Professional identity and emotional labour in international criminal law
Legal Professions Research Group (LPRG) members present research at the University of Nottingham International Criminal Justice Conference.
University of Nottingham, 14–15 July 2025 – Members of LPRG, Mr Alex Batesmith and Dr Ilaria Zavoli, participated in the University of Nottingham International Criminal Justice Conference, where they presented recent research on professional identity and emotional labour in international criminal law.
Dr Zavoli and Mr Batesmith co-presented a paper entitled “Narratives of the Self: Professional Identity in the Autobiographies of International Criminal Lawyers.” The paper examines how international criminal lawyers articulate and construct their professional identities through autobiographical writing. Through this analysis, the authors explore the emotional, ethical, and professional dimensions of legal practice in international criminal law, contributing to broader discussions on the role of narrative in shaping legal professional identity.
In a separate presentation, Mr Batesmith delivered a paper entitled “Invisible Labour, Visible Strain: The Unacknowledged Emotional Labour of International Criminal Lawyers,” based on research recently submitted to the Journal of International Criminal Justice in collaboration with Dr Chalen Westaby. Drawing on interviews with 62 international criminal lawyers and an analysis of professional codes and institutional expectations, the paper identifies emotional labour as a significant but under-recognised aspect of international criminal legal practice. The research highlights the ways in which practitioners manage emotional demands in their work, and considers the implications of this labour for individual well-being and institutional effectiveness.
LPRG acknowledges the efforts of the conference organisers – Dr Hemi Mistry, Dr Natalie Hodgson, and Professor Olympia Bekou – for facilitating a productive academic environment.
These contributions reflect LPRG’s ongoing commitment to empirical and interdisciplinary research on the legal profession.
