities.”
The session allowed ICC representatives, members of the ICC List of Counsel and the List of Assistants to Counsel, and members of the legal teams currently intervening before the Court to share experiences and discuss issues of mutual interest. Over the five days, the participants focussed in particular on the List of Counsel, Legal Aid Policy and relevant administrative procedures; composing and managing a team; punctual appointments as Counsels before the Court; interacting with victims and witnesses; preventing discrimination in the legal workplace; as well as harassment, ethics and disciplinary proceedings. The participants also received updates on key legal issues in the ongoing ICC cases.
ICC Seminars and Trainings for Counsel on the ICC List of Counsel have been an annual activity of the Court since 2004, providing a unique platform to not only celebrate the contribution of Counsel to the Court’s mandate, but to also engage in mutually beneficial dialogue with the legal profession.
