ICC appoints Nicholas Kaufman as Duterte's lead counsel
The International Criminal Court (ICC) has announced the appointment of Nicholas Kaufman as the lead legal counsel for former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte. This confirmation came from a court filing to the ICC Pre-Trial Chamber I on March 18, 2025. Duterte signed a letter on March 14, requesting Kaufman to represent him. The ICC Registry confirmed the appointment on March 17 after Kaufman accepted the role. The document states that Kaufman is now set to be Duterte’s legal representative in ongoing proceedings at the ICC. Kaufman’s agreement to take on the role follows the ICC’s Code of Conduct, which outlines requirements for counsel. Duterte and Kaufman met on March 17 to finalize the appointment.