Diego Mejía-Lemos
28 Xiannning West Road, Xi’an 710049
d.ml@nyu.edu
EDUCATION
National University of Singapore,Faculty of Law,Singapore |
Doctor of Philosophy Supervisor Committee Honours Activities Master of Laws Honours |
PhD in International Law, April 2017 Prof Simon Chesterman, Dean Assoc Profs Michael Ewing-Chow, Simon Tay (NUS), Sir Michael Wood (UN ILC & 20 Essex St) President’s Graduate Fellowship(University’s most prestigious full-tuition scholarship & stipend) Cohort Representative, Doctoral Students Committee; Organiser, Doctoral Reading Group, 2013 – 2016 LLM in International & Comparative Law, July 2010 B Mallal Scholarship(full-tuition, merit-based, scholarship) |
New York University School of Law,New York, NY, USA |
Master of Laws Honours |
LLM in Business Law, May 2010 B Mallal Scholarship(full-tuition, merit-based, scholarship) |
Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Faculty of Law, Bogotá DC, Colombia |
Diploma Honours Class Rank & GPA Activities Abogado Honours Class Rank & GPA Activities |
PGDip in Administrative Law, October 2006 Annual Scholarship (full-tuition scholarship; highest GPA in the Academic Year of 2006) 2nd out of 76 & GPA of 4.5/5.0 Teaching Assistant, 2005 – 2006(selected from among top 5% of the law school students in all cohorts) LLB/JD equivalent, April 2006 Annual Scholarship (full-tuition; 1sthighest GPA in 2001 & 2003 & 2ndhighest GPA in 2002 & 2004) Highest score in examinations to be granted the degree ofAbogado Rank in entrance examinations: 11thout of 2,462 applicants 2nd out of 122 & GPA of 4.3/5.0 Teaching Assistant, 2004 – 2005(selected from among top 5% of the law school students in all cohorts) |
SELECTED EXPERIENCE
Xi’an Jiaotong University, School of Law,Xi’an, Shaanxi, China
Distinguished Research Associate Professor,January 2020 – present
Conduct independent research, teach and supervise doctoral students (in the capacity of doctoral supervisor, or ‘博导’), among other duties, as a faculty member specially appointed within Xi’an Jiaotong University’s ‘Young Talent Support Plan’ (YTSP); act as principal investigator in projects funded by my YTSP grant (500000 RMB) and a Ministry of Science and Technology grant (2022-2024; 300000 RMB), among others.
National University of Singapore,Faculty of Law, and Other Institutions,Singapore
Post-Doctoral Fellow and Consultant,September 2017 – December 2019
Conducted research on a variety of projects leading to the publication of a set of journal articles, commissioned articles in journal special issues, commissioned book chapters and other peer-reviewed contributions.
President’s Graduate FellowAugust 2012–August 2016
Research and Teaching Assistant,May – October 2010, June 2013 – July 2014
Conducted research on my doctoral dissertation and other research projects. Lectured (as guest lecturer) on international arbitration.
Permanent Court of Arbitration,The Hague, The Netherlands
Assistant Legal Counsel, InternationalBureau,August 2016 – August 2017
Participated in the administration of international dispute resolution proceedings involving various combinations of states, state entities, intergovernmental organizations and private parties, chiefly in support of investment treaty arbitrations under PCA auspices.
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP,Paris, France
Juriste International(training under fixed term employment contract), InternationalArbitration Group,October 2010–July 2011
Participated in the advice and representation of a State in a maritime boundary dispute before the International Court of Justice and of large multinational companies in international arbitration proceedings conducted under the ICSID and ICC rules.
Universidad de Bogotá, Faculty of Law,Bogotá DC, Colombia
Assistant Professor of Law, January 2008 – April 2009
Taught undergraduate courses on international law and acted as principal investigator in two research projects. Supervised international law adjunct faculty members and served as member of the Curriculum Steering and Faculty Search committees.
Republic of Colombia, Ministry of Mines & Energy,Bogotá DC, Colombia
Consultant,October 2007–January 2008
Participated in the preparation of several parts of a draft restatement of Colombian constitutional and administrative law.
Calderón, Gaitán y López, Abogados Asociados, SA,Bogotá DC, Colombia
Consultant,January 2006–April 2009 (based in Bogotá) & July 2011–July 2012 (based in Paris, France, & Bogotá)
Participated in the advice and representation of large companies and financial institutions in proceedings before the Supreme Administrative Court, the Supreme Court of Justice, the Constitutional Court and national regulatory agencies.
Republic of Colombia, Supreme Administrative Court (Consejo de Estado),Bogotá DC, Colombia
Law Clerk,January 2005–December 2005
Drafted cassation review decisions involving procedural, conflict of laws and substantive tax and corporate law questions.
SELECTED PUBLICATIONS
1. |
‘Diego Mejía-Lemos, Review of Imogen Saunders. General Principles as a Source of International Law: Art 38(1)(c) of the Statute of the International Court of Justice,’ 35(3)European Journal of International Law(2024) 777–785 [Oxford University Press; DOI:10.1093/ejil/chae044(Open Access) ] |
2. |
‘The Customary Status of the Articles on Responsibility of International Organizations: a Critical Assessment of its Scholarly Treatment,’ in Antal Berkes, Richard Collins and Rossana Deplano (eds),Reassessing the Articles on the Responsibility of International Organizations: from Theory to Practice(Edward Elgar,2024) 35-62 [Edward Elgar; DOI:10.4337/9781035309115.00009] |
3. |
‘International Obligations on Foreign Investment in the Energy Sector: at the Interstices of General International Law, the Energy Charter Treaty, and European Union Regimes,’ in Rafael Leal-Arcas (ed),Research Handbook on EU Energy Law and Policy(2nded, Edward Elgar,2024) 570-585 (co-authored with Xiaoning Zhong and Ojaswini Gupta) [Edward Elgar; DOI:10.4337/9781035328024.00035] |
4. |
‘The Identification of Customary International Law and International Investment Law and Arbitration: State Practice in Connection with Investor-State Proceedings,’ in Panos Merkouriset al(eds),Custom and its Interpretation in International Investment Law(vol 2, Cambridge University Press,2024) 46-70 [Cambridge University Press; DOI:10.1017/9781009255462.005] |
5. |
‘The Suitability of Investor-State Dispute Settlement and Host State Counterclaims for Implementing Climate Change International Responsibility,’ 32(2)Review of European, Comparative and International Environmental Law(2023) 334-347 [Wiley; DOI:10.1111/reel.12482; commissioned for a special issue on ‘International Climate Litigation’ (July 2023)] |
6. |
‘Custom and the Regulation of ‘the Sources of International Law’,’ in Panos Merkouriset al(eds),The Theory, Practice and Interpretation of Customary International Law(Cambridge University Press, 2022) 137-160 [DOI:10.1017/9781009025416.008(Open Access) ] |
7. |
‘The Protection of the Environment through International Human Rights Litigation: Taking Stock of Challenges and Opportunities in the Inter-American System,’22Human Rights Law Review(2022) 1-16 [Cambridge University Press; DOI:10.1093/hrlr/ngac015] |
8. |
‘The Right to a Healthy Environment and Its Justiciability before the Inter-American Court of Human Rights: A Critical Appraisal of theLhaka Honhat v ArgentinaJudgement,’31(2)Review of European, Comparative and International Environmental Law(2022) [Wiley; DOI:10.1111/reel.12438] |
9. |
‘Protocol to the ASEAN Charter on Dispute Settlement Mechanisms,’Oxford Reports on International Organizations(Oxford University Press, 2018) 30 pp |
10. |
‘General International Law and International Investment Law: A Systematic Analysis of Interactions in Arbitral Practice,’ in Julien Chaisseet al(eds),Handbook of International Investment Law and Policy(Springer, 2021) 1603-1652 [Commissioned chapter intended for update on a regular basis; DOI:10.1007/978-981-13-5744-2_29-1] |
11. |
‘The Concept of ‘Essence’ and Its Uses in the Identification and Application of Customary International Law by International Criminal Courts and Tribunals,’ 21International Criminal Law Review(2021)1064–1102 [Brill; Special Issue No 5;DOI:10.1163/15718123-bja10101(Open Access)] |
12. |
‘Custom in General International Law and International Criminal Law: A Survey of Selected Issues,’ 20International Criminal Law Review(2020) 805-840 [Brill; Special Issue No 5;DOI:10.1163/15718123-bja10025(Open Access)] [Listed by New York University,ICTY, ICTR, SCSL – Online and Print Resources (2021)] |
13. |
‘PCA Arbitrations in 2018,’Yearbook of International Law and Jurisprudence 2019(Oxford University Press, forthcoming 2020) 807-828 [DOI:10.1093/oso/9780197513552.003.0034] |
14. |
‘The ‘Quimbaya Treasure’, Judgment SU-649/17’ 113(1)American Journal of International Law(2019) 122-130 [Cambridge University Press;DOI:10.1017/ajil.2018.106] |
15. |
‘Bilateral Investment Treaty Overview – Singapore,’Investment Claims(Oxford University Press, 2019-present) 40 pp [Online database entry, updated on a yearly basis, comprising an overview of, and individual commentaries on, Singapore BITs] |
16. |
‘The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and International Tax Law: A Winter Note on Law-making and Dispute Resolution Issues Raised by the BRI,’ Global Governance in International Tax Law Making Blog (University of Leiden, European Research Council funded project, 2019) |
17. |
‘Article 10: Promotion, Protection and Treatment of Investments,’ in Rafael Leal-Arcas (ed),Commentaryon theEnergy Charter Treaty(1sted, Edward Elgar, 2018) 150-204; (2nded, Edward Elgar, 2023) 157-219 [DOI 1sted:10.4337/9781788117494.00023; DOI 2nded:10.4337/9781035316281.00024(Open Access); included inEdited Legal Collections Data1543(2018)] |
18. |
‘Article 11: Key Personnel,’ in Rafael Leal-Arcas (ed),Commentaryon theEnergy Charter Treaty(1sted, Edward Elgar, 2018) 205-208; (2nded, Edward Elgar, 2023) 220-223 [DOI 1sted:10.4337/9781788117494.00024; DOI 2nded:10.4337/9781035316281.00025; included inEdited Legal Collections Data1544(2018)] |
19. |
‘Article 12: Compensation for Losses,’ in Rafael Leal-Arcas (ed),Commentaryon theEnergy Charter Treaty(1sted, Edward Elgar, 2018) 209-210; (2nded, Edward Elgar, 2023) 224-225 [DOI 1sted:10.4337/9781788117494.00025; DOI 2nded:10.4337/9781035316281.00026; included inEdited Legal Collections Data1545(2018)] |
20. |
‘Article 13: Expropriation,’ in Rafael Leal-Arcas (ed),Commentaryon theEnergy Charter Treaty(1sted, Edward Elgar, 2018) 211-232; (2nded, Edward Elgar, 2023) 226-247 [DOI 1sted:10.4337/9781788117494.00026; DOI 2nded:10.4337/9781035316281.00027; included inEdited Legal Collections Data1546(2018)] |
21. |
‘PCA Arbitrations in 2017,’Yearbook of International Law and Jurisprudence 2018(Oxford University Press, 2019) 907-955 [DOI:10.1093/oso/9780190072506.003.0037; available in print andOxford Scholarship Online] |
22. |
‘International Law, International Obligations and Sovereignty in The Work of Judge Moreno Quintana,’ 58Indian Journal of International Law(2018) 39-56 [Springer; DOI:10.1007/s40901-019-00096-7; commissioned article for a special issue on selected late jurists] |
23. |
‘PCA International Bureau Rules,’Oxford Reports on International Organizations(Oxford University Press, 2018) 15 pp |
24. |
‘PCA Administrative Council Rules,’Oxford Reports on International Organizations(Oxford University Press, 2018) 15 pp |
25. |
‘The Principle ofRes Judicata, Determination by ‘Necessary Implication’, and the Settlement of Maritime Delimitation Disputes by the International Court of Justice’ (2018) 5(2)Journal of Territorial and Maritime Studies46-74 [Yonsei University; available onJSTOR] |
26. |
‘Source of Law and Sources of Obligation in International Tax Law-making,’Blog (University of Leiden, ERC project, 2018) |
27. |
‘International Dispute Settlement: Key Trends and Prospects’ (2018)Australian Outlook(Australian Institute of International Affairs) |
28. |
‘Advisory Opinion OC-22/16,’111(4)American Journal of International Law(2017) 1000-1006 [Cambridge University Press; DOI:10.1017/ajil.2017.91] [Cited by theInstitut de Droit International,2019 Report to IDI 4th Comm] |
29. |
‘ASEANCharter,’Oxford Reports on International Organizations(Oxford University Press, 2017) 15 pp |
30. |
‘ASEAN SecretariatAgreement,’Oxford Reports on International Organizations(Oxford University Press, 2017) 15 pp |
31. |
‘Some Considerations Regarding “‘Instant’ International Customary Law”, Fifty Years After,’ 55(1)Indian Journal of International Law(2015) 85-108 [Springer; DOI:10.1007/s40901-015-0003-2] [Reviewed by: Peace Palace Library (PPL),Research Guide on Customary International Law(listed among ‘leading articles’) andCustomary International Law: Selective Bibliography 70thsession ILC; International Law Commission (ILC),Fourth report on identification of customary international law,UN Doc A/CN.4/695/Add.1, 2016; International Court of Justice,Bibliography of the International Court of Justice: 2014-2016 (No 60)(United Nations, 2022) at p 119] |
32. |
‘Advisory Opinion Nº 01,’Oxford Reports on International Law: International Trade Law(Oxford University Press, 2015) |
33. |
‘Award Nº 01,’Oxford Reports on International Law: International Trade Law(Oxford University Press, 2015) |
34. |
‘US - Lead and Bismuth,’Oxford Reports on International Law: International Trade Law(Oxford University Press, 2015) |
35. |
‘On Self-Reflectivity, Performativity and Conditions for Existence of Sources of Law in International Law,’ 57German Yearbook of International Law(2014) 289-320 [Duncker/Humblot; DOI:10.25540/GN1K-R225] [Listed in PPL,Customary International Law: Selective Bibliography 70th session ILC; International Court of Justice,Bibliography of the International Court of Justice: 2014-2016 (No 60)(United Nations, 2022) at p 119] |
36. |
‘On the 'Control de Convencionalidad' Doctrine: A Critical Appraisal of the Inter-American Court of Human Rights' Relevant Case Law,’ 14Anuario Mexicano de Derecho Internacional(2014) 117-151 [Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico & Mexican Society of International Law; DOI:10.1016/S1870-4654(14)70004-2] |
37. |
‘The Law of International Organisations: ‘Internal’ or ‘International’? A Critical Analysis of the Relevant Practice of the United Nations Codification Organs,’ 5(2)Revista Chilena de Derecho y Ciencia Política(2014) 141-163 [DOI:10.1016/S1870-4654(14)70004-2] [Reviewed by: ILC,United Nations Juridical Yearbook (2014), Part IV, at p 411] |
38. |
‘On ‘ObligationsErga Omnes Partes’ in Public International Law: ‘Erga Omnes’ or ‘Erga Partes’?: A Commentary on the Judgment of 20 July 2012 of the International Court of Justice in theQuestions relating to the Obligation to Prosecute or Extradite (Belgium v. Senegal)Case,’ 10(1)Revista ‘Ars Boni et Aequi’(2014) 177-214 [Available onJSTOR] |
39. |
‘Venezuela’s Denunciation of the ACHR,’ 17ASIL Insights(American Society of International Law, 2013) |
40. |
‘The Court of Justice of the Andean Community,’Reports on International Organizations(2012)6-10 [American Society of International Law; DOI:10.25540/XMQF-72Z0] |
41. |
‘ASEAN Comprehensive Investment Agreement,’Reports on International Organizations(2012)11-14 [American Society of International Law; DOI:10.25540/PY4B-C06] |
42. |
‘ICSID Convention Denunciation by Bolivia, Ecuador and Venezuela,’Reports on International Organizations(2012) 22-25 [American Society of International Law; DOI:10.25540/EFZ3-9N5M] |
43. |
‘Human Rights in International Investment Law and Arbitration,’ (2011) 1Asian Journal of International Law199 [Cambridge University Press; DOI:10.1017/S2044251310000160; book review] |
44. |
Amicus curiaebrief (extracts in Spanish) inSentencia C-1005/08of 15 October 2008 [DOI:10.25540/K6WV-6NYD] |
45. |
Amicus curiaebrief (extracts in Spanish) inSentencia C-698/08of 9 July 2008 [DOI:10.25540/TH4T-69KF] |
46. |
Amicus curiaebrief (extracts in Spanish) inSentencia C-038/06of 1 February 2006 [DOI:10.25540/7BZT-WQK8] |
SELECTED PRESENTATIONS & CONFERENCES
1.TRICI-Law (ERC-funded project), Panel 1: ‘Identifying Custom in International Investment Law’ of Joint Conference onCustom and Its Interpretation in International Investment Law(American University, 20-21 September 2023; competitively selected)
2.European Society of International Law (ESIL), Agora 3 of the Plenary Session, held on 31 August 2023 by the ESILInterest Group on International Legal Theory and Philosophy: ‘The Push and Pull of Fairness: Theoretical Approaches to Fairness in International Law’, 18th ESIL Annual Conference, (Aix-en-Provence, 30 August to 2 September 2023; competitively selected)
3.Centre for International Law and Governance, Faculty of Law, University of Copenhagen, and Frank Guarini Center, New York University School of LawFourth International Conference of the Transatlantic Marine Environment Research Network (TRAMEREN) on ‘Enhancing Climate Action Beyond the State’(University of Copenhagen, 1 June 2022; competitively selected)
4.ESILInternational Economic Law Interest Group pre-conference Workshop: ‘International Economic Law ‘In the Making’: New Actors and Policies’, 16th ESIL Annual Conference, (Stockholm University, 8 September 2021; competitively selected)
5.ESIL Roundtable of theInterest Group on International Legal Theory and Philosophy: ‘Theories and Methodologies in the Contemporary Study of International Lawmaking’, 16th ESIL Annual Conference, (Stockholm University, 8 September 2021; competitively selected)
6.ESIL & TRICI-Law Joint Conference on theTheory and Philosophy of Customary International Law and its Interpretation(University of Groningen, 24-25 May 2019; competitively selected/funded; presented in the only plenary panel)
7.Workshop on theInterpretation of Customary International Law in Investment and Tax Law(University of Groningen, 20 February 2019; speaker)
8.Conference on theBelt & Road Initiative and International Law(Leiden University, 21 February 2019; co-organizer and speaker)
9.GTG Workshop onInternational Tax Law-making(Leiden University and Lorentz Centre, 25 February – 1 March 2019; one-week workshop; competitively selected and funded)
10.EUCROSS Conference(KU Leuven and Chinese University of Hong Kong, 14-15 June 2018; competitively selected and funded)
11.‘Rethinking Free Trade’(Academic Sinica, Taipei, November 2017; competitively selected and funded)
12.AsianSIL Interest Group onInternational Law in Domestic Courts Workshop(Seoul, 24 August 2017)
13.AsianSIL Regional Conference 2016(Hanoi, July 2016; competitively selected and funded)
14.‘In Pursuit of Pluralist Jurisprudence’(NUS Centre for Legal Theory, Singapore, February 2015)
15.Association of Transnational Law Schools (ATLAS) Agora(three-week Summer research workshop; Montreal, June 2015; competitively selected and funded)
16.Academic Panel,10thXiamen Academy of International Law(Xiamen, July – August, 2015; awarded ‘A-type’ scholarship (full-tuition) &Certificate of Honour(for outstanding performance, upon completion of the programme))
17.Third Annual ASIL-ESIL-MPIL Workshop(Vienna, 8 September 2014; competitively selected and funded)
18.2nd NUS-AsianSIL Young Scholars Workshop 2010(Singapore, 30 September to 1 October 2010 (funded))
SELECTED MEMBERSHIPS & VISITING OR PART-TIME/AD HOCAPPOINTMENTS
Professional Associations
Judge, Philip C. Jessup International Law Moot Court Competition, 2015 – present
[Judge in National Qualifying Rounds held in Indonesia (up to Semi-Finals and Third Place), China (up to Championship), the Philippines (Preliminaries and Semi-Finals) and Thailand (up to Championship), and Memorials Judge (International Rounds); Best Judge 2018 (Thailand)]
Judge, International Humanitarian Law Moot Court Competition (ICRC, China, Indonesia), 2018 – present
Arbitrator, Willem C. Vis International Commercial Arbitration Moot (Vienna and HK), 2010 – present
Member, Foreign Direct Investment Moot College of Arbitrators and Judges, 2010 – present
Member, Young International Arbitration Group, London Court of International Arbitration, 2010 – present
Member, ICC Young Arbitrators Forum, International Chamber of Commerce, 2010 – present
Associate, ICDR ‘Young and International’, American Arbitration Association, 2010 – present
Reporter & Referee
Investment Claims(Singapore Bilateral Investment Treaties, OUP), 2017 – present
Oxford Reports on International Law(International Trade Law Decisions Module, OUP & Leuven University), 2015 – present
Oxford Reports on International Organizations(on ASEAN, OUP & University of Manchester), 2015 – present
Asian Journal of International Law,Asian Society of International Law & Cambridge University Press,2013 – present
Indian Journal of International Law,Indian Society of International Law & Springer Publishers, 2015 - present
Anuario Mexicano de DerechoInternacionalandMexican Law Review,Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, 2012 – present
Member of Editorial Board & Managing Editor
The Global Community Yearbook of International Law and Jurisprudence(OUP), 2018 – 2021
NUSFaculty of Law, Centre for Legal Theory,Singapore:Member,October 2017 – present
Universitas Sergio Arboleda,Madrid, Spain:Visiting Lecturer, Summer Course (LLM Programme), July 2015
Taught a 1-week intensive course on ‘International Law, International Arbitration and Investment in Asia-Pacific’
Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands:Visiting Lecturer, international investment law (LLB Programme), February 2019
Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, PRC:Visiting Lecturer,dispute resolution and international contracts, April 2019
University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands:Visiting Research Professor, September – October 2023
Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid, Spain:Visiting Research Professor, July – October 2024
BAR ADMISSION
Admitted to practice in Colombia, 2006 (Abogado)
ARBITRATION PANELS
Xi’an Arbitration Commission,Xi’an, Shaanxi, China:Member, International Arbitrators’ Panel,April 2023 – present
LANGUAGES
EnglishFluent
FrenchFluent [Diplôme Approfondi de Langue Française(DALF C1), 2008]
Chinese (Mandarin)Proficient [upper intermediate level (HSK 5, out of 9)]
SpanishNative
Studies in Classical LatinInstituto Caro y Cuervo[full-tuition scholarship awarded by Colombian Ministry of Culture, 2005-2006]
