Publications | Dr Penelope Ridings

Curriculum Vitae: Dr Penelope Ridings, MNZM

Educational Qualifications

PhD in Political Science, University of Hawaii at Manoa, 1987
MJur (with Distinction), University of Auckland, New Zealand, 1979
BA/LLB (Hons), University of Auckland, New Zealand, 1978

Professional Experience

Member, International Law Commission: 2023 –
Honorary Professor of Law, University of Auckland, New Zealand 2021 –
Barrister and International Lawyer: 2015 –
Legal Advisor, Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission: 2015 –
Chief International Legal Adviser, New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade: 2011-2015
Ambassador of New Zealand to Poland, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, 2008 – 2011
International Trade Law Adviser and Head of Trade Law, New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, 2004 –2007
High Commissioner of New Zealand to Samoa, 2001 – 2004
Deputy Director, Legal Division, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, 1998 – 2001
Deputy High Commissioner of New Zealand to Samoa, 1995 –1998
First Secretary, New Zealand Embassy, Bonn, Germany, 1991 – 1994
Legal Adviser, Legal Division, New Zealand Ministry of External Affairs and Trade: 1988 – 1990
Legal Adviser, Attorney-General’s Office, Samoa, 1980
Lecturer of Law, University of Auckland Law School, New Zealand, 1979

Arbitral, Adjudication and Leadership Experience

Chair, Arbitration Tribunal, UK-Sandeel (The European Union v. The United Kingdom), established under the EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA).
President, ICSID ad hoc Annulment Committee, LSG Building Solutions and Others v. Romania (ICSID Case No. ARB 18/19).
Member, ICSID ad hoc Annulment Committee, Eurus Energy Holdings Corporation v Kingdom of Spain (ICSID Case No. ARB/16/4).
Member, ICSID ad hoc Annulment Committee, Alhambra Resources Ltd. and Alhambra Coӧperatief U.A. v. Republic of Kazakhstan (ICSID Case No. ARB/16/12).
Member, Pool of Arbitrators for the WTO Multi-Party Interim Appeal Arbitration Arrangement.
Special Adviser, Review of the Intelligence and Security Act 2017 (New Zealand), 2022-23.
Chair, Performance Review of the North Pacific Fisheries Commission, 2022.
Expert before the New Zealand High Court in New Zealand Steel Ltd v Minister of Commerce and Consumer Affairs CIV-2019-485-553 & CIV-2019-485-552 in the matter of the exercise of powers under the Dumping and Countervailing Duties Act 1988, 2020.
Counsel for the New Zealand Crown before the Inquiry into Operation Burnham on issues of detention in non-international armed conflict, 2019-2020.
Chair, Performance Review of the South Pacific Regional Fisheries Organisation, 2018.
WTO Panellist in United States – Certain Measures Relating to the Renewable Energy Sector (DS 510), 2018-2019.
WTO Panellist in Ukraine – Anti-Dumping Measures on Ammonium Nitrate from Russia (DS 493), 2017-2018.
WTO Panellist in European Union – Measures Affecting Tariff Concessions on Certain Poultry Meat Products from China (DS 492), 2016-2017.
Expert witness for the New Zealand Crown before the Waitangi Tribunal on investment obligations and interpretation of the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (WAI 2522), 2016.
Counsel for New Zealand at the WTO in Indonesia – Importation of Horticultural Products, Animals and Animal Products (DS477), 2015-2016.
Counsel and Advocate for New Zealand before the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea in Request for an Advisory Opinion submitted by the Sub-Regional Fisheries Commission (SRFC), 2013-2014.
Agent, Counsel and Advocate for New Zealand before the International Court of Justice in Whaling in the Antarctic (Australia v Japan, New Zealand Intervening), 2012-2014.
Witness before the Waitangi Tribunal hearing on investment issues and the mixed ownership model as they relate to the freshwater inquiry (WAI 2358), 2012.
Lead Counsel for New Zealand in WTO dispute settlement consultations in Australia — Measures Affecting the Importation of Apples from New Zealand (DS 367), 2007.
Lead Counsel for New Zealand before the WTO Appellate Body in United States – Final Dumping Determination on Softwood Lumber from Canada – Recourse to Article 21.5 by Canada (DS 264), 2006.
Lead Counsel for New Zealand before the World Trade Organisation panel and Appellate Body in United States — Safeguard Measure on Imports of Fresh, Chilled or Frozen Lamb from New Zealand (DS 177), 1999-2001.

Honours, Professional Appointments and Membership

Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit (MNZM) for Services to the State, 2015
Honorary Professor of Law, University of Auckland, New Zealand.
Designated by New Zealand to the Panel of Arbitrators and Panel of Conciliators of the International Centre for the Settlement of Investment Disputes.
Nominated by New Zealand to the List of Conciliators under Annex V and List of Arbitrators under Annex VII of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.
Appointed to the roster of arbitrators for disputes under the EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA), the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), the EU-Kazakhstan Enhanced Partnership and Cooperation Agreement, the UK-Kosovo Free Trade Agreement, the UK-Korea Free Trade Agreement, the UK-Singapore Free Trade Agreement and the UK-Türkiye Free Trade Agreement.
Associate Member of the Arbitrators’ and Mediators’ Institute of New Zealand.
Council Member, Australian and New Zealand Society of International Law 2011-15.
Member of the Advisory Board, New Zealand Yearbook of International Law.
Barrister and Solicitor, High Court of New Zealand.
Member, New Zealand Bar Association.
Member of the Australian and New Zealand Society of International Law.
Member of the American Society of International Law.

Recent Publications

“Women in WTO Dispute Settlement: The Role of Individuals as Catalysts for Gender Inclusion” in Reckoning and Renewal: The World Trade Organization and Its Dispute Settlement System at 30. Essays in Honour of Valerie Hughes (Nicolas Lamp, ed., forthcoming 2025).
“Women and the International Law Commission: Knocking at the Door of Gender Diversity” in Max Planck Yearbook of United Nations Law, Vol 27 (2023): Issue 1 (Jan 2025) 390-421.
“The 1995 UN Fish Stocks Agreement – A Framework for the Future” in Nilüfer Oral and Tara Davenport (eds) UNCLOS at 40: Essays in Honour of Ambassador Tommy Koh (National University of Singapore Press, 2024) 41-49.
“The Influence of Scholarship on the Shaping and Making of the Law of the Sea” The International Journal of Marine and Coastal Law 38 (2023) 1–27.
“Labour Standards on Fishing Vessels: A Problem in Search of a Home?” Melbourne Journal of International Law 22(2) (2021) 308, available at: Melbourne Journal of International Law (unimelb.edu.au).
“New Zealand and International Dispute Resolution: Drivers and Influence” in An Hertogen and Anna Hood (eds), International Law in Aotearoa/New Zealand (Thomson Reuters, 2021).
“Arbitrating International Trade Disputes: What does the Future Hold?” presentation to the Arbitrators’ and Mediators’ Institute of New Zealand Conference, August 3, 2019. Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3611374.
“Redefining environmental stewardship to deliver governance frameworks for marine biodiversity beyond national jurisdiction” ICES Journal of Marine Science 75(1) (2018) 435-443. Available at https://academic.oup.com/icesjms/article/75/1/435/3953910.
“International Arbitrations” in P Green, B Hunt and T Kennedy-Grant, Green and Hunt on Arbitration Law and Practice (Thomson Reuters) editions 2015-present.
“Investment Negotiations: Walking the Tightrope between Offensive and Defensive Interests” New Zealand Business Law Quarterly 21(4) (2015) 277-296, available at .https://insight.thomsonreuters.co.nz/tag/new-zealand-business-law-quarterly.
“The Intervention Procedure in Whaling in the Antarctic: A Threat to Bilateralism?” Australian Year Book of International Law, 32 (2014) 97-112.
“Whaling in the Antarctic: Some Reflections by Counsel” (with Elana Geddis), New Zealand Yearbook of International Law, 11 (2013) 143-158, available at http://www.nzlii.org/nz/journals/NZYbkIntLaw/2013/5.pdf.
“Liberal Economics: New Zealand Free Trade Agreements” Research Papers of Wrocław University of Economics No. 134 (2010) 115-130.
D Evans & P Ridings, “A Decade of WTO Dispute Settlement: New Zealand’s Experience” New Zealand Yearbook of International Law 3 (2006) 1-15, available at http://nzlii.org/nz/journals/NZYbkIntLaw/2006/2.html.