Leading Justice in a Pluralistic World: Judicial Leadership Across Legal Traditions

This session invites students to reflect on judicial leadership within complex and pluralistic legal systems, drawing on the experience of Judge Simon Ruel at the International Criminal Court and the Quebec Court of Appeal. The discussion will explore how leadership is exercised when multiple legal traditions coexist, institutional expectations are high, and political and social pressures are present. The conversation will address the role of discernment, restraint, and clarity in the exercise of judicial functions, as well as the balance between procedural fairness, the recognition of victims’ place in the process, and the protection of institutional independence. Conceived as a space for reflective dialogue, the session will invite students to examine how trust, legitimacy, and credibility in justice institutions are built and sustained in conditions of complexity.