LLM students visit The Hague for International Court of Justice decision on Whaling in the Antarctic

On Monday 31 March 2014, current LLM students from the University of Edinburgh Law School visited The Hague to hear the International Court of Justice’s decision on Whaling in the Antarctic (Australia v. Japan: New Zealand intervening). While there, the sixteen students (spread across the Global Environmental and Climate Change and International Law Programmes and hailing from twelve different countries) had the chance to meet privately with Judges Greenwood and Sebutine and enjoy dinner with several Edinburgh Law School alumni.

After a morning photo shoot just outside the Peace Palace, students were ushered into the Hall of Justice, where they observed the two-hour reading of the Court’s Decision. Immediately after, students were taken through to the Judge’s Reading Room to meet with Judge Christopher Greenwood and his Legal Assistant Dr. Gérardine Goh Escolar. Conversation included an overview of the procedures ICJ judges go through to come to a judgment, some debate about the case, and career advice. Their presence in the “inner ICJ” was demonstrated when they were interrupted partway through by ICJ President Peter Tomka – who came in to drop off his newspaper

On Monday evening, Edinburgh Law School alumni joined current students for dinner at Garoeda. Alumni in the area are currently working for the ICTY, ICC, ICJ, and various government ministries. Students and alumni reminisced about Edinburgh, discussed the Scottish referendum, and shared professional development suggestions. The dinner group also included Judge Julia Sebutinde, Edinburgh alumna (1991) and the first African woman to sit on the Court. In 2009, the University of Edinburgh awarded Judge Sebutinde an honorary Doctor of Laws.

With Edinburgh Law School faculty Professor Alan Boyle serving as Counsel and Dr. James Harrison as Legal Advisor to Japan for the case, Edinburgh students were given unique insight into the ICJ process. Prior to the trip, students learned about the International Convention for the Regulation of Whaling with Professor Boyle in Law School courses Fundamental Issues of International Law and International Environmental Law. Dr. Harrison presented a pre-trip briefing to students on the facts of the case, an event that also forged connections with current PhD students.

The students’ trip was supported by Edinburgh Law School through two new postgraduate communities: Edinburgh Law Connections and the Edinburgh Law Postgraduate Hub. ELC and ELPH hope that this successful trip will encourage future years’ trips to The Hague and continued alumni meet-ups across the globe.

Read more about the Whaling Case at http://www.icj-cij.org/docket/index.php?p1=3&p2=1&case=148.

Get in touch with current Edinburgh Law students through Edinburgh Law Connections on Facebook, Twitter (@ELawConnections), and LinkedIn, or via email: elc@ed.ac.uk.

You can also connect with the Edinburgh Law Postgraduate Hub at elph@ed.ac.uk.