Philippe Joseph Sands is a British-French international lawyer, born in London, educated at University College School in Hampstead, and a graduate of Corpus Christi College, Cambridge (BA 1982, LLM 1983), with a year as a visiting scholar at Harvard Law School. He is a barrister at 11 King's Bench Walk Chambers and has served as Professor of Laws at University College London since 2002, where he is also Director of the Centre for International Courts and Tribunals. Sands has represented governments and organizations in high-profile international cases, including as counsel for Mauritius in its dispute over the Chagos Islands against the UK from 2010 to 2024, and advising the Palestinian Authority at the International Court of Justice on the legality of Israel's occupation of the West Bank and East Jerusalem. An acclaimed author and filmmaker, his notable works include 'Torture Team' (2008), which documents the legal frameworks for U.S. detainee abuse and critiques figures like Douglas Feith; 'East West Street: On the Origins of Genocide and Crimes against Humanity' (2016), winner of the Baillie Gifford Prize and inspiration for the documentary 'My Nazi Legacy'; and 'The Ratline', exploring Nazi history. He maintains an active public presence, contributing to The Guardian and The New York Times, and is active on social media under @philippesands on X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram. Sands' work often intersects law, history, and human rights.