Sean Summerfield

Sean was called to the Bar in 2019 and started pupillage in chambers the same year.

Before joining chambers, Sean had a successful career as a diplomat with the Foreign Office, negotiating on behalf of the United Kingdom in the Council of the European Union. Based in Brussels for five years, he also worked as a Political Advisor in the European Parliament and within the Cabinet of a European Commissioner.

Prior to this, Sean worked within the Prosecution team at the International Criminal Court during the Lubanga trial, the first successful ICC prosecution, as well as with the EU’s Fundamental Rights Agency, and human rights organisations based in Cambodia and the Occupied Palestinian Territories.

Sean holds a doctorate in International Criminal Law and lectures LLM students in the substantive and procedural aspects of international law.

Sean has been appointed to the Attorney General’s Civil Off-Panel List of Junior Junior Counsel.

Professional Memberships

Bar Human Rights Committee

Criminal Bar Association

Honourable Society of the Inner Temple

Awards, Qualifications & Other

Bar Professional Training Course (BPTC), City, University of London, 2018-19

Princess Royal Scholarship for the BPTC, Inner Temple, 2018-2019

Doctor of Philosophy in Legal Studies (PhD), International Criminal Law, 2014-19

Economic and Social Research Council 1+3 Scholarship, 2013-17

Master of Science (MSc), Legal Research Methods, 2013-14

Master of Laws (LLM), International Criminal Law, 2008-09

Bachelor of Laws (LLB), Law with Politics, 2005-08