Ben Lee completed his Master of International Law in 2011 before embarking on a United Nations career in Afghanistan, Cambodia, Iraq, Myanmar and with the UN’s Commission of Inquiry on Syria. Over the past two decades, Ben has investigated alleged atrocity crimes, negotiated for Australia at the UN in Geneva, and supported peace processes. He now has a peacebuilding practice, LEE.ADV, which specialises in mediation, UN negotiations and human rights training. We asked Ben about his experiences.
Who was your strongest influence at Sydney Law School?
Professor David Kinley, who holds the Chair in Human Rights Law. Dave is engaging, passionate, an eminent expert and a prolific author. He supervised my Masters mini-thesis and we’ve stayed good mates. I have the pleasure of visiting campus to speak with his human rights classes each year.
How did you get started in your legal career?
By taking a leap. Straight after my law degree, I took on two self-funded human rights internships – one in India with a local organisation working on the treatment of detainees; the other with an international NGO at the heart of the UN system in Geneva. Both were invaluable. Next I secured my first paid role, a consultancy in Nepal during its civil war. After that I came home, got admitted, and went back out into the world.
Chase down the experiences you want most.
Ben Lee
Class of 2011 (Master of International Law)
Can you give us a brief snapshot of your career journey from graduation to now?
Looking back it’s easy to chart a trajectory, but for much of my career I’ve relied on one simple philosophy: chase down the experiences you want most. I've lived through some extraordinary times. As a UN Human Rights Officer, I was in Afghanistan during the Taliban’s resurgence, in Iraq at the peak of ISIS, in Myanmar for its democratic opening, and I was a UN investigator during some of the most horrific moments of the Syrian civil war.
I was also a multilateral negotiator for Australia when we were a voting member of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, and I was an advisor on a bill of rights process in Northern Ireland. I even had a few years partnering with Pacific communities on the set-up of national human rights institutions, which took me to some of the most beautiful places on earth.
These experiences have given me a rare combination of skills, and set me apart. I now have my own peacebuilding practice (LEE.ADV), which specialises in mediation, UN negotiations and human rights training. I’m also the Executive Director of an advisory body that supports Myanmar’s pro-democracy movement.
What’s one thing you love about the work you’re doing now?
Well, two things. Purpose and creativity. I still feel a driving passion for what I do. And I’m in the very privileged position of being able to shape my own roles and ventures. I recently co-founded a mediation collective that helps to match clients with mediators who have the right specialisations and soft skills for their disputes.
What’s your top tip for current law students?
My best advice is to pursue as many different experiences as you can. Like all things in life, it's also about timing, so make the most of windows of opportunity. Some experiences are best chased in the freedom of your 20s. Other, bigger challenges are better saved for later in life, once you have a solid professional foundation.