He is an exceptional, experienced, diligent and innovative Lawyer and legal leader with a proven record of improving performance with strong understanding of Domestic and International Law . He combine the ability to provide pragmatic, solution-orientated legal advice to all clients, with the tenacity, knowledge and ability required to successfully represent clients in challenging, high value, technical disputes in specialist areas. Extensive criminal experience. Ranging from Supreme Court, High Courts, District Courts and Session Courts. He is the Prosecutor for the State of Tamil Nadu, India and Assistant to Counsel at International Criminal Court, Netherland and have effectively contested cases in various sensitive issues namely offences committed by Terrorist Organisation, Sexual Offences against a Minor Child, Murder, Manufacturing of Drugs and other serious offences. He has been widely appreciated by various Judge’s especially the High Court of Madras has recorded its appreciation for his illuminative submission and out of box approach and perspective in an Landmark Judgments.

Dr. Dov Jacobs is currently a senior legal assistant on the Defense team of Laurent Gbagbo at the International Criminal Court. He has been an active member of the ICCBA since its creation (initially on the Training Committee and this year on the Legal Advisory Committee), with the belief that the Defense needs strong institutional presence at the ICC, in order for their voice to be heard and their needs to be addressed. Dov Jacobs has 15 years of experience in international law, international criminal and human rights, both as an academic and a practitioner. Having obtained an LLB from King’s College in London, master degrees from Sciences Po, Paris I and Paris II and his PhD at the European University institute, he joined Leiden University as an Assistant Professor in 2011. He has been teaching ICL to generations of university students, as well as done training for professionals for many years (in particular in the context of the ICCBA). His publications confirm his expertise in ICL and the ICC. These publications have touched upon fundamental procedural issues, such as admissibility, the rights of the Defense, the scope and definition of the charges, immunities or provisional release and he regularly comments on ICL issues on his blog, Spreading the Jam. Dov Jacobs has concrete daily experience of all these issues on the Gbagbo case (both inside and outside the courtroom), and therefore has detailed knowledge of the daily procedure before the ICC and the challenges faced by practitioners, more particularly those who are part of Defense teams. This comprehensive expertise, both academic and practical, is the basis for his continued dedication to actively represent the interests of the Defense within the Training Committee and the Counsel Support Staff Committee for the coming year.  Dov Jacobs is committed to bring this experience to the table to deal with the difficulties faced by Defence teams, to everyone’s benefit, including the ICC, because without a strong Defense, recognised not only in words, but in the daily reality of the Court, as a pillar of the international criminal law system, there can be no fair trial, and therefore no justice.

I started at the ICC as an intern with the OPCD. Since then, I have worked on the Defence Teams for General Ali, President Kenyatta, Charles Blé Goudé and currently for Dominic Ongwen. During my tenure at the ICC, I have spent much of the time conducting in-country investigations. When I am not working, I enjoy fishing, skiing and working in my father-in-law’s garden. I have a Bachelor of Science in Biology, an LLM and Juris Doctor. I am a registered attorney in the State of New York (practicing out-of-state).

James Onalaja is a criminal barrister with over 14 years’ experience, called to the Bar of England and Wales. He practises from the Chambers of Andrew Trollope QC and Richard Christie QC, 187 Fleet Street, London. He has a Bachelor of Law from Durham University, UK. He has undertaken postgraduate studies in International Criminal Law at Columbia Law School, New York and obtained a Master of Laws in International Criminal Law (Cum Laude) from University of Amsterdam. His practice focuses on: serious, complex and violent crimes, including matters with transnational and international law complexities; military court martials and; cases involving alleged violations of human rights. He is admitted to the ICC List of Counsel and the List of Specialist Counsel at the Kosovo Specialist Chambers. He has assisted the defence team in Case 004 before the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia (ECCC). He has also worked with members of the United Nations Human Rights Committee in preparing them for their 122nd Session and periodic oral dialogues with States re compliance with the ICCPR. He is an advocacy tutor to trainee lawyers in England and is experienced at providing Continuing Professional Development training to legal professionals.

Chair

Marie-Hélène Proulx is a lawyer admitted to the Quebec Bar (Canada) since 2003. She holds a law degree from the University of Montréal and an LL.M in International Humanitarian Law from the Geneva Academy of International Humanitarian Law and Human Rights. She is currently a Legal Consultant at the International Criminal Court. She was previously Associate Counsel of Al Hassan Ag Abdoul Aziz, and a Legal officer for the Defence team of Hassan Habib Merhi, who was recently acquitted by the Special Tribunal for Lebanon. She also acted as Legal Adviser for a defense witness in the Ongwen case. From 2012 to 2014, Ms. Proulx was a Legal Officer with the Appeals Division of the Office of the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia (ICTY). From 2010 to 2012, she was a Legal Officer in the ICC Pre-Trial and Trial Chamber. From 2007 to 2009, she worked as Associate Legal Officer at the ICTY, initially in the Appeals Chamber, and then in the Office of Legal Aid and Detention Matters. Marie-Hélène Proulx regularly acts as a speaker for ICCBA training sessions. She has also represented the ICCBA at side-events of the 2019 Assembly of States Parties.