Judge Rowan Downing QC

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Rowan Downing was a judge in the Pre-Trial Chamber from May 2006 to January 2015. 

Judge Downing is a senior Australian lawyer. He has held senior judicial positions in the Pacific region, including Judge of the Court of Appeal and Supreme Court of Vanuatu, dealing with serious criminal matters and large civil claims.

He has worked internationally for twenty years undertaking work including law reform (in respect of both criminal law and commercial law), human rights law, treaty implementation of human rights obligations, refugee law, administrative law, anti-corruption law and the investigation and prosecution of transnational crime.

Judge Downing has also worked with a number of multilateral organisations to improve the independence of the judiciary and systemic integrity within legal systems in many countries.

He has appeared as an advocate in numerous human rights cases and provided advice to a number of governments concerning human rights, particularly the rights of women and children.

He has extensive experience training advocates and members of the judiciary in South East Asia and the Pacific.

Judge Downing has also trained members of the Australian Defence Force in the fields of war crimes law, human rights and the laws of warfare.