Hon. Justice Shireen Avis Fisher of the Residual Special Court of Sierra Leone recently visited the Department of Law. Judge Fisher spoke to Dr. Noelle Higgin’s International Criminal Law class and others about the prosecution of atrocity crimes under International Law. In addition, Judge Fisher provided a practical insight into working as a judge in Residual and Special Court of Sierra Leone, and the War Crimes Chamber of the Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Short Biography, Justice Shireen Avis Fisher:
Shireen Avis Fisher is currently a Justice of the Residual Special Court for Sierra Leone to which she was appointed by Secretary General Ban Ki-moon in October 2013. She previously served as an Appeals Judge at the Special Court for Sierra Leone from 2009 through 2013. She was elected as its President of the Court in 2012 and presided over the appeal of Charles Taylor, the former President of Liberia convicted by the Special Court for War Crimes. Prior to her appointment to the Special Court, she was appointed by High Representative, (Lord) Paddy Ashdown, as an International Judge on the War Crimes Chamber of the Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Justice Fisher began her legal career practicing poverty law in the U.S. State of Vermont and was appointed to that State’s Trial Bench in 1986.