Rights Review (RR): Which organization did you work for, and in which city and country?
Spencer Nestico-Semianiw (SNS): I worked for the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague, the Netherlands.
RR: What were the highlights of your fellowship?
SNS: My experience at the ICC was phenomenal. For the majority of my summer, I was tasked with the Gaddafi appeal, where I summarized submissions by the Office of the Prosecutor, counsel for the defence, and the victims’ office. I identified legal issues that would likely arise on appeal and conducted research into various statutory interpretations and jurisprudential questions. I also assisted with editing, citation checks, formatting other Appeals Chambers judgments, and attending court during their delivery.
RR: What were some of the challenges that you faced this summer?
SNS: It was initially intimidating to work in international law, a field in which I had little prior knowledge. In addition, the pace of work can be hard to manage. Depending on the number of appeals, the office can either be calm and quiet or suddenly hectic and boisterous.
RR: What were some of your first impressions of the country/city where you completed your fellowship? How did these impressions change over time?
SNS: I found the Netherlands to be a very friendly and economical country. The Hague was quiet but engaging, and I enjoyed visiting museums, smaller towns, and the canals over the weekends. It was very easy to feel at home there.
RR: Share anything interesting about your experience (best meal, favourite memory, etc.)
SNS: As I had never set foot in Europe before this summer (nor traveled at all really), I challenged myself to visit a new country every other weekend. I climbed mountains outside the small town of Annecy in France, stumbled upon some tasty goulash in Prague, and visited the club where the Beatles first played in Hamburg. It was exhilarating and memorable—a welcome change from the first year of law school.
RR: What advice do you have for students hoping to be an IHRP fellow next year?SNS: My advice is to start early and speak to a mentor in international law. My alumni mentor passed on invaluable advice regarding how to structure and present my application materials. Starting my applications in October gave me time to fine-tune and perfect them. Good luck!
