Mr. Philippe Laroche, President of the International Criminal Court Bar Association, delivered a lecture on the role of defense counsel in international criminal trials in November, which was organized in collaboration between Hitotsubashi University Global Legal Innovation, Education and Research Centre and the Osaka Bar Association. Titled “Considering the International Criminal Court from the perspective of the defense – what it means to be a defense lawyer facing cases surrounding war crimes”, the lecture drew upon Mr. Laroche’s experience practicing defense at the ICC. He discussed the importance of defense work in international criminal trials, the differences between it and domestic criminal defense practice, as well as the role of defense counsel at the ICC.