Professional Ethics at the International Bar

The monograph examines whether it would be desirable and feasible to articulate common ethical standards for counsel appearing before international courts and tribunals. It conducts original research into the issues arising from the nascent process of professionalisation of advocacy before international courts and tribunals. It considers whether professionalisation ought to happen and, if so, is feasible in light of the practical limitations on international courts and the considerable diversity amongst national traditions of advocacy. It analyses the commonalities and differences amongst these traditions and the resulting issues arising in practice before the International Court of Justice, European Court of Justice, European Court of Human Rights, investment and commercial arbitration and the International Criminal Court. It explores early attempts to articulate common standards by international professional organisations to identify the challenges for their adoption and application and the ability of international courts to prescribe and enforce such standards. The monograph argues that the professionalisation of advocacy through the articulation of common ethical standards is both desirable and feasible in order to protect the integrity and fairness of the international judicial process