Peter Tzeng

I help States resolve their most complex international legal problems.

Peter Tzeng exclusively advises and represents countries (sovereign States) on matters of international law and international organizations. He regularly litigates cases before the International Court of Justice (ICJ), where he previously clerked. He also works on matters before the UN, ITLOS, PCA, ICSID, ICAO, UPU, WTO, and other international organizations.

A recipient of the Diploma of The Hague Academy of International Law, Peter speaks all six official languages of the United Nations (Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian, and Spanish) at varying levels of proficiency.

Peter is a graduate of Yale Law School, where he remains the only person in the history of the school to have twice received the Jerome Sayles Hess Prize for "excellence in the area of international law." He was also the author of the 2018 and 2021 Problems of the Jessup International Law Moot Court Competition.

Peter regularly publishes and speaks on issues of international law, and has received multiple awards for his publications.

Related Industries

Sovereign States

Related Practices

Education

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

Bar and Court Admissions

BAR ADMISSIONS

District of Columbia
New York

Languages

Arabic
Chinese (Mandarin)
French
Russian
Spanish

Experience

REPRESENTATIVE EXPERIENCE

INTERNATIONAL COURT OF JUSTICE (ICJ)

Armenia v. Azerbaijan (Application of CERD): Representing Armenia in an ICJ litigation concerning international human rights law.
Azerbaijan v. Armenia (Application of CERD): Representing Armenia in an ICJ litigation concerning international human rights law.
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): Represented Qatar in an ICJ litigation concerning international aviation law.
Bahrain, Egypt, UAE v. Qatar (Appeal under IASTA): Represented Qatar in an ICJ litigation concerning international aviation law.
Qatar v. UAE (Application of CERD): Represented Qatar in an ICJ litigation concerning international human rights law.
Nicaragua v. Colombia (Alleged Violations of Sovereign Rights and Maritime Spaces in the Caribbean Sea): Represented Nicaragua in an ICJ litigation concerning the law of the sea.
Nicaragua v. Colombia (Delimitation of the Continental Shelf beyond 200 nautical miles): Assisted in the representation of Nicaragua in an ICJ litigation concerning the law of the sea.
DRC v. Uganda (Armed Activities): Representing Uganda in an ICJ litigation concerning international reparations law.

OTHER INTER-STATE DISPUTE SETTLEMENT

Switzerland v. Nigeria (M/T San Padre Pio): Represented Nigeria in an ITLOS litigation concerning the law of the sea.
Qatar v. Bahrain: Representing Qatar in a PCA arbitration concerning international postal law.
Qatar v. Egypt: Representing Qatar in a PCA arbitration concerning international postal law.
Qatar v. Saudi Arabia: Representing Qatar in a PCA arbitration concerning international postal law.
Qatar v. UAE: Representing Qatar in a PCA arbitration concerning international postal law.
Qatar v. UAE: Advising Qatar in a WTO proceeding concerning international trade law.
Qatar v. Saudi Arabia: Advising Qatar in a WTO proceeding concerning international trade law.
Qatar and Egypt, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and the UAE – Application (A): Advising Qatar in an ICAO Council proceeding concerning international aviation law.
Qatar and Egypt, Bahrain and the UAE – Application (B): Advising Qatar in an ICAO Council proceeding concerning international aviation law.
Qatar v. UAE: Advising Qatar in a CERD Committee proceeding and an ad hoc conciliation concerning international human rights law.
Qatar v. Saudi Arabia: Advising Qatar in a CERD Committee proceeding and an ad hoc conciliation concerning international human rights law.

INVESTOR-STATE DISPUTE SETTLEMENT

Sanitek and others v. Armenia: Representing Armenia in an ICSID arbitration concerning the waste management industry.
Hydro and others v. Albania: Represented Albania in an ICSID annulment proceeding concerning various industries.
Nissan v. India: Represented India in a PCA UNCITRAL arbitration concerning the automobile industry.
Representing a State in a PCA arbitration (confidential).
Representing a State in a PCA arbitration (confidential).

ADVISORY MATTERS

Advised multiple States on matters concerning United Nations law (confidential).
Advised multiple States on matters concerning international organizations law (confidential).
Advised multiple States on matters concerning international human rights law (confidential).
Advised multiple States on matters concerning international aviation law (confidential).
Advised multiple States on matters concerning the law of the sea (confidential).
Advised multiple States on matters concerning international environmental law (confidential).
Advised a State on matters concerning international nuclear law (confidential).

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

International Court of Justice, Judicial Fellow (2016-2017)
European Court of Human Rights, Kirby Simon Fellow (2014)
Bishkek Humanities University, Visiting Lecturer (2012)

Publications

JOURNAL ARTICLES

“Incidental Jurisdiction in International Adjudication and Incidental Determinations by International Organizations”, AJIL Unbound, Vol. 116, pp. 186-190 (2022)
“A Strategy of Non-Participation before International Courts and Tribunals”, The Law & Practice of International Courts and Tribunals, Vol. 19, No. 1, pp. 5-27 (2020)
“Fisheries Review Panels: Lessons from Russia v. Commission and Ecuador v. Commission”, Chinese (Taiwan) Yearbook of International Law and Affairs, Vol. 37, pp. 221-242 (2019)
“Moving Maritime Boundaries: Changes in Coastal Land Sovereignty, River Courses, Sea Levels, and Maritime Delimitation Law”, Indonesian Journal of International Law, Vol. 15, No. 2, pp. 135-155 (2019)
“Investment Protection in Disputed Maritime Areas”, Journal of World Investment & Trade, Vol. 19, Nos. 5-6, pp. 828-859 (2018)
“Non-State Actors as Respondents Before International Judicial Bodies”, ILSA Journal of International & Comparative Law, Vol. 24, No. 2, pp. 397-416 (2018)
“The Implicated Issue Problem: Indispensable Issues and Incidental Jurisdiction”, New York University Journal of International Law and Politics, Vol. 50, No. 2, pp. 447-507 (2018)
“The Peaceful Non-Settlement of Disputes: Article 4 of CMATS in Timor-Leste v Australia”, Melbourne Journal of International Law, Vol. 18, No. 2, pp. 349-372 (2017)
“Investments on Disputed Territory: Indispensable Parties and Indispensable Issues”, Brazilian Journal of International Law, Vol. 14, No. 2, pp. 122-138 (2017)
“Humanitarian Intervention at the Margins: An Examination of Recent Incidents”, Vanderbilt Journal of Transnational Law, Vol. 50, No. 2, pp. 415-461 (2017)
“Ensuring Responsibility: Common Article 1 and State Responsibility for Non-State Actors”, Texas Law Review, Vol. 95, No. 3, pp. 539-590 (2017) (with Oona A. Hathaway, Emily Chertoff, Lara Dominguez & Zachary Manfredi)
“Favoring Validity: The Hidden Choice of Law Rule for Arbitration Agreements”, American Review of International Arbitration, Vol. 27, No. 3, pp. 327-358 (2016)
“Jurisdiction and Applicable Law Under UNCLOS”, Yale Law Journal, Vol. 126, No. 1, pp. 242-260 (2016)
“Sovereignty over Crimea: A Case for State-to-State Investment Arbitration”, Yale Journal of International Law, Vol. 41, No. 2, pp. 459-468 (2016)
“Supplemental Jurisdiction Under UNCLOS”, Houston Journal of International Law, Vol. 38, No. 2, pp. 499-575 (2016)
“The State’s Right to Property Under International Law”, Yale Law Journal, Vol. 125, No. 6, pp. 1805-1819 (2016)
“Deferring Future Damages to Future Tribunals: The Jurisdictional Obstacles”, ICSID Review—Foreign Investment Law Journal, Vol. 31, No. 1, pp. 246-253 (2016)
“Nuclear Arbitration: Interpreting Non-proliferation Agreements”, Nuclear Law Bulletin, Vol. 2015, No. 1, pp. 41-64 (2015)
“Proving Genocide: The High Standards of the International Court of Justice”, Yale Journal of International Law, Vol. 40, No. 2, pp. 419-422 (2015)
“Nuclear Leverage: US Intervention in Sensitive Technology Transfers in the 1970s”, The Nonproliferation Review, Vol. 20, No. 3, pp. 473-492 (2013)

BOOK CHAPTERS

“Appointing Authorities: Self-Appointment, Party Appointment, and Non-Appointment”, in Freya Baetens (ed), Legitimacy of Unseen Actors in International Adjudication, pp. 164-188 (2019)
“The Principles of Contemporaneous and Evolutionary Interpretation”, in Joseph Klingler, Yuri Parkhomenko & Constantinos Salonidis (eds), Between the Lines of the Vienna Convention?: Canons and Other Principles of Interpretation in Public International Law, pp. 387-422 (2019)

ENCYCLOPEDIA ENTRIES

“Incidental Jurisdiction”, Max Planck Encyclopedia of International Procedural Law (2022)
“Self-Appointment in International Arbitration”, Max Planck Encyclopedia of International Procedural Law (2019)

Honors & Involvement

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, American Branch: Member, International Law Weekend Organizing Committee Member (2021)
International Legal Materials Editorial Advisory Committee: 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, 2021), Judge (2017-2021)
Charles Rousseau International Law Moot Court Competition: Judge (2018)

Speaking Engagements

Speaker, “Litigating Before the International Court of Justice”, ELTE Law School, Budapest, Hungary (25 April 2022)
Speaker, “International Court of Justice”, Yale Law School, New Haven, United States (virtual) (2 March 2022)
Panelist, “Cross-Strait Relations: The Prospects and Challenges”, Conference hosted by the Prospect Foundation and Center for a New American Security, Washington, DC, United States (virtual) (16 September 2021)
Speaker, “Multilingual Treaties”, Jindal Global Law School, Sonipat, India (virtual) (8 August 2021)
Panelist, “Inter-State Cases under the European Convention on Human Rights: Experiences and Current Challenges”, Conference hosted by the German Federal Ministry for Justice and Consumer Protection within the framework of the German Chairmanship of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe, Berlin, Germany (virtual) (12 April 2021)
Panelist, “International Human Rights and Democracy”, International Conference of the School of Law & Justice of Adamas University, Kolkata, India (virtual) (10 April 2021)
Panelist, “Multiparty Arbitration”, Frankfurt Investment Arbitration Moot Court Moscow Pre-Moot Conference, Moscow, Russia (virtual) (19 February 2021)
Speaker, “Practice at the International Court of Justice”, West Bengal National University of Juridical Sciences, Kolkata, India (virtual) (10 September 2020)
Panelist, “Enforcement of International Law: Lawyer’s Perspective”, Indonesian Society of International Law Lecturers, Jakarta, Indonesia (virtual) (8 August 2020)
Speaker, “Litigation and Arbitration in Public International Law”, Singapore Management University, Singapore (6 February 2020)
Speaker, “International Dispute Settlement: A Practitioner’s Perspective”, Thammasat University, Bangkok, Thailand (26 August 2019)
Panelist, “A Strategy of Non-Participation in International Dispute Settlement”, 7th AsianSIL Biennial Conference, Manila, Philippines (23 August 2019)
Panelist, “Fisheries Review Panels: Lessons from Ecuador v. Commission (2018) and Russian Federation v. Commission (2013)”, 2019 ILA-ASIL Asia-Pacific Research Forum, Taipei, Taiwan (17 May 2019)
Speaker, “Representing States in Public International Law Disputes”, Hamad Bin Khalifa University, Doha, Qatar (16 January 2019)
Panelist, “Legal Grammatical Constructions in the Six UN Languages”, 14th ESIL Annual Conference, Manchester, United Kingdom (14 September 2018)
Speaker, “Litigating Before the International Court of Justice”, Melbourne Law School, Melbourne, Australia (22 August 2018)
Panelist, “A Strategy of Non-Participation in International Dispute Settlement”, 78th ILA Biennial Conference, Sydney, Australia (20 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”], 15th Annual Opening Colloquium for the Charles Rousseau Competition, University of Angers, Angers, France (30 April 2018) (in French)
Speaker, “International Law, the International Court of Justice, and Multilingualism”, Renmin University of China Law School, Beijing, China (27 February 2018)
Speaker, “Hot Topics in International Law: Non-Participation, Non-Proliferation, and Non-Election”, Renmin University of China Law School, Beijing, China (27 February 2018)
Panelist, “Deep Seabed Mining: A Growing Threat to Africa’s Mining Industry”, 6th Annual Conference of the African Society of International Law, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania (28 October 2017)
Panelist, “Appointing Authorities: Self-Appointment, Party Appointment, and Non-Appointment”, Conference on the Legitimacy of Unseen Actors in International Adjudication, Leiden University, The Hague, Netherlands (26 October 2017)
Speaker, “Multilingualism in International Law and at the International Court of Justice”, The Hague University of Applied Sciences, The Hague, Netherlands (24 October 2017)
Speaker, “The Internal Judicial Practice of the International Court of Justice”, Erasmus School of Law, Erasmus University Rotterdam, Rotterdam, Netherlands (24 October 2017)
Panelist, “Non-State Actors as Respondents”, at International Law Weekend 2017, Fordham University School of Law, New York, United States (21 October 2017)
Panelist, “Moving Maritime Boundaries: Land Transfers, Moving Rivers, and Rising Sea Levels”, 8th CILS International Conference, Universitas Tanjungpura, Pontianak, Indonesia (2 October 2017)
Speaker, “Non-State Actors as Respondents in International Dispute Settlement”, 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”, ESIL Law of the Sea Interest Group Workshop, Naples, Italy (6 September 2017)
Panelist, “First Decisions: The Arrogation of Jurisdiction by International Judicial Bodies”, Cambridge International and European Law Conference 2017, Cambridge University, Cambridge, United Kingdom (24 March 2017)
Panelist, “Investment Protection and Contested Maritime Areas”, Frankfurt Investment Law Workshop 2017, Goethe University, Frankfurt, Germany (11 March 2017)