Laurence BOISSON DE CHAZOURNES

Laurence Boisson de Chazournes stands as a preeminent authority in international law, whose career bridges scholarship, diplomacy, and high-stakes dispute resolution.

A practioner and an academic at the University of Geneva, she directed the Geneva LLM in International Dispute Settlement (MIDS) until 2024, and leads the Geneva Water Hub Platform for International Freshwater Law. Her global impact is reflected in her tenure on the Global High-Level Panel on Water and Peace (2015–2017) and her advisory roles for the UN Human Rights Council, the WHO, and the ILO. In recognition of her environmental law scholarship, she received the prestigious Elisabeth Haub Prize in 2008. She also received the Louis B. Sohn Award for Public International Law (American Bar Association International Law Section) in 2025. In 2024, she was made a Chevalier of the Légion d’honneur by the French Republic.

In the realm of dispute resolution, she combines intellectual rigor with practical expertise. She serves as arbitrator at ICSID, WTO, PCA, and CAS, while also acting as counsel and advocate before the International Court of Justice and ITLOS. Her advisory work extends to critical negotiations on international watercourses, including the Nile and Senegal rivers, cementing her reputation as a leading strategist in managing complex transboundary legal challenges. She is a member of Matrix Chambers.

Across academia, arbitration and diplomacy, Laurence Boisson de Chazournes exemplifies the rare intersection of legal mastery, practical influence, and global vision.