HomeOverviewMissionHistoryEmploymentContact FRANÇAIS
United Nations - Office of Legal Affairs
Material posted from 2008 to 2013 by Patricia O'Brien, former Under-Secretary-General, The Legal Counsel of the UN
Under-Secretary-General for Legal Affairs and United Nations Legal Counsel: Patricia O'Brien
- one of the members of the Senior Management Group

Recent Developments
Past Activities

List and full texts of speeches by the Legal Counsel

  • List of speeches
  • Statement by Ms. Patricia O'Brien at the 36th Round-table on Current Issues of International Humanitarian Law "Respecting IHL: Challenges and Responses", organized by the International Institute of Humanitarian Law in cooperation with the International Committee of the Red Cross. Opera Theatre, Casino of the Municipality of Sanremo, Italy . 5 September 2013.
  • Opening remarks by Ms. Patricia O'Brien, Under-Secretary-General for Legal Affairs, The Legal Counsel. General Assembly Ad Hoc Open-ended Informal Working Group to study issues relating to the conservation and sustainable use of marine biological diversity beyond areas of national jurisdiction. United Nations Headquarters, New York. 19 August 2013.
  • Keynote speech by Ms. Patricia O'Brien, Under-Secretary-General for Legal Affairs, The Legal Counsel.
    The Nuremberg Academy: First Steps Building a Summer Programme in International Criminal Law .
    Nuremberg, Germany. 27-28 july 2013.
  • Interview with USG Patricia O'Brien, Nürnberger Nachrichten (English). Nuremberg, Germany. 27-28 july 2013.
    – Article  (German)
  • Statement by Ms. Patricia O'Brien, Under-Secretary-General for Legal Affairs, The Legal Counsel. Asian African Legal Consultative Organization (AALCO). Conference Room A, United Nations Headquarters, New York, 9 July 2013.
  • Keynote speech by Ms. Patricia O'Brien, Under-Secretary-General for Legal Affairs, The Legal Counsel. Official Opening of The Hague Branch of the International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals. The Hague, Netherlands. 1 July 2013.
  • Address by Ms. Patricia O' Brien Under-Secretary-General for Legal Affairs, The Legal Counsel. 48th jUNe Day Celebration Ceremony. Saugatuck Elementary School. Westport, Connecticut. 29 June 2013.
  • Keynote address by Ms. Patricia O'Brien, Under-Secretary-General for Legal Affairs, The Legal Counsel. Opening of the New York International Arbitration Center (NYIAC). New York. 17 June 2013.
  • Remarks by Ms. Patricia O'Brien, Under-Secretary-General for Legal Affairs, The Legal Counsel. United Nations Open-ended Informal Consultative Process on Oceans and the Law of the Sea. United Nations Headquarters, New York. 17 June 2013.
  • Opening Remarks by Ms. Patricia O'Brien, Under-Secretary-General for Legal Affairs, The Legal Counsel. World Oceans Day Event in cooperation with the American Museum of Natural History, Conference Room 6, North Lawn Building, 10 June 2013, 1:15 p.m.
  • Opening Remarks by Ms. Patricia O'Brien, Under-Secretary-General for Legal Affairs, The Legal Counsel. Twenty-third Meeting of States Parties to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, Conference Room 1, Conference Building, Monday, 10 June 2013, 10:15 a.m.
  • Keynote Speech by Ms. Patricia O'Brien, Under-Secretary-General for Legal Affairs, The Legal Counsel. Celebration of the 20th Anniversary of the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia, The Hague, Netherlands, 27 May 2013.
  • Statement by Ms. Patricia O'Brien, Under-Secretary-General for Legal Affairs, The Legal Counsel. International Law Commission. Geneva, 23 May 2013
  • Statement by Ms. Patricia O'Brien, Under-Secretary-General for Legal Affairs, The Legal Counsel. Informal meeting and exchange of views with the Legal Advisers of African Union Member States. African Union Headquarters, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. 9 May 2013.
  • Opening Remarks by Ms. Patricia O'Brien, Under-Secretary-General for Legal Affairs, The Legal Counsel. Meeting of the General Assembly Ad Hoc Working Group of the Whole on the Regular Process for Global Reporting and Assessment of the State of the Marine Environment, including Socioeconomic Aspects. New York, NY. 22 April 2013.
  • Global Justice Keynote Address by Ms. Patricia O'Brien, Under-Secretary-General for Legal Affairs, The Legal Counsel. "International Criminal Justice: Where do we stand today?" 2013 International Law Association (British Branch) Annual Conference at the University of Oxford, United Kingdom. 12 April, 2013.
  • Remarks by Ms. Patricia O'Brien, Under-Secretary-General for Legal Affairs, The Legal Counsel. European Council of International Schools. Berlin, Germany. 5 April, 2013.
  • Statement by Ms. Patricia O'Brien, Under-Secretary-General for Legal Affairs, The Legal Counsel. 30th Annual Seminar for Diplomats on International Humanitarian Law, jointly organized by the International Committee of the Red Cross and the New York University School of Law. New York, NY, 20 March 2013.
  • Address by Ms. Patricia O'Brien, Under-Secretary-General for Legal Affairs, The Legal Counsel. EU Council Working Group on Public International Law - COJUR. Brussels, Belgium, 6 February 2013.
  • Keynote Speech by Ms. Patricia O'Brien, Under-Secretary-General for Legal Affairs, The Legal Counsel. The Mauritius International Arbitration Conference. 10 December 2012, Balaclava, Mauritius.
  • Message from the Secretary General, delivered by Ms. Patricia O'Brien, Under-Secretary-General for Legal Affairs, The Legal Counsel. Opening of 11th session of the Assembly of States Parties of the International Criminal Court. The Hague, Netherlands, 14 November 2012.
  • Introductory Remarks by Ms. Patricia O'Brien, Under-Secretary-General for Legal Affairs, The Legal Counsel. The Special Court for Sierra Leone Legacy Conference. 7 November 2012.
  • Statement by Ms. Patricia O'Brien, Under-Secretary-General for Legal Affairs, The Legal Counsel. Meeting of the Asian-African Legal Consultative Organization, 5 November 2012.
  • Keynote Address by Ms. Patricia O'Brien, Under-Secretary-General for Legal Affairs, The Legal Counsel. ASIL 2012 Midyear Meeting. 20 October 2012, Athens, Georgia.
  • Keynote Address by Ms. Patricia O'Brien, Under-Secretary-General for Legal Affairs, The Legal Counsel. ABA 2012 Fall Meeting. 19 October 2012, Miami Beach, Florida.
  • Statement by Ms. Patricia O'Brien, Under-Secretary-General for Legal Affairs, The Legal Counsel. "Legal issues facing the United Nations - Reflections from four years as Legal Counsel." Institute of International and European Affairs. 2 October 2012, Europe House, Dublin, Ireland.
  • Statement by Ms. Patricia O'Brien, Under-Secretary-General for Legal Affairs, The Legal Counsel. Ministerial Panel on "Preventing the illegal use of force through judicial accountability." High-level Meeting of the General Assembly on the Rule of Law, Permanent Mission of Liechtenstein to the United Nations. 24 September 2012, United Nations Headquarters, New York.
  • Statement by Ms. Patricia O'Brien, Under-Secretary-General for Legal Affairs, The Legal Counsel. "The UN's Legal Approach to Dispute Resolution." President's Lunch, Chartered Institute of Arbitrators. 6 September 2012, London, United Kingdom.
  • Statement by Ms. Patricia O'Brien, Under-Secretary-General for Legal Affairs, The Legal Counsel. "Current issues of modern international law." Roundtable discussion on the concept of "Responsibility to Protect". 55th Annual meeting of the Russian Association of International Law. 27 June 2012, Moscow, Russian Federation.
  • Opening remarks by Ms. Patricia O'Brien, Under-Secretary-General for Legal Affairs, The Legal Counsel. 55th Annual Meeting, Russian Regional Branch of the International Law Association. 27 June 2012, Moscow, Russian Federation.
  • Opening remarks by Ms. Patricia O'Brien, Under-Secretary-General for Legal Affairs, The Legal Counsel. Forty-fifth Session of the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law. 25 June 2012, United Nations Headquarters, New York.
  • Statement by Ms. Patricia O'Brien, Under-Secretary-General for Legal Affairs, The Legal Counsel. Panel I - Acting Early to Prevent Conflict. The Secretary-General's High-level Retreat with Heads of Regional and other Organizations (AU, ASEAN, CSTO, Commonwealth, ECCAS, ECOWAS, EU, IGAD, Francophonie, LAS, NATO, OSCE, OAS, OIC, SAARC, SADC). 9 June 2012, Greentree Estate, NY.
  • Opening remarks by Ms. Patricia O'Brien, Under-Secretary-General for Legal Affairs, The Legal Counsel. Roundtable Panel Discussion on the theme "UNCLOS at 30", World Oceans Day. 8 June 2012, United Nations Headquarters, New York.
  • Opening remarks by Ms. Patricia O'Brien, Under-Secretary-General for Legal Affairs, The Legal Counsel. Twenty-second Meeting of States Parties to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. 4 June 2012, United Nations Headquarters, New York.
  • Statement by Ms. Patricia O'Brien, Under-Secretary-General for Legal Affairs, The Legal Counsel. United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. 28 May 2012, Yeosu, Korea.
  • Statement by Ms. Patricia O'Brien, Under-Secretary-General for Legal Affairs, The Legal Counsel. International Law Commission. 22 May 2012, Geneva, Switzerland.
  • Speech by Ms. Patricia O'Brien, Under-Secretary-General for Legal Affairs, The Legal Counsel. New York University School of Law Convocation Ceremony for LL.M. students. 18 May, 2012, Beacon Theatre, New York.
  • Opening remarks by Ms. Patricia O'Brien, Under-Secretary-General for Legal Affairs, The Legal Counsel. General Assembly Ad Hoc Working Group of the Whole. 23 to 27 April 2012. North Lawn Building, United Nations Headquarters, New York.
  • Statement by Ms. Patricia O'Brien, Under-Secretary-General for Legal Affairs, The Legal Counsel. Informal meeting and exchange of views with the Legal Advisers of African Union Member States. 17 April, 2012, African Union Headquarters, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
  • Speech by Ms. Patricia O'Brien, Under-Secretary-General for Legal Affairs, The Legal Counsel. "Military Intervention and the International Law of Peace". ASIL Conference: Opening Plenary Session. 29 March, 2012, Washington D.C.
  • Statement by Ms. Patricia O'Brien, Under-Secretary-General for Legal Affairs, The Legal Counsel. "International Humanitarian Law". 29th Annual Seminar for Diplomats on International Humanitarian Law. 14 March 2012, Arthur T. Vanderbilt Hall, 40 Washington Square South, New York.
  • Statement by Ms. Patricia O'Brien, Under-Secretary-General for Legal Affairs, The Legal Counsel. "Current Legal Issues Facing the United Nations"olumbia University - Center on Global Governance, 7 March, 2012. Columbia Law School, New York, NY.
  • Key remarks by Ms. Patricia O'Brien, Under-Secretary-General for Legal Affairs, The Legal Counsel. "The integration of human rights in the UN peace and security agenda." Session 4: "Ten years of integration - challenges and opportunities." Meeting of Heads of Human Rights Components in United Nations Peace Missions. 7 February 2012, Dag Hammarskjöld Library Penthouse, United Nations Headquarters, New York.
  • Opening Remarks by Ms. Patricia O'Brien, Under-Secretary-General for Legal Affairs, The Legal Counsel. "How and why trade can enhance economic development." AALCO - UNCITRAL workshop. 7 February 2012, United Nations Headquarters, New York.
  • Remarks by Ms. Patricia O'Brien, Under-Secretary-General for Legal Affairs, The Legal Counsel. Working Group II (Arbitration and Conciliation). Cocktail Reception in honour of the 56th Session of the UNCITRAL. New York State Bar Association - International Section. 7 February 2012, New York.
  • Opening statement by Ms. Patricia O'Brien, Under-Secretary-General for Legal Affairs, The Legal Counsel. "The Responsibility to Protect - Inception, conceptualization, operationalization and implementation of a new concept." Association of the Bar of the City of New York, Human Rights Committee. 7 February 2012, House of the ABCNY, New York.
  • Remarks by Ms. Patricia O'Brien, Under-Secretary-General for Legal Affairs, The Legal Counsel. "The Åland Islands Solution. A precedent for successful international disputes settlement." 17 January 2012, United Nations Headquarters, New York.
  • Opening speech by Ms. Patricia O'Brien, Under-Secretary-General for Legal Affairs, The Legal Counsel. "Enhancing International Trade and Development in the Asia-Pacific Region: UNCITRAL Regional Centre for Asia and the Pacific." 10 January 2011, Incheon, Republic of Korea.
  • Dinner remarks by Ms. Patricia O'Brien, Under-Secretary-General for Legal Affairs, The Legal Counsel. "Supporting Complementarity at the National Level: An Integrated Approach to the Rule of Law". 7 December 2011, Greentree Estate, NY.
  • Remarks by Ms. Patricia O'Brien, Under-Secretary-General for Legal Affairs, The Legal Counsel. "Promoting International Law". 50th Annual Session of the Asian-African Legal Consultative Organization. 31 October 2011, UN Headquarters - New York.
  • Statement by Ms. Patricia O'Brien, Under-Secretary-General for Legal Affairs, The Legal Counsel. Seminar on the International Court of Justice. Informal Meeting of Legal Advisers, New York, 25 October 2011, UN Headquarters - New York.
  • Statement by Ms. Patricia O'Brien Under-Secretary-General for Legal Affairs, The Legal Counsel. General Assembly, 66th Session - 18th Meeting of the Sixth Committee. Monday, 24 October 2011, UN Headquarters - New York.
  • Remarks by Ms. Patricia O'Brien Under-Secretary-General for Legal Affairs, The Legal Counsel. Informal Meeting of the Legal Advisers of the Ministries of Foreign Affairs. Monday, 24 October 2011, UN Headquarters - New York.
  • Speech by Ms. Patricia O'Brien, Under-Secretary-General for Legal Affairs, The Legal Counsel. "Alternatives to Litigation in a Civil Society." ICDR/Trinity College Event. 11 October 2011, Dublin, Ireland.
  • Statement by Ms. Patricia O'Brien Under-Secretary-General for Legal Affairs, The Legal Counsel. "International Conference "Martens Readings": "65 Years After Nuremberg: Drawing Lessons from Past Conflict." St. Petersburg, Russian Federation, 1 June 2011.
  • Statement by Ms. Patricia O'Brien, Under-Secretary-General for Legal Affairs, The Legal Counsel, at the International Law Commission. Geneva, 25 May, 2011.

  • Remarks by Ms. Patricia O'Brien, Under-Secretary-General for Legal Affairs, The Legal Counsel. "Peace, Justice and the Rule of Law": Georgetown Law Center, Office of Transnational Programs. Washington, D.C., 13 October, 2010.

  • Statement by Ms. Patricia O'Brien Under-Secretary-General for Legal Affairs, The Legal Counsel. Pacem in Maribus XXXIII, Celebration of the 50th Anniversary of UNESCO/IOC. Beijing, China, 3 to 4 September, 2010.

  • Statement by Ms. Patricia O'Brien Under-Secretary-General for Legal Affairs, The Legal Counsel. Celebration of the 40th Anniversary of the International Institute of Humanitarian Law (IIHL), Round Table on "Global Violence: Consequences and Responses". San Remo, 9 September, 2010

  • Opening remarks by Ms. Patricia O'Brien, Under-Secretary-General for Legal Affairs, The Legal Counsel. Security Council Debate on the Secretary-General's report requested in resolution 1918 (2010), 25 August 2010.

  • Keynote address: Ms. Patricia O'Brien, Under-Secretary-General for Legal Affairs, The Legal Counsel. Toward an International Rule of Law. Brandeis Institute for International Judges, Salzburg, 29 July 2010.

  • Remarks by Ms. Patricia O'Brien Under-Secretary-General for Legal Affairs, The Legal Counsel. At the Crossroads of Peacekeeping, Peacemaking, and Peacebuilding: Regional Perspectives. UN Security Council Retreat in Istanbul, Turkey, 25-26 June 2010. Panel on Mandates.

  • Statement by Ms. Patricia O'Brien Under-Secretary-General for Legal Affairs, The Legal Counsel. The promotion and strengthening of the rule of law in the maintenance of international peace and security. Security Council, 29 June 2010, United Nations Headquarters, New York.

  • Opening remarks by Ms. Patricia O'Brien, Under-Secretary-General for Legal Affairs, The Legal Counsel. United Nations Open-ended Informal Consultative Process on Oceans and the Law of the Sea, 21 June 2010, United Nations Headquarters, New York.

  • Opening remarks by Ms. Patricia O'Brien, Under-Secretary-General for Legal Affairs, The Legal Counsel. Forty-third Session of the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law, 21 June 2010, United Nations Headquarters, New York.

  • Opening remarks by Ms. Patricia O'Brien, Under-Secretary-General for Legal Affairs, The Legal Counsel. Twentieth Meeting of States Parties to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, United Nations Headquarters, New York (Conference Room 1, NLB. Monday, 14 June 2010, 10:00 a.m.).

  • Opening remarks by Ms. Patricia O'Brien, Under-Secretary-General for Legal Affairs, The Legal Counsel at the World Oceans Day, 8 June 2010. Roundtable Panel Discussion on the theme "The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, 15 years after its entry into force" (United Nations Headquarters, New York; Conference Room 1, NLB 3-5:30 p.m.)

  • ICC Review Conference. Statement by Ms. Patricia O'Brien, Under-Secretary-General for Legal Affairs, The Legal Counsel, for the Stocktaking Panel on "Cooperation", 3 June 2010, Kampala, Uganda.

  • Statement by Ms. Patricia O'Brien, Under-Secretary-General for Legal Affairs, The Legal Counsel at the Informal meeting of the General Assembly on Piracy, 14 May 2010, United Nations Headquarters, New York.

  • Statement by Ms. Patricia O'Brien, Under-Secretary-General for Legal Affairs, The Legal Counsel, International Law Commission, Geneva, 5 May 2010.

  • Opening remarks by Ms. Patricia O'Brien, Under-Secretary-General for Legal Affairs, The Legal Counsel at the Seminar on the International Criminal Court "Review Conference: Key Challenges for International Criminal justice" organized by the Permanent Mission of Slovakia on 30 April 2010.

  • "Legal Challenges Facing the United Nations: An Appraisal from the Legal Counsel's Perspective", Sean Lester Lecture of the Irish Society of International Law by Ms. Patricia O'Brien, the Under-Secretary-General for Legal Affairs and United Nations Legal Counsel, 11 March 2010, Dublin, Ireland

  • "The United Nations and the European Union: Partners in Multilateralism", Statement by Ms. Patricia O'Brien, the Under-Secretary-General for Legal Affairs and United Nations Legal Counsel. 8 March 2010, 6pm, Jean Durieux Room, Charlemagne Building, Brussels, Belgium

  • "Linking up the rule of law community", Keynote address by
    Ms. Patricia O'Brien, the Under-Secretary-General for Legal Affairs and United Nations Legal Counsel. Tuesday, 17 November 2009, 1:15-2:30, UN Delegates Dining Room 6, New York

  • AALCO meeting with Legal Advisers of the Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Members of the Sixth Committee - "Ending impunity", Statement by
    Ms. Patricia O'Brien, the Under-Secretary-General for Legal Affairs and United Nations Legal Counsel. 28 October 2009, New York

  • Informal Meeting of Legal Advisers of Ministries of Foreign Affairs, Statement by Ms. Patricia O'Brien, the Under-Secretary-General for Legal Affairs and United Nations Legal Counsel. 26 October 2009, 3 pm, Trusteeship Council Chamber, New York.

  • Human Security Network, Annual Ministerial Meeting, Statement by
    Ms. Patricia O'Brien, the Under-Secretary-General for Legal Affairs and
    United Nations Legal Counsel. 23 September 2009, 3 p.m., Permanent
    Mission of Switzerland to the United Nations, New York.
  • Consultative Conference on International Criminal Justice, Message delivered by Ms. Patricia O'Brien, the Under-Secretary-General for Legal Affairs and United Nations Legal Counsel. 10 September 2009,
    New York.
  • "The UN Security Council and the Protection of Civilians: Improving Effectiveness and Accountability", Address by Ms. Patricia O'Brien,
    the Under-Secretary-General for Legal Affairs and United Nations Legal Counsel. 29-31 August 2009, Alpbach Retreat.
  • United Nations Open-ended Informal Consultative Process on Oceans and
    the Law of the Sea, Tenth Meeting
    , Statement by Ms. Patricia O'Brien,
    the Under-Secretary-General for Legal Affairs and United Nations Legal Counsel. 17 - 19 June 2009, UN Headquarters, New York.
  • Dialogue with Member States - "The Rule of Law at the International Level" organized by the Rule of Law Unit, Keynote address by Ms. Patricia O'Brien, the Under-Secretary-General for Legal Affairs and United Nations Legal Counsel.
    15 June 2009, 15:00-18:00, Conference Room 7, UN Headqarters, New York.
  • Expert Panel Discussion on the theme "Our oceans, our responsibility",
    Draft opening remarks by Ms. Patricia O'Brien, the Under-Secretary-General
    for Legal Affairs and United Nations Legal Counsel. 8 June 2009, General Assembly Hall 3-5 p.m., New York.
  • Seminar on International Criminal Justice: The Role of the International Criminal Court,  Statement by Ms. Patricia O'Brien, the Under-Secretary-General for Legal Affairs and United Nations Legal Counsel. 19 May 2009, Trusteeship Council Chamber, New York.
  • International Law Commission,  Statement by Ms. Patricia O'Brien, the Under-Secretary-General for Legal Affairs and United Nations Legal Counsel.      13 May 2009.
  • The 26th Annual Seminar for Diplomats on International Humanitarian Law. 4 March 2009, NYU-School of Law, Arthur D. Vanderbilt Hall, 40 Washington Square South.
  • American Bar Association - Day at the United Nations, Statement by Ms. Patricia O'Brien, the Under-Secretary-General for Legal Affairs and United Nations Legal Counsel. 3 March 2009, United Nations Headquarters, New York.
  • The Launch of the Special Tribunal for Lebanon. 1 March 2009, United Nations Headquarters, New York.
  • United Nations Department of Peacekeeping Operations - Senior Leadership Induction Programme (SLIP). 20 January 2009, United Nations Headquarters, New York.
  • 60th Anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR).
    14 November 2008, City Bar of New York, New York
  • New York University Journal of International Law and Politics Annual Symposium. 29 October 2008, New York University, New York.
  • Informal Meeting of Legal Advisers of Ministries of Foreign Affairs.
    27 October 2008, United Nations Headquarters, New York.
  • Asian-African Legal Consultative Organisation, Legal Advisers Meeting.
    24 October 2008, United Nations Headquarters, New York
  • 6th Meeting of the Committee of Legal Advisers on Public International Law (CAHDI). 7 October 2008, Lancaster House, London.