Every year, the ICJ selects 15 Judicial Fellows from around the world. Headquartered in The Hague, Netherlands, the ICJ serves as the main judicial body of the United Nations. Eburne will join the ICJ, in The Hague, from September 2025 to June 2026.
Eburne completed the National Program, earning both his LLL and JD, before completing his master’s of law in 2023. He has rapidly distinguished himself within the legal field, despite being early in his career. Since October 2024, he has been working in the United States as a legal adviser to NATO Allied Common Transformation (ACT). Previous roles include Legal Counsel at the House of Commons Canada as well as Policy Officer at Global Affairs Canada.
The Judicial Fellows Programme offers around 15 lawyers the opportunity to work closely with ICJ judges for 10 months. The Fellowscarry out in-depth research into international law, prepare cases to be heard by the Court and then directly assist the judges in drafting their decisions. This work is comparable to that of law clerks in provincial courts of appeal and the Supreme Court of Canada, but with a focus on international law.
"It's an enormous privilege to work closely with a judge of the Court, particularly for someone just starting out in their career," says Eburne. He points out that the coming year will be "incredibly important" for the ICJ, as it will be dealing with sensitive and complex issues such as the situation in the Middle East and diplomatic relations between Canada and Iran.
Passionate about international humanitarian law and international economic law, as well as the issues surrounding international institutions and treaty negotiations, it was during his master's studies in international law at 91ɫ’s Faculty of Law that he developed the desire to become a fellow.
The importance of bilingualism
After an initial application last year, Eburne applied once again — and this time, he was accepted. He credits the success of his second attempt to placing greater emphasis on his academic work in French at the Faculty, highlighting both his bilingualism and his Francophone identity.
Based on his experience, he strongly encourages French-speaking students to pursue a career in international law, even if this may sometimes seem inaccessible.
"There is a lack of French-speaking students in these major international institutions, which is a great shame, especially from a Quebec perspective, which is unique and brings a lot of nuance. It's a perspective that's needed," he concludes.