“When a war is over, how do communities pick up the pieces and rebuild?” asks Elena Favaro Viana (BA ’13). “It seems natural to me that the biggest way to have an impact in these situations is through the facilitation of justice.” Elena is an international criminal justice lawyer who has built her career on a passion for justice and reconciliation, primarily in a post-conflict context. 

“If there is an avenue for justice to be sought,” she says, “then it might not only detract from future conflicts, but may also bring closure to societies that have suffered.”

Presently, she is working at the International Criminal Court in The Hague, Netherlands, a court often referred to as one of the greatest accomplishments of humankind in our time. She is currently working on the defence team for Mr. Charles Blé Goudé, in a joint case with Ivory Coast President Laurent Gbagbo concerning the post-election violence of 2010-11 in that country.

Photo courtesy of ICC.

The International Criminal Court deals with some of the world’s most heinous crimes, including war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide.

Previously, Elena was a legal intern and worked for the International Judges in Chambers at the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia (ECCC) in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. This is a hybrid court, set up by the United Nations at the request of the Kingdom of Cambodia, to prosecute those accused of atrocities that occurred between 1975 and 1979. Elena has also worked for the UN in Geneva and New York, and attended conferences globally, meeting notable figures such as the Princess of Thailand, former Secretary General of the UN Ban-Ki Moon, and Ben Ferencz, the last surviving prosecutor in the Nuremberg trials for Nazi Germany.

“I’m passionate about making the world a better place, and I always thought on a grand scale,” she says, “Now having the opportunity to work at the International Criminal Court is very humbling.” Elena is truly at the cutting edge of international justice – international court law is only 30 years old, and in many cases, ground-breaking precedents are being created in response to cases as they arise.

While Elena has a law degree from the University of Sussex in the United Kingdom, and an advanced LLM degree in International Criminal Law from Leiden University in the Netherlands, she credits much of her career success to her time at Laurier.

“Laurier was huge place of inspiration for me,” she says. “I remember being deeply impacted and profoundly transformed by every single lecture I attended in Global Studies. It put into context the socio-economic aspects of global politics, and that has been a huge foundational rock in my knowledge and experiences to date.”

Elena also felt Laurier, of all the schools she attended, had the greatest sense of community. “I hold Laurier close to my heart,” she says.

Elena has worked hard in her career, and wants to do what she can to support those who also want to become international lawyers.

“The process to become a qualified lawyer and get a job in international law is incredibly long and tiresome,” she says, “I want to be able to create more opportunities for students trying to enter the legal profession in order to encourage diversity.”

Reflecting on her own experience, Elena is aware of the challenges facing graduates seeking to make an impact through the law.

“Many students enter the legal profession wanting to make the world a better place, but slowly get discouraged in the process and hardened by it, ultimately taking the first legal job they can find even if it’s not in their desired field. It would be great to provide more opportunities and a source of inspiration for them.”

The advice she offers finds it source in the curiosity, enthusiasm and courage that have served her well in her developing career. “Say yes to every opportunity,” she says. “Do the field work, move to a rural or post-conflict country, volunteer, learn as many languages as possible.”

While the work is hard, she acknowledges, the positive impact is very real. “This work is so rewarding because of the justice it creates for war-torn societies, promoting the process of reconciliation and lasting peace,” she says. “And it sets a precedent that the international community will no longer stand for these kinds of grievous crimes.”

Despite her accomplishments, Elena modestly describes herself as “just a small cog turning in a much larger machine working towards a future free from violence.”

Does the work ever get overwhelming? Where does she get the energy to persevere in this intense career?

“The people,” says Elena. “The first thing I noticed about international law was the motivation in people. They are some of the most incredible people I have ever met. Almost all of them speak several languages fluently, have lived and worked in the almost every corner of this planet, prioritize a balanced lifestyle by working hard and playing hard, and they never cease in their learning.

“When a community is inspired,” she says, “it can move mountains.”