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FEATURE
Over the next few years, Wanlin continued to assist
MacFarlane, who was appointed to investigate and
prosecute a series of contempt cases. Wanlin’s work
consisted mainly of preparing the prosecution’s case
and drafting the required documents at the various
stages of the proceedings. In 2011, she was granted
the right of audience, which allowed her to present
prosecution evidence and closing arguments, a rare
opportunity for a junior lawyer.
Between her ICTY terms, Wanlin articled in Ottawa
with the Canadian Internet Policy and Public Interest
Clinic, where she honed some new skills. As to how
this experience connected with international law,
Wanlin explains that the “internet is by definition
international.” It also proved invaluable to Wanlin’s
ongoing work at the ICTY, where the dissemination
of confidential information via the internet was a key
feature in all of the cases.
A contract position in the Public Information Section
of the International Criminal Court showed Wanlin the
importance of ensuring that the public understands
both the possibilities and the limits of international
criminal law. Wanlin returned to the ICTY to take up
her current position as Associate Legal Officer and is
assigned to the Appeals Chamber. “As of January 2012,
I am now officially a United Nations staff person,” says
Wanlin, who hopes that she will be employed there
for the next few years.
Her ideas about advocacy have altered over the
years. “I’ve seen that there are different ways to be
an advocate. In 2008, when I was assisting Bruce
MacFarlane at the court, my role essentially was that
of an external prosecutor and we were doing more
traditional legal advocacy. Now my role is actually
working for the judges in the Appeals Chamber,
helping to draft the decisions and ultimately the
judgment. My job is to review the briefs, to do
legal research, and to draft sections for the judges
to review, as well as to provide feedback once we
get to the appeal hearing. While it may not be
traditional advocacy, ultimately the outcome is a
group form of advocacy.”
Though circuitous, the route brought Wanlin to
where she always wanted to be.
“I think my being open to new
experiences has helped me arrive at
places that I didn’t expect to get to.”
“A lot of people would think that the best way to get
there, and it’s probably the way I would recommend
now, would be to get your law degree, practice
domestic criminal law, do your masters degree,
and then do an internship at the court, and then
apply. That’s the route that most people take. But
there’s something to be said for taking a path that is
less direct and that can help develop skills that are
not evident to where you want to go, but later on
become really helpful.”
Wanlin imparts some essential advice to prospective
law students and graduates alike. “Follow your heart;
do what you want. Don’t feel you are constrained to
having a traditional career where you only do one job
for the next 40 years. In the end, there are so many
opportunities out there and you never know where
they’re going to lead you.”
The International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia
(ICTY) in The Hague, The Netherlands.
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