2015
Camille Marquis Bissonnette
January 2015 - : PhD in Law at the Canada Research Chair on International Criminal Justice and Fundamental Rights, Université Laval, prof. Fannie Lafontaine
September 2013-August 2014: Master of Advanced Studies (MAS/LL.M) in International Humanitarian Law and Human Rights at the Geneva Academy of Humanitarian Law and Human Rights
September 2010-April 2013 : Bachelor in Public Affairs and International Relations, Université Laval
Doctoral Scholarship from the Fonds de recherche du Québec Société et Culture(FQRSC) (May 2016-April 2019)
2015JohnPetersHumphreyFellowshipinInternationalHumanRightsLawofthe Canadian Council of International Law (September 2015- June 2016)
Cum laude mention for the Master of Advanced Studies (M.A.S./Ll.m) in International Humanitarian Law and Human Rights at the Geneva Academy of Humanitarian Law and Human Rights (October 2014)
Research Project
My research project deals with the impacts of the qualification of individuals or groups as terrorists on the implementation of the international rules regulating the protection of civilians during armed conflicts as well as the protection of refugees. Indeed, if many national and international legal regimes apply to the concept of terrorism, the polysemy associated with it can lead to a politicisation of the concept, which could cause, in certain instances, the application of these regimes to violate the fundamental principles of international law. My project thus deals with a crucial issue in a national and international society where terrorism and counterterrorism have entered in the vernacular and policies preceding the development of international law on these matters. The definition of terrorism in international treaties falters precisely because of the legitimacy and identity consequences of the qualification of groups, acts or individuals as terrorists. Nonetheless, and paradoxically, the uncertainty around this notion doesn’t currently preclude the arbitrariness of their qualification, quite the contrary.
Kathleen Davis
S.J.D., University of Toronto Faculty of Law (in progress)
LL.M. in International Legal Studies, New York University School of Law
J.D., Queen's University Faculty of Law, First Class Honours in Public International Law
B.A., University of Western Ontario, Honours Specialization in Political Science
Program of Study
Kathleen Davis is a Canadian lawyer who has specialized in the field of international law. For the past three years, she has taught international criminal law at Osgoode Hall Law School and is completing her doctorate in international law at The University of Toronto, where she serves as a senior fellow and member of the Advisory Board at the Canadian Centre for The Responsibility to Protect. Kathleen has provided research and legal assistance to the prosecution teams at the International Criminal Court, the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia, and the Special Tribunal for Lebanon in The Hague. She has also served as a consultant to the Canadian Civil Liberties Association and the Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General on the Responsibility to Protect.
As a doctoral candidate at the University of Toronto Faculty of Law, Kathleen is exploring how private actors, such as journalists and human rights advocates, play a direct and pivotal role in the development and implementation of public international law. She is currently completing research that explores how these non-state actors are serving to promote accountability for sexual violence committed by UN peacekeepers and other international personnel. Kathleen completed her LL.M. in International Legal Studies at New York University, where she interned at the Center for Human Rights and Global Justice and in the Peace and Security Division of UN Women. Prior to completing her LL.M., Kathleen obtained her B.A. from The University of Western Ontario and her J.D. from Queen’s University. She completed her articles at Torys LLP, and is a member of the Bar of Ontario.
Michele Krech
Michele Krech recently graduated at the top of her class from a joint JD/MA program, earning a law degree from the University of Ottawa and a master's degree from the Norman Paterson School of International Affairs at Carleton University. During her studies, Michele carried out numerous research projects and internships focused on international criminal law, the law of armed conflict, refugee law and human rights. Michele is currently completing her articles as a law clerk at the Court of Appeal for Ontario, and will be called to the Ontario Bar in June.
Proposed Programme of Study
I will describe one of my top program choices from the six to which I have applied.
The International Legal Studies LLM program at NYU School of Law offers perhaps the broadest and most diverse and dynamic program in international law and global governance worldwide. Through courses, research and practical engagement, students deepen their understanding of international law, the interconnections between its different fields, and its relationship to domestic law.
Students participate in advanced small-group seminars and directly engage with faculty who are global leaders in their fields.
Topics in which the school has particular curricular strength and which are of most interest to me include: Human Rights and International Criminal Law; Law and Institutions of War and Post-Conflict Reconstruction; and The United Nations (UN) and International Organizations Law.
The program also offers the opportunity to participate in clinics with prominent NGOs, government agencies or international organizations. I am particularly interested the clinic on global justice and the Transitional Justice Leadership Program.
Students also benefit from the New York location, home of the UN. After graduation, many students receive fellowships to work at institutions such as the UN's International Law Commission and Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights.