Corinne Cicéron Bühler
Corinne Cicéron Bühler is the Director of the Directorate of International Law (DIL) in Switzerland's Federal Department of Foreign Affairs, having assumed the position in May 2018. From March 2017 to January 2018, she served as DIL's Deputy Director.
She joined the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs in 1999, working at DIL and began her diplomatic career in 2003. She served successively in Bosnia and Herzegovina, in Bern in the Legal Department of the Office of Integration and in Brussels at the Mission of Switzerland to the European Union. After leading the section of International law in the DIL, she worked in 2015 at the Swiss Embassy in Israel as Deputy Head of Mission. Corinne coordinated in 2010 the defense of Switzerland in the case "Belgium against Switzerland" before the ICJ and acts as Agent of the Swiss Confederation in the Switzerland vs. Nigeria before International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea. Corinne holds a degree in law from the University of Fribourg and an LL.M. in European Law from the College of Europe in Bruges.
Corinne was profiled for ATLAS by Émilie Max, a researcher at the Geneva Academy of International Humanitarian Law and Human Rights, and an independent consultant for international NGOs based in the Middle-East (Israel and Palestine, Lebanon). Learn more about Émilie's work at the end of this profile, and follow her @Mx_Emilie
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What pulled you to a career in international law and what were your first steps?
Various factors pulled me to such a career, and chiefly my family background. My father had studied law and worked within a multilateral context, so we regularly hosted people from diverse backgrounds at home. It allowed me to discover other cultures and culinary specialties, as well as to place countries on the map at an early age. Such diversity seemed very interesting and, to me, clearly amounted to a strength rather than to a form of fragmentation.
Later on in 1992, the national vote on the European Economic Area (50.3% of Swiss citizens rejected joining the EEA) prompted an interest in European law because of Switzerland’s peculiar geographical location in middle of Europe. It seemed necessary to gain a better understanding of the legal framework governing the entity around us in order to improve our international relations. Last but not least, we are generally stronger together when facing challenges. In my opinion, international law is the perfect embodiment of such a principle.
I studied law in Switzerland, and specialised in European Law (at the College of Europe in Bruges). Like everyone else, finding a first job – or even a first internship - after graduating proved a struggle. There is certainly an unpredictable aspect to it. I had applied to two internships: one with the Directorate of International Law of the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (DIL) and the other with the Court of Arbitration for Sport. I got the former, and no one knows how life would have turned out otherwise. It shows that shaping one’s career is not entirely in one’s hands. In hindsight, it was very useful to start as an intern and go through each hierarchical step within the DIL. It constitutes an undeniable strength now that I am acting as its Director. It gave me a real understanding of the strengths, interests or difficulties of each position within the organisation. It gave a technical and human background that probably allows me to have a larger vision now.
What was always clear to me, ever since I was an intern, is how passionate I was about international law. I found myself working on the fight against terrorism on 9/11, so there was immediately a closeness to the news and to delicate political dynamics. It prompted me to become a diplomat (in Switzerland, one has to apply and go through a selection process of concours diplomatique) because, as much as I like the law, I also wanted to see the other sides of Switzerland’s international policy. It was the right way to go.
What have been the high points of your career thus far?
On a general note, I have been struck by the impact of armed conflicts on the civilian population. I worked in the Balkans, as well as in the Middle East. Be it in during or after armed conflicts, the adverse impact on the civilian population is very tangible – including on the later generations. To me, this undeniably constitutes a powerful observation: armed conflicts are not mere abstractions but leave indelible traces.
A more specific highlight consists in my meeting with Carla Del Ponte while I was in the Balkans (and she was the ICTY Prosecutor). She was visiting the region in order to convince the local authorities to enforce arrest warrants. She impressed me by her determination and her commitment. Her readiness to fight impunity struck me as a meaningful way to approach one’s professional life.
My experiences before international jurisdictions, most notably the International Court of Justice (ICJ) and International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS), constitute another high point of my career so far. One may talk about peaceful settlement of disputes as something rather theoretical and abstract, but one discovers additional dimensions by taking the law out of the books and making practical experiences.
The last highlight has to be my appointment as Director of the DIL not only because it is the first time that a woman has the position, but also because I had not anticipated such a timing. It makes for an important lesson. One should seize an opportunity when it presents itself. Otherwise, we risk missing on something.
What are some of the challenges that you have faced, and how have you tackled them?
When occupying a position with responsibilities, one has to be passionate. Work can be absorbing and, without passion, we can easily lose the flame. Passion is one important aspect, but one also has to be competent, well-organized, keep one’s human sensitivity as well as feet on the ground. There is life outside of work, and it is important to find the right balance. It is important to establish priorities because it is impossible to do everything at the same time, and there is always an element of unexpectedness. Anticipation, priorities setting and reactivity, but also a certain sense of humour are key to working more serenely.
I learn something new every day. It is a unique feature of international law. It does not make for a static work because the law is always implemented in new cases and has further to adapt to reality. For instance, I would have never have imagined the questions that now need answering with regards to digitalization and new technologies. When I started my career, we were still using typewriters for some work. It is captivating to work on such issues, and to think of the impact they will have on legal work. In my view, such themes are interesting from both a strategic and philosophical standpoint. I remain convinced that human intelligence has a true added value compared to machines.
Do you have any advice for people, especially women, who are embarking on a career in international law?
I would generally say that one has to try, to dare and to remain motivated especially if passionate. It is also important to take opportunities when they present themselves– even if the timing is not ideal or at least not the one you had envisaged.
Be daring because we often think “maybe others are more qualified” and we risk never even applying for a position. If it ends up working out, great. If not, at least we won’t regret not trying. Self-censorship is very limiting.
This advice also applies to innovative ideas. There is no stupid idea. Worst-case scenario, someone will disagree with you and that shouldn’t be upsetting. Compared to machines, human added value is creativity. It is important to brainstorm, make inventive suggestions and to use collective intelligence. Be self-confident, take risks and – above all else – be passionate about what you do.
Corinne was profiled for ATLAS by Émilie Max, a researcher at the Geneva Academy of International Humanitarian Law and Human Rights, and an independent consultant for international NGOs based in the Middle-East (Israel and Palestine, Lebanon). Émilie previously worked for four years as a Legal Officer for the Directorate of International Law of the Swiss Department of Foreign of Affairs, where she focused on international humanitarian law and international criminal justice. She was also a teaching assistant to Professor Marco Sassòli at the University of Geneva, assisting with his classes on public international law (B.A. level) and practice of international humanitarian law (M.A.. level). Émilie holds an LL.M. from the Geneva Academy, as well as an MA in Middle-Eastern Studies from the School of Oriental and African Studies (London, United Kingdom). She is fluent in French, English and German. Follow her @Mx_Emilie