Peter Tzeng

Associate - Washington, D.C.

Peter Tzeng
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Peter Tzeng exclusively advises and represents countries (sovereign States) on matters of public international law and international investment law. His clients have included The Gambia, India, Mauritius, Nicaragua, Nigeria, the Philippines, Qatar, Uganda, Uruguay, and five other countries on a confidential basis. His experience includes working on some of the most high-profile cases in international law, such as Philippines v. China, Ukraine v. Russia, The Gambia v. Myanmar, India v. Pakistan, Chagos Advisory Opinion, and Bahrain, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, UAE v. Qatar.

Peter regularly litigates cases before the International Court of Justice (ICJ), where he previously clerked, as well as before the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS), the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA), and the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID). A recipient of the prestigious Diploma of The Hague Academy of International Law, he speaks all six official languages of the United Nations (Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian, and Spanish) at varying levels of proficiency.

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Education:

  • The Hague Academy of International Law, Diploma, Public International Law, 2017
  • Yale Law School, J.D., 2016
  • Princeton University, A.B., summa cum laude, 2011

Languages:

Arabic, Chinese (Mandarin), English, French, Russian, Spanish

Representative Experience

Public International Law – ICJ Litigation Experience

  • The Gambia v. Myanmar (Application of the Genocide Convention): Representing The Gambia in an ICJ litigation concerning international human rights law.
  • Bahrain, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, UAE v. Qatar (Appeal under the Chicago Convention): Representing Qatar in an ICJ litigation concerning international aviation law.
  • Bahrain, Egypt, UAE v. Qatar (Appeal under IASTA): Representing Qatar in an ICJ litigation concerning international aviation law.
  • Qatar v. UAE (Application of CERD): Representing Qatar in an ICJ litigation concerning international human rights law.
  • Chagos Advisory Opinion (Separation of the Chagos Archipelago from Mauritius): Assisted in the representation of Mauritius in an ICJ advisory proceeding concerning the law of decolonization.
  • Nicaragua v. Colombia (Alleged Violations of Sovereign Rights and Maritime Spaces in the Caribbean Sea): Representing Nicaragua in an ICJ litigation concerning the law of the sea.
  • Nicaragua v. Colombia (Delimitation of the Continental Shelf beyond 200 nautical miles): Assisting in the representation of Nicaragua in an ICJ litigation concerning the law of the sea.
  • DRC v. Uganda (Armed Activities): Assisting in the representation of Uganda in an ICJ litigation concerning international reparations law.

Public International Law – ICJ Clerkship Experience

  • India v. Pakistan (Jadhav Case): Provided legal assistance in an ICJ litigation concerning international diplomatic law.
  • Ukraine v. Russia (Application of the ICSFT and of CERD): Provided legal assistance in an ICJ litigation concerning international human rights law.
  • Costa Rica v. Nicaragua (Land Boundary in the Northern Part of Isla Portillos): Provided legal assistance in an ICJ litigation concerning the law of territorial sovereignty.
  • Equatorial Guinea v. France (Immunities and Criminal Proceedings): Provided legal assistance in an ICJ litigation concerning international immunity law.
  • Somalia v. Kenya (Maritime Delimitation in the Indian Ocean): Provided legal assistance in an ICJ litigation concerning the law of the sea.
  • Costa Rica v. Nicaragua (Maritime Delimitation in the Caribbean Sea and the Pacific Ocean): Provided legal assistance in an ICJ litigation concerning the law of the sea.

Public International Law - ITLOS Litigation Experience

  • Switzerland v. Nigeria (M/T San Padre Pio) (Provisional Measures): Representing Nigeria in an ITLOS litigation concerning the law of the sea.

Public International Law – Arbitration Experience

  • Philippines v. China (South China Sea): Assisted in the representation of the Philippines in a PCA UNCLOS arbitration concerning the law of the sea.

Public International Law – UN Human Rights Body Experience

  • Qatar v. UAE: Representing Qatar in a CERD Committee proceeding and an ad hoc conciliation concerning international human rights law.
  • Qatar v. Saudi Arabia: Representing Qatar in a CERD Committee proceeding and an ad hoc conciliation concerning international human rights law.

 Public International Law – Advisory Experience

  • Advising a country on matters concerning international aviation law (confidential).
  • Advised a country on matters concerning the law of the United Nations (confidential).
  • Advised a country on matters concerning the law of the sea (confidential).
  • Advised a country on matters concerning international environmental law (confidential).
  • Advised a country on matters concerning international dispute settlement (confidential).
  • Advised a country on matters concerning the law of territorial sovereignty and the law of the sea (confidential).

International Investment Law – Arbitration Experience

  • Nissan v. India: Representing India in a PCA UNCITRAL arbitration concerning the automobile industry.
  • Philip Morris v. Uruguay: Assisted in the representation of Uruguay in an ICSID arbitration concerning the tobacco industry.
  • Luxtona v. Russia: Assisted in the representation of Russia in a PCA UNCITRAL arbitration concerning the oil and gas industry.
  • Unión Fenosa Gas v. Egypt: Assisted in the representation of Egypt in an ICSID arbitration concerning the gas industry.
  • World Callao v. Peru: Assisted in the representation of Peru in an ICSID arbitration concerning the construction industry.

International Human Rights Law – ECtHR Clerkship Experience

  • Könyv-Tár Kft v. Hungary: Provided legal assistance in an ECtHR litigation concerning Hungary’s schoolbook regulations.
  • Parrillo v. Italy: Provided legal assistance in an ECtHR litigation concerning Italy’s human embryo regulations.

Honors

  • The Hague Academy of International Law, Diploma (Public International Law) (2017)
  • Oxford University Press, Student Deák Award (2017) (awarded for “the best international law student article in a student-edited law journal”)
  • Yale Law School, Jerome Sayles Hess Prize (2016) (awarded to the top student of international law for the 2015-2016 academic year)
  • Quebec Society of International Law, Jacques-Yvan Morin Prize (2016) (awarded to the first place oralist at the French-language Charles Rousseau International Law Moot Court Competition)
  • ICSID, Student Writing Competition First Place Award (2015)
  • Yale Law School, Jerome Sayles Hess Prize (2015) (awarded to the top student of international law for the 2014-2015 academic year)

Involvement

  • American Society of International Law: Member, Annual Meeting Committee Member (2018)
  • Asian Society of International Law: Member
  • European Society of International Law: Member
  • International Law Association: Member
  • Max Planck Encyclopedia of International Procedural Law: Contributor
  • Oxford University Press, Investment Claims: Contributor
  • Jus Mundi: Contributor
  • Jessup International Law Moot Court Competition: Problem Author (2018), Problem Editorial Committee (2019-2020), Judge (2017-2020)
  • Charles Rousseau International Law Moot Court Competition: Judge (2018)
  • Speaker, “Litigation and Arbitration in Public International Law,” at Singapore Management University, Singapore (6 February 2020).
  • Speaker, “International Dispute Settlement: A Practitioner’s Perspective,” at Thammasat University, Bangkok, Thailand (26 August 2019).
  • Panelist, “A Strategy of Non-Participation in International Dispute Settlement,” at the 7th Asian Society of International Law Biennial Conference (“Rethinking International Law: Finding Common Solutions to Contemporary Civilizational Issues from an Asian Perspective”), Manila, Philippines (22-23 August 2019).
  • Panelist, “Fisheries Review Panels: Lessons from Ecuador v. Commission (2018) and Russian Federation v. Commission (2013),” at the 2019 ILA-ASIL Asia-Pacific Research Forum (“International Law and Emerging Powers: New Policy Challenges in the Asia-Pacific”), Taipei, Taiwan (17-18 May 2019). 
  • Speaker, “Representing States in Public International Law Disputes,” at Hamad Bin Khalifa University, Doha, Qatar (16 January 2019).
  • Panelist, “Legal Grammatical Constructions in the Six UN Languages,” at the 14th Annual Conference of the European Society of International Law (“International Law and Universality”), Manchester, United Kingdom (13-15 September 2018).
  • Speaker, “Litigating Before the International Court of Justice,” at Melbourne Law School, Melbourne, Australia (22 August 2018).
  • Panelist, “A Strategy of Non-Participation in International Dispute Settlement,” at the 78th Biennial Conference of the International Law Association (“Developing International Law in a Challenging World”), Sydney, Australia (19-24 August 2018).
  • Panelist, “The Standard of Control of ITLOS over Police Activities at Sea” ["Le degré de contrôle du TIDM sur les actes de police en mer”], at the 15th Annual Opening Colloquium for the Charles Rousseau Competition (“Refugees at Sea: Refugee Law or Law of the Sea?”) [15ème Colloque annuel en ouverture du Concours Charles-Rousseau (“Les réfugiés en mer: droit des réfugiés ou droit de la mer?”)], at the University of Angers, Angers, France (30 April 2018) (in French).
  • Speaker, “International Law, the International Court of Justice, and Multilingualism,” at Renmin University of China Law School, Beijing, China (27 February 2018).
  • Speaker, “Hot Topics in International Law: Non-Participation, Non-Proliferation, and Non-Election,” at Renmin University of China Law School, Beijing, China (27 February 2018).
  • Panelist, “Deep Seabed Mining: A Growing Threat to Africa’s Mining Industry,” at the 6th Annual Conference of the African Society of International Law (“International Law and Natural Resources in Africa”), Dar es Salaam, Tanzania (27-28 October 2017).
  • Panelist, “Appointing Authorities: Self-Appointment, Party Appointment, and Non-Appointment,” at the Conference on the Legitimacy of Unseen Actors in International Adjudication, at Leiden University, The Hague, Netherlands (26-27 October 2017).
  • Speaker, “Multilingualism in International Law and at the International Court of Justice,” at The Hague University of Applied Sciences, The Hague, Netherlands (24 October 2017).
  • Speaker, “The Internal Judicial Practice of the International Court of Justice,” at Erasmus School of Law, Erasmus University Rotterdam, Rotterdam, Netherlands (24 October 2017).
  • Panelist, “Non-State Actors as Respondents,” at International Law Weekend 2017 (“International Law in Challenging Times”), at Fordham University School of Law, New York, United States (19-21 October 2017).
  • Panelist, “Moving Maritime Boundaries: Land Transfers, Moving Rivers, and Rising Sea Levels,” at the 8th CILS International Conference (“State Boundary Affairs”), at Universitas Tanjungpura, Pontianak, Indonesia (2-3 October 2017).
  • Speaker, “Non-State Actors as Respondents in International Dispute Settlement,” for the Public International Law Luncheon Series, at Utrecht University School of Law, Utrecht, Netherlands (22 September 2017).
  • Panelist, “The Common Heritage of Mankind and the BBNJ Implementing Agreement: The Case for an ITLOS Advisory Opinion,” at the Workshop of the Law of the Sea Interest Group of the European Society of International Law, Naples, Italy (6 September 2017).
  • Speaker, “Indispensable Issues,” for the International Court of Justice Lunch Talk Series, at the International Court of Justice, The Hague, Netherlands (28 March 2017).
  • Panelist, “First Decisions: The Arrogation of Jurisdiction by International Judicial Bodies,” at the Cambridge International and European Law Conference 2017 (“Transforming Institutions”), at Cambridge University, Cambridge, United Kingdom (23-24 March 2017).
  • Panelist, “Investment Protection and Contested Maritime Areas,” at the Frankfurt Investment Law Workshop 2017 (“Oceans and Space: New Frontiers in Investment Protection?”) at Goethe University, Frankfurt, Germany (10-11 March 2017).
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