Center for International Trial Advocacy

The Center for International Trial Advocacy leverages Dickinson Law’s historic strength in preparing successful trial attorneys to address the need for specialized training for lawyers appearing before international tribunals.

Through the Center, Dickinson Law extends its leadership in trial advocacy to institutions around the world, providing an outlet for faculty to expand their expertise, and helping our students develop critical, global-lawyering skills and an appreciation for the complexities of international dispute resolution systems. The Center created and conducted a first-of-its-kind trial advocacy program for more than 20 members of the International Criminal Court Bar Association (ICCBA) at the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague, Netherlands, which helped lawyers practicing before international tribunals cultivate and improve skills in developing a legal theory in an international criminal case, and use that theory to develop focused, effective openings, examinations, and closing arguments.

The Center also provides students with access to semester-in-residence externships at the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia and the United Nations Mechanism for International Criminal Tribunals—both located in The Hague, Netherlands — where they work side-by-side with senior prosecutors on some of the most significant international criminal cases being prosecuted today. Educational benefits include hands-on instruction in international criminal law, exposure to different legal cultures, and instruction in the management of large, complex trials and alternative approaches to the introduction of trial evidence.

As global citizens and ambassadors, Dickinson Law students use their skills to apply the international treaties and customary laws that govern state conduct and private interactions and elevate public awareness on important international law and human rights issues, and develop global competencies for both personal development and professional advancement.

The Center is led by Professor of Law Dermot Groome.