Christopher Gosnell

Overview

Christopher has practiced international criminal law for more than twenty years acting for the defence, victims, and prosecuting, as well as with the United Nations.

Christopher was called to the New York State Bar in 2000 and the Southern District State of New York Bar in 2002. He practises in:

• International Criminal Law
• International Law
• International Humanitarian and Human Rights Law

He has served as lead counsel and co-counsel in proceedings before the International Criminal Court, the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia, and the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda, including high-profile cases involving charges of genocide. He has advised a State in relation to complex international criminal law issues, and worked as a Senior Legal Officer with the United Nations investigating serious international crimes for referral to national authorities.

Prior to working in the field of international criminal law, he was a litigation associate with the New York law firm of Simpson Thacher & Bartlett, which he joined after serving as a law clerk at the Supreme Court of Canada.

Christopher currently directs a course as an adjunct faculty member at the Geneva Academy of International Humanitarian Law and Human Rights and was previously a lecturer-in-law at Columbia Law School.

He is the co-editor of Principles of Evidence in International Criminal Justice and is the author of articles and book chapters, including “Damned If You Don’t: Liability for Omissions in International Criminal Law,” in The Ashgate Research Companion to International Criminal Law, and chapters of the Oxford commentary on The United Nations Principles to Combat Impunity.

Professional Appointments 

• International Criminal Court (ICC) list counsel.
• Senior Legal Officer at the United Nations (UNITAD & IIMM) - 2020-2024.
• International Criminal Court Bar Association Vice-President - 2017-2018 & 2019-2020.

Languages

• Christopher is fluent in French.

Additional Information

Christopher is often called upon as an expert commentator on the topics of international criminal law and human rights. He is available as an expert or to lecture and contribute to seminars on issues relating to International and International Criminal Law, International Humanitarian & Human Rights Law.

Examples of recent Seminars & Interviews

• Experts Debate - Navigating Critical Phases of International Criminal Trials 

• War Crimes Committee Conference - International Bar Association: The challenges to undertaking domestic and hybrid trials for atrocity crimes.

• Interview by Christopher Gosnell as Senior Legal Officer of UNITAD - Discussing the need for international crimes legislation in Iraq.