Abstract/Summary

This thesis examines the notion of professional responsibility amongst international has lawyers. There are challenges to conceptualising the notion in 'international' terms, particularly when citing diversity in nationality, specialisms, ideology, language and culture as evidence. Indeed, social circumstances and allegiances have an influence on one's identity and sense of responsibility. However, as much as it might be beneficial and necessary to understand situational variations, and, the differences amongst them, it seems unsatisfactory to base the conceptualisation of international lawyers' professional responsibility from situated and divided standpoints exclusively. To provide a more holistic and international perspective, key predicates that would inform any conception of international lawyers ' professional responsibility are examined. Four key predicates are identified for detailed interrogation: profession, method, social responsibility, and international justice. Drawing upon extant scholarship, each of the identified predicates is examined in tum. The examination adopts a contextual approach, looking at how understandings ofthese predicates have evolved over time, and also, unpacks their normative influences for international lawyers' sense of responsibility. A key point of reflection in each case is to consider the extent to which the normative influences are realistic accounts or idealistic impressions. The examination highlights that international lawyers' professional responsibility is not simply a technical matter, where one could be blindly focussed upon the formalities of procedure. International lawyers and their audiences need to remain attentive about the complex nature oflegal expertise within international affairs. To cultivate and shape this attentiveness, more opportunity and encouragement needs to be given for engagement with moral philosophy, political theory and social history.