Lawyering Peace

In this episode of the Lawyering Peace podcast, Anna Triponel delves into the challenging yet hopeful post-Gaddafi era in Libya. After nearly 50 years of authoritarian rule, the nation faced the monumental task of building a new identity from the ground up, with no existing rule of law infrastructure or constitution. The Libyan people encountered a myriad of obstacles, including the widespread circulation of weapons and deep-seated distrust among various factions.
Anna, who led PILPG’s efforts to advise Libya on the post-conflict constitutional process and specifically headed the Libyan women’s cohort during this transformative period, discusses the initial enthusiasm for the constitution-building process. She highlights how this enthusiasm waned as the complexities of unifying a country with stark regional and ethnic differences became apparent. Anna emphasizes the difficulties of fostering loyalty to a national identity while respecting regional diversities and the critical role of building client relationships through understanding individuals' backgrounds and motivations.
One of the key highlights of the episode is Anna’s work with the Libyans to develop a domestic accountability mechanism for atrocity crimes, illustrating their desire for local justice over international interventions. The episode sheds light on the challenges faced when the International Criminal Court's involvement was undermined by militia power, highlighting the ongoing need for authentic reconciliation efforts in Libya.
Listeners will find valuable lessons in Anna’s reflections, particularly the significance of empathy and humility in international peace efforts. Her insights remind us that understanding the lived experiences of those we work with is paramount, as these issues are often matters of life and death.
This episode is a compelling exploration of the complexities of post-conflict nation-building and the human connections that underpin successful peace processes.

This episode of Lawyering Peace, features Chief Prosecutor for the UN Special Court for Sierra Leone (Special Court), David Crane. Crane is renowned for indicting Charles Taylor, the former President of Liberia, marking the first time a sitting head of state was held accountable for atrocity crimes. Given this milestone, the Special Court has been used as a blueprint for subsequent international criminal tribunals. 
 
The episode delves into the effectiveness of the Special Court in establishing durable peace and explores the conflict in Sierra Leone that led to its creation. It also examines the blanket amnesty provided in the peace agreement that ended the conflict and the impact of the Truth Commission that was conducted prior to the court's mandate. 
David Crane shares some of the unique challenges and unexpected obstacles he faced as Chief Prosecutor, providing a vivid account of his experiences.
Notably, David’s story exemplifies how “the rule of law is more powerful than the rule of the gun”. 
Tune in to gain insight on navigating the politics of justice.

Ambassador Stephen Rapp, former US Ambassador-at-Large for Global Criminal Justice, joins Dr. Paul R. Williams in this compelling episode of Lawyering Peace, to delve into the crucial role of global criminal justice in shaping durable peace.
In this episode, Ambassador Rapp shares insights into accountability related to the Arab Spring, the Sierra Leone conflict, and the Rwandan Genocide, and emphasizes the importance of holding perpetrators of international crimes accountable. Drawing parallels to historical events, he discusses the delicate balance between granting amnesty for political crimes and ensuring accountability for atrocities. Ambassador Rapp tells us: durable peace is unattainable without justice. 
Ambassador Rapp also explores the overarching importance of pursuing truth after an armed conflict, and the episode provides a candid analysis of current conflicts, including those in Ukraine and Syria, and the implications of prosecuting high-level officials like President Putin.
Reflecting on the progress made towards accountability in the 2010s, Ambassador Rapp highlights the evolving landscape of international justice in an era of social media and civil society activism. Despite the challenges, he remains optimistic, asserting that the need for accountability cannot be ignored. 
Tune in for a deeper understanding of the intersection between justice and peace, and the essential role of international criminal justice in securing a just and lasting peace.

In this episode, Dr. Williams speaks with Kate Gibson, an experienced lawyer who has represented former heads of state, military leaders, and victims of international crimes before international criminal courts and tribunals since 2005. Kate discusses how these tribunals can sometimes hinder peace, especially in cases of victor’s justice and when the process is too disconnected from the affected communities. She also addresses the growing skepticism about the International Criminal Court’s ability to contribute to peace and provide victim catharsis. Tune in to hear Kate challenge the popular belief that we are in an ‘Era of Accountability’.
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Host & Executive Producer: Dr. Paul R. Williams
Co-Producer & Content Manager: Katie Hetherington 
Co-Producer & Creative Manager: Ryan Westlake 
 
 

In this episode, Dr. Paul R. Williams speaks with Michael Scharf, a drafter of the Statute that created the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia (ICTY). Initially intended by the international legal community as a symbolic gesture, the tribunal became a powerful instrument of justice under a prosecutor  whose unwavering commitment to justice over political convenience challenged the status quo of international practices. We explore how this commitment to justice impacted the Balkans peace processes, the role of international tribunals in balancing peace and accountability, and the legacy of the ICTY in shaping future tribunals and the International Criminal Court. Tune in for insights into how justice challenges peace negotiators today.

In this unique episode, we speak with Ambassador Zorica Maric Djordjevic, to explore the subtleties of diplomacy and Montenegro's extraordinary journey in international relations. The discussion unveils Montenegro as an understated success story in U.S. foreign policy, spotlighting Ambassador Djordjevic’s instrumental role in enhancing ties with the U.S., the United Nations, and the World Trade Organization from 1989 to 2020.
Ambassador Djordjevic brings her unique perspectives from her time guiding Montenegro out of conflict and into statehood, emphasizing the importance of applying a gendered lens to negotiations. 

In this episode of "Lawyering Peace," we delve into the intricate dynamics of peace negotiation delegations, with a special focus on the critical roles played by women leaders in the Syrian opposition delegation. Our guest, Betsy Popken, brings insights from her tenure as the chief legal advisor during the Geneva peace talks (2015 - 2017). Peek into the rigorous training and strategic planning that goes into preparing a delegation for high-stakes negotiations, and learn how roles and responsibilities are assigned to harness the strengths of diverse team members, particularly the leading women. This discussion offers a unique glimpse into the challenging yet fascinating process of negotiating peace, and the vital aspects of training and leading a negotiation team effectively.

In this episode of the Lawyering Peace podcast, we delve into Guatemala's journey toward peace through the lens of the 1996 Peace Accords process, which concluded 36 years of internal conflict. Ambassador Donald Planty, the United States Ambassador to Guatemala during the peace process, shares his firsthand experiences from engaging in the process, emphasizing the crucial role of international cooperation, especially the strategic support of the "Friends of the Peace Process" in this context. This episode also unpacks the essential skills for successful diplomacy, such as relationship building, effective listening, and understanding diverse perspectives. Ambassador Planty illustrates how capitalizing on these skills and relying on informal confidence building measures with the parties, propelled the negotiations forward. Tune in to learn about the dynamic challenges facing an ambassador engaged in high-stakes negotiations and the practical negotiation skills that can lead to successful outcomes.

Robert Perito is an expert in security sector reform and governance and has been involved in post-conflict processes in regions and states across the globe, including Angola, Haiti, Liberia, Bosnia, Kosovo, Afghanistan, Iraq, and Libya.  This episode explores Bob’s career as a Foreign Service officer with the U.S. Department of State, during which time Bob chaired the US delegation to the Angolan peace talks that ended in the signing of the Bicesse Accords. This episode provides deep insights into the role played by third parity delegations in peace talks and the challenges that come with seeking peaceful solutions to entrenched conflicts.

Matt Simpson has been engaged in several peace and post-conflict processes around the world, and is now Co-Chair of the Private Equity Practice at Mintz. This episode delves into Matt’s role as the Principal Legal Advisor to the Darfur Delegation in the Doha Round of Peace Negotiations, which aimed to resolve the Darfur conflict. In this position, Matt led a team of over two dozen international legal and policy advisors, and was charged with advising on the full range of issues that presented themselves during the negotiations, including power sharing, security arrangements, demilitarization, wealth allocation from natural resources, and the return of displaced persons. In this interview, Matt discusses the challenges and intricacies of his role, providing insights into the reality of peace negotiations as well as lessons learned for other contexts.

Dr. Patrick Maluki is a Senior Lecturer at the University of Nairobi and Kenya’s top expert in peace and diplomacy.  Dr. Maluki has extensive experience in the peace and conflict mediation arena. He holds a PhD in Peace and Conflict Studies from Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology in Kenya and is an expert trainer and researcher in international negotiation, mediation, human rights, governance, and peace building issues. This episode focuses on Dr. Maluki’s in-depth knowledge of the causes of conflict, conflict prevention, and conflict mitigation.

Yoonie Kim is a former PILPG-er, and is currently a Senior Political Affairs Officer and the Gulf Team Leader at the United Nations. This episode explores Yoonie’s time serving as Senior Advisor and Special Assistant to the UN Special Envoy Jamal Benomar on the Yemen peace process, examining the ways in which mediation teams operate when supporting challenging and complex negotiations, and the importance of collaboration between the various actors involved in peace negotiations when pursuing durable peace.