As the senior attorney in the U.S. Department of State from 1981 to 1985, I had the privilege of leading the United States’ team in the Gulf of Maine Maritime Boundary Delimitation Case between the United States and Canada before the International Court of Justice in The Hague (commonly known as the “World Court”).
Following extensive written proceedings, my team and I selected a group of prominent American professors of public international law and other American scholars of the law of the sea to participate in the monthlong oral argument phase of the case before the World Court.
Subsequently, our team decided to present a U.S. fisheries expert as a witness. We concluded that we required a leading U.S. trial attorney to conduct the examination. After consulting with national bar leaders and interested members of Congress, we were confident that Ralph Lancaster of Portland was the advocate of choice.
Ralph quickly got up to speed in the complexities of this historic case. He comfortably fit in with everyone on our team, displaying consummate charm and a warm, outgoing personality.
At the same time, and so important to the job at hand, he exhibited profound legal skill and bountiful trial experience.
His work ethic led to a sublime command of the facts. Ralph’s examination of the witness was masterful. The United States of America could not have been better represented.
With gratitude and condolences to his loving family,
Davis R. Robinson
Kennebunkport
Send questions/comments to the editors.
