About Us
Restore the Norm is a collective of legal professionals supporting efforts to end the impunity gap for the use of chemical weapons. We seek to apply our extensive background in international humanitarian law and international criminal law to identify and pursue solutions for accountability for violations of the international prohibition against the use of chemical weapons.
Meet The Team
Ibrahim Olabi
Ibrahim Olabi is a barrister with specialized international law knowledge and experience, with a focus on the Middle East. He works both on international legal cases and lobbying, as well as advocating on policy matters linked to the region. Ibrahim makes regular media appearance and has been interviewed by the BBC, CNN, The Guardian, The Financial Times, Aljazeera and Al-Arabiya.
He currently is part of the legal team advising the Government of the Netherlands on its action to hold Syria accountable over breaches of the Torture Convention in a case before the International Court of Justice. In addition, he is developing tools to address Syria’s readmittance to INTERPOL to mitigate the risk on human rights defenders and is working with the London Metropolitan Police Counterterrorism Unit (SO15) on crimes linked to Syria.
Ibrahim was the founder of the Syrian Legal Development Programme (SLDP). SLDP has provided legal expertise to Syrian NGOs, including training that Ibrahim delivered to more than 550 trainees on a range of complex legal issues surrounding forced displacement, torture, UN mechanisms, facilitation of humanitarian aid and other matters. He has trained both in Syria, near the front lines, and in neighbouring countries. SLDP also works on matters related to Business and Human rights, including sanctions, and has received funding from the Swiss Ministry of Foreign Affairs, The Canadian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the Dutch Ministry.
He has also been a legal consultant on Syria related matters for the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights on the crimes of forced displacement and for the International Bar Association on building the capacity of NGOs to engage UN human rights mechanisms.
Ibrahim has received personal invitations from Heads of States, delivered statements in international forums such as the United Nations Security Council, and regularly engages with policymakers in different capitals around the world on justice related issues relevant to the Middle East.
He holds a Master of Public Policy, University of Oxford; LLM, Security and International Law, University of Manchester; and LLB, University of Manchester.
Jack Sproson
Jack Sproson is a Member of the Bar of England and Wales and a Member of G37 Chambers. Jack accepts instructions in all of Chambers’ practice areas, principally in Public/Private International Law, International Human Rights Law, International Humanitarian Law, and International Criminal Law.
As part of his international practice, Jack conducts litigation and supports individuals in matters before several international courts and tribunals, including, inter alia, the European Court of Human Rights, UN special procedures, the International Criminal Court, and the Kosovo Specialist Chambers. He has supported several individuals in respect of their appeals against INTERPOL Red Notices and is an experienced practitioner in the area of business and human rights. He also has experience at the UN Mechanism for International Criminal Tribunals and in matters relating to the International Court of Justice.
Jack has extensive expertise in humanitarian and legal issues pertaining to conflict- and climate-related insecurity and displacement in Africa and the Middle East, most recently as lead counsel for a major project advocating for the continuation of UN cross-border humanitarian access in Syria. As part of his humanitarian work, he has a deep understanding of mechanisms and procedures before the Security Council and other UN bodies, and regularly engages with government and other high-level stakeholders in New York and in capitals around the world. He also advises in conflict, post-conflict, and transitional justice settings, and has been engaged in institution building across the global south.
Jack has previously published on the protection of human rights both domestically and internationally, including in works published by Bloomsbury Professional.
Prior to joining G37, Jack was involved in the delivery of a number of business and human rights-related projects as a legal consultant, including for major international entities seeking to invest in regions in the global south. During this time, he also assisted in the delivery of capacity building projects to Prosecutors, Judges, and Investigators in Africa and the Middle East.
Jack graduated magna cum laude from his Master of Laws (LL.M) in Public International Law from Leiden University and obtained his Bachelor of Laws (LL.B) First Class (Hons), from Durham University, graduating at the top of his class for international criminal law.
Wendy Betts
Wendy Betts is an American lawyer, licensed in California, specialising in international criminal law and international humanitarian law. She is currently an independent consultant providing expert guidance to organisations on various topics, including digital evidence, documenting violations of international criminal law, and accountability options.
Wendy spent ten years as the founding Director of eyeWitness to Atrocities, an organization, established by the International Bar Association, that combines law and technology to promote accountability for serious international crimes. eyeWitness was awarded the 2016 Innovation in Global Security Prize from the Global Centre for Security Policy in Geneva, Switzerland. She was also a member of the Technology Advisory Board of the Office of the Prosecutor at the International Criminal Court.
Previously, Wendy served as the Director of the American Bar Association War Crimes Documentation Project, overseeing programmes in the Balkans and west Africa, as well as managing multi-million dollar grants and contracts to promote human rights and access to justice in countries around the world.
She has advocated for legal remedies for potential violations of international humanitarian and criminal law in relation to the U.S. detention program in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba and has contributed to Alien Tort Statute, Torture Victim Protection Act, and immigration cases in U.S. federal court.
She has written and trained on topics related to human rights documentation, international criminal law, and accountability and co-authored a report entered as evidence in the trial of Slobodan Milosevic at the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia.
Wendy has a B.A. in International Relations from the University of the Pacific, an M.A. in International Relations/International Economics from Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies and a J.D. from the University of San Francisco School of Law.