Visiting Professional Placement at the International Criminal Court (ICC), The Hague: Office of Public Counsel for the Defence [Unfunded; Apply by 31 December 2026]

The International Criminal Court (ICC) investigates and, where warranted, tries individuals charged with genocide, war crimes, crimes against humanity and the crime of aggression. Under requisition 24261, the ICC Registry is inviting applications for Visiting Professional placements in the Office of Public Counsel for the Defence (OPCD) at its duty station in The Hague, Netherlands.

The vacancy announcement is used to give hiring managers a list of suitable candidates from which they may make a selection throughout the year, so applicants must state their availability when applying. Applications indicating availability beyond the present selection cycle may be considered in the next selection cycle.

The OPCD is an independent Office of the Court dedicated to the work of the Defence, established under Regulation 77 of the Regulations of the Court. It promotes, represents and protects the Defence and raises the profile of Defence issues. It follows all cases to build a collective Defence memory and resource centre, and provides legal resources, research and advice to individual ICC Defence teams on request. OPCD Counsel may also be called upon by the Chambers to represent a suspect or defendant in proceedings or to give an opinion on specific questions of law. Members of the Office act independently and are bound by the Code of Professional Conduct for Counsel.

• Conduct research on a wide range of complex legal issues.
• Draft memoranda, summaries, legal notes and meeting minutes.
• Follow proceedings to assist the team.
• Participate in internal meetings of the Court and in presentations to external groups.

• Education: an advanced degree in law (LL.M. or J.D.) from a recognised university, having undertaken coursework in international/national criminal law, comparative law and criminology, public international law, international humanitarian law and/or human rights, with a very good record of academic performance.
• Experience: at least 3 years of relevant professional experience. Practical experience relevant to the work of the Court may be considered an asset. Candidates with less than three years of experience are not eligible for a Visiting Professional placement but may apply for an internship.
• Skills: ability to adapt to a multicultural and multilingual working environment; strong teamwork skills with equal ability to work independently; good research and drafting skills; a high standard of computer skills, including Microsoft Office and electronic databases.
• Languages: proficiency in English or French is required, with working knowledge of the other desirable. Knowledge of Arabic, Chinese, Russian or Spanish is an asset.
• Nationality: the ICC's Visiting Professional FAQ states that, unless otherwise specified in the vacancy, candidates from non-State Parties are eligible to apply. This vacancy specifies no restriction, so Indian professionals may apply. Nationals of non-represented and under-represented countries are encouraged to apply.

The vacancy states that Visiting Professionals work full time for a period between (minimum) three and six months, agreed before commencement, and lists a contract duration of 6 months. Candidates can be recruited for less than 6 months, and placements are not extended beyond six months. The starting date may vary by agreement. (The ICC's general Visiting Professional FAQ gives the range as one to six months; the vacancy for this post states three to six.)

The ICC states that internship and visiting professional placements are unfunded. The Court cannot provide any remuneration, nor reimburse expenses incurred before, during or after the placement. Applicants must be able to support themselves for the entire duration of the placement.

• A completed 'Duties and Responsibilities Form' (step 1 on your eRecruitment profile page).
• Motivation letter (maximum 400 words).
• One reference letter.
• Scanned copies of university degrees and/or diplomas (added at the essay upload box).

Apply online through the ICC eRecruitment portal: open requisition 24261 and click 'Apply', state your availability, and upload the documents listed above. The deadline for applications is 31 December 2026 (midnight The Hague time, which is 4:30 am IST on 1 January 2027).

Due to the volume of applications received, only successful applicants will be contacted by the Court.