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CHAMBERS

Dr Tom Hamilton
(Pupil Barrister)
Guernica 37

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Called 2011

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Introduction

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Dr Tomas Hamilton (‘Tom’) is a specialist in international criminal law with extensive experience of litigation before international tribunals and the conduct of human rights investigations. Since arriving at Guernica 37 he has focused on extradition work (with his supervisor Ania Grudzinska), international advisory work, sanctions and export controls, business and human rights, and crime.

 

Called to the Bar of England and Wales in 2011, Tom has spent over 13 years handling high-profile cases involving atrocity crimes and serious human rights violations. His expertise is particularly relevant for clients navigating complex international and cross-border issues. Tom excels in drafting precise, compelling arguments and is adept at managing the large volumes of evidence often associated with international cases.

 

Expertise and Experience

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Before joining Guernica 37, Tom served as a Human Rights Officer for the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR). He played a key role in drafting the findings of the Independent International Fact-Finding Mission on Venezuela (FFMV) presented to the Human Rights Council in 2023.

 

From 2016 to 2021, Tom worked for the UN’s Assistance to the Khmer Rouge Trials (UNAKRT), on the Defence in the Case 004 investigations before the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia (ECCC). He led the legal team that supported Counsel in the representation of a client facing charges of genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity.

 

Tom’s earlier work in the judicial Chambers of the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague from 2013 to 2016 saw him contribute to significant decisions in the Situations in the Ivory Coast, Libya, Darfur (Sudan), and Central African Republic. In the UK, Tom gained practical experience in business crime and serious prison offences while working at Bark & Co Solicitors.

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He also has a significant academic track record, having taught as Assistant Professor of International Criminal Law at the University of Amsterdam and published widely. His work focuses on corporate accountability and arms export regulation, particularly within the business and human rights sector, with a regional focus on Southeast Asia.

 

Tom actively engages in pro bono work and provides advisory services to organizations like Amnesty International, Global Witness, and the International Committee of the Red Cross.

 

Education

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PhD in Law, King’s College London

LLM, University of Cambridge

Bar Vocational Course, College of Law, London

LLB, College of Law, London

BA (Hons), University of Oxford

 

Memberships

 

Bar Human Rights Committee of England and Wales (BHRC)

Defence Extradition Lawyers’ Forum 2011

The Honourable Society of Lincoln’s Inn (since 2009)

 

Appointments

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Guest Lecturer, Law Faculty, University of Cambridge

Visiting Researcher, Grotius Center for International Law         

Visiting Scholar, TMC Asser Institute, The Hague

Fellow, Centre for Rights and Justice, Chinese University of Hong Kong   

Research Fellow, Faculty of Asian and Middle Eastern Studies, University of Oxford

 

Significant Awards

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Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) Doctoral Scholarship

Major Bar Scholarship, Lincoln’s Inn

Hardwicke Award, Lincoln’s Inn

Oxford University Society Grant          

Royal Geographical Society, Research Award

Michael Aris Memorial Trust, Research Award

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Experience

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International Criminal Law

International Human Rights Law

International Humanitarian Law

Public International Law

Extradition

General Crime

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Lauguages

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English

Spanish

French

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Selected Publications

 

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