Lennart Poulsen

Introduction

Lennart is an international criminal barrister with an excellent reputation and over 15 years’ experience. He is recognised in the legal directories as a Leading Junior.

Lennart is regularly instructed to consult on some of the most high-profile matters and has extensive experience advising governments, international institutions and high-profile individuals. Recent instructions have involved advising Middle Eastern and African Heads of State and government ministers on matters of international criminal law and transitional justice. Lennart was the principal drafter of the underlying legal mandates, adopted by the Government of South Sudan in August 2023, for the establishment of its Commission on Truth, Reconciliation and Healing and Compensation and Reparations Authority.

He has defended in high-profile international cases including Prosecutor v Zupljanin at the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) and acted for several senior figures of the Jamaat opposition party in their defence for capital crimes before the Bangladesh International Crimes Tribunal.

Lennart is regularly sought after to lecture, speak at or chair panels at international conferences by the International Bar Association. He recently chaired an expert panel at a conference for the United Nations War Crimes Commission on the topic of universal jurisdiction. A recording of the panel discussion can be found here.

He has authored numerous articles for professional publications and for mainstream media on international law and recently featured in Counsel Magazine (the monthly journal of the General Council of the Bar of England and Wales) setting out his views on leadership in law.

Background and Expertise

Lennart has represented clients before various international criminal tribunals.  He also has extensive experience in preparing legal submissions before the ICTY, ICC, the United Nation Human Rights Council and various United Nations Commissions and Working Groups. Further, Lennart has prepared legal submissions on behalf of non-governmental organisations, high-ranking military commanders and senior government figures on matters relating to international criminal law and human rights, often within the context of a complex domestic and geopolitical backdrop and/or conflict area.

Lennart specialises in drafting complex legal documents and legislation including constitutional drafting and the legal mandate underpinning the establishment of truth and reconciliation committees as adopted in several African, Asian and South American countries.

Lennart is also highly regarded for his trial advocacy and has represented clients in criminal trials in the senior courts of England & Wales in matters involving major drugs conspiracies and serious violent and sexual offences.  He is a qualified and accredited Vulnerable Witness Advocate.

Lennart was selected in 2021 as one of a small group of successful applicants from across the Bar to take part in the Bar Council’s inaugural Leadership Programme – a landmark project requiring a 9-month commitment that resulted in a range of new leadership initiatives adopted and/or supported by the Bar Council.

In addition to his core international practice, Lennart was instructed as a junior for one of the Core Participants in the Grenfell Tower Public Inquiry on which he was instructed by DWF.

Prior to coming to the Bar, Lennart qualified as a solicitor at Clifford Chance.

University of Warwick (LLM) – Distinction