As a judge and lawyer, Tjepco H. van Voorst Vader got familiar with many topics that we address in our Studium Generale programme. Particularly when we look at the main question, are humans good or bad by nature? And how is the criminal law build around that? In which way is a judge or lawyer responsible?

Van Voorst Vader will elaborate in his lecture about several di cult topics, such as the role of law in society. How does the courtroom work? Can you consider it as a performance or ritual? And if so, what are the roles of the participants? What kind of person is a judge, and what role does he or she play? And of course, what’s the necessity of having criminal law?

Tjepco H. van Voorst Vader (1958) studied law on the University of Utrecht (and a year of Art History). After his graduation he started to work as a lawyer at Cli ord Chance. His practice was corporate law consultancy, with the emphasis on mergers and acquisitions, real estate investments and the ever changing rules for energy companies. From 2010 on he became judge at the courtroom of Amsterdam, where he works at

the department of trade, dealing with a broad variation of proceedings between private parties, judging construction con icts, disputes regarding acquisitions, bank loans, and the classic disputes between neighbors about the borders of their gardens and driveways.

^{Promo video by Mind Design}