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Email

tdg20@cam.ac.uk

Faculty Contact Details

Room: LCIL

Tel: 01223 335 358

Senior Research Fellow (Wolfson College); Fellow (Lauterpacht Centre for International Law)

BA (Harv), JD (Yale), PhD (Cant)

Interests

State immunity, State succession, sovereignty, international investment protection, international organizations, use of force under international law, comparative constitutional law, diplomatic history, international dispute settlement, land and maritime frontier disputes, artificial intelligence, law and technology.

CV / Biography

Teaching (Cambridge)

Supervisions in international law: Wolfson College, 1996-98; King's College, 1997-98; Pembroke College, 2004-06; Jesus College 2004-05

Lectures in international law: Tripos Part 1b, 2005-06; LLM (Use of Force paper), 2018-19

Occasional supervision of research students in international law and international relations, 2002 to present

Teaching (other)

Visiting Professor, University of St. Gallen, artificial intelligence & international law, 2017

Visiting Professor, Catholic University of Lille, international law masters course, 2013 to 2016

Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies, Geneva, executive short course on international dispute settlement, 2009-2012

University of Cambridge Institute of Continuing Education short course for UK armed service personnel, 2004-06

Publications

Further list of publications available on request.

Aggression against Ukraine: Territory, Responsibility, and International Law (Palgrave Macmillan, 2015)

"The Russian invasion of Ukraine needs to be understood in its full dimension as a challenge to the state system of respect for borders. Grant provides that important service in his timely book." - George P. Shultz, former Secretary of State of the United States

Admission to the United Nations: Charter Article 4 and the Rise of Universal Organization (Nijhoff: 2009)

“Grant's craftsmanship is undeniable. This is a well-nigh brilliant study, based on extensive and careful research, of an under-analyzed phenomenon… classic international legal scholarship at its best.” Jan Klabbers, University of Helsinki / New York University, vol. 7 International Organizations Law Review (2010), 227–230.

International Law and the Post-Soviet Space (vols. I and II) (Ibidem/Columbia UP, 2019)

"This collection of essays by Dr. Thomas D. Grant confirms his status as a leading analyst of international legal issues raised by actions of the Russian Federation in the post-Soviet era... They should be of high interest not only to scholars but to the officials of national governments and international institutions charged with parrying Putin's threats." - Stephen M. Schwebel, former President, International Court of Justice.

On the Path to AI: Law's Prophecies and the Conceptual Foundations of the Machine Learning Age (with Dr. Damon Wischik) (Palgrave, 2020)

"Finding an analogy in the legal philosophy of Oliver Wendell Homes Jr., the authors provide a penetrating and fine-grained examination of artificial intelligence, a rich and forward-looking approach that should restrain exaggerated claims and guide a realistic assessment of AI's prospects." - Frederic R. Kellogg, author of Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr. and legal Logic.

Very Short Introduction to Arbitration (with Prof. Thomas Schultz) (Oxford UP, forthcoming April 2021)

Judicial citations

By courts:

Belhaj v. Straw, Supreme Court (UK), Lord Mance, [2017] UKSC 3, 17 (para. 26)— citing ‘Article 6,’ in O’Keefe, Tams & Tzanakopoulos (eds.), United Nations Convention on Jurisdictional Immunities of States and their Property: A Commentary (2013) 109, 110-11.

Benkharbouche v. Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, Supreme Court (UK), Lord Sumption, [2017] UKSC 62 (para. 39)— citing ‘Article 5,’ in O’Keefe, Tams & Tzanakopoulos (eds.), United Nations Convention on Jurisdictional Immunities of States and their Property: A Commentary (2013) 99, 99-101

Belhaj v. Straw (UN Spec. Rapp. On Torture & othrs intervening), Court of Appeal, Lloyd Jones LJ, [2015] 2 W.L.R. 1105, 1125 (para. 45)—citing ‘Article 6,’ in O’Keefe, Tams & Tzanakopoulos (eds.), United Nations Convention on Jurisdictional Immunities of States and their Property: A Commentary (2013) 109, 112.

Republic of Kazakhstan and National Bank of Kazakhstan v. Ascom Group S.A., et al, Svea Court of Appeal, Department 05, Division 0502, Decision, June 17, 2020, para. 19—citing ‘Article 5,’ in O’Keefe, Tams & Tzanakopoulos (eds.), United Nations Convention on Jurisdictional Immunities of States and their Property: A Commentary (2013), pp. 103 ff.

Ascom & Othrs v. Kazakhstan¸ Svea Court of Appeal (Stockholm), Judgment of 9 Dec. 2017, paras. 170, 171 (in re: Ascom Group S.A., Stati, et al v. Republic of Kazakhstan, SCC Case No. 116/2010)—referring to expert opinion of 14 July 2015 pp. 19, 39 et seq, 23-38.

In pleadings:

Legal Consequences of the Separation of the Chagos Archipelago from Mauritius in 1965, ICJ, Oral Statement of the United Kingdom (Sir Michael Wood), CR 2018/21 p 55 n 167—citing ‘The Once and Future King: Sovereignty Over Territory and the Annex VII Tribunal’s Award in Mauritius v. United Kingdom,’ in Allen & Monaghan (eds.)¸Fifty Years of the British Indian Ocean Territory: Legal Perspectives 215-230 (2018)

Mohammed, et al v. Harvey, et al, U.S. D.Ct. (D.C.), Reply Memorandum (Temporary Restraining Order) n 2, 20 Sept. 2006—citing ‘The Security Council and Iraq,’ (2003) 97 AJIL 823, 839

Bowman v. United States, U.S. Ct.App. (Third Circuit), Brief of Appelles State of Georgia and Governor Roy Barnes, p 4, 5 Mar. 2001—citing Recognition of States (1999) 4-5, 19-38.

Editorial & refereeing

General editor and co-founder, Journal of International Dispute Settlement, 2009-2019

Foreign corresponding editor, International Legal Materials, American Society of International Law, 2009-present

Occasional referee for books & other projects, Cambridge University Press, Oxford University Press, U.S. Institute of Peace Press, 2002-2019

Occasional referee for article submissions to journals, including British Yearbook of International Law, Melbourne Journal of International Law, International Studies Review, Central European History, 2002-2019

Advice & advocacy (selected)

Counsel (for Viet Nam-as Observer State), Philippines v. China (UNCLOS Annex VII), 2013-2016

Expert (for Kazakhstan), Stati et al Kazakhstan (an ECT arbitration under SCC rules)  (in related national court proceedings), 2015-present

Counsel (for Thailand), Cambodia v. Thailand (ICJ), 2011-2015

Advisor (for Greece), Application of the Interim Accord of 13 September 1995) (ICJ), 2008-2011

Assistant to Counsel (for the United Kingdom), Kosovo advisory proceedings (ICJ), 2009

Assistant to Counsel (for Sri Lanka), Deutsche Bank AG v. Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, ICSID Case No. ARB/09/2, 2009-2012

Lead editor, Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry Final Report, Oct.-Dec. 2011

Policy advisor, Defense Policy Working Group, U.S. presidential campaign of Mitt Romney, 2011-2012

International law advisor, Subject Matter Advisory Group for Policy & Social Science (Shadow), UK National Nuclear Centre of Excellence, 2010-2011

Policy staff member, national headquarters, U.S. presidential campaign of John McCain, 2008

Author, report on proposed re-integration plan for Abkhazia (for Castrén Institute/Counsel of Europe Georgia project), 2006

International law advisor, Free Kosovar Society, 2005-06

Lectures, seminars & other public speaking (selected)

Panel presentation, 'Boundaries, Their Challengers, and the Limits to Claim,' London International Boundary Conference 2015, Panel on Boundary permeability and the reach of the State in the Middle East and Eastern Europe, 1 December 2015

Paper, 'The Once and Future King: Sovereignty Over Territory and the Annex VII Tribunal’s Award in Mauritius v. United Kingdom,' Queen Mary Centre for Small States Conference: “Fifty Years of the British Indian Ocean Territory, 12 November 2015

Keynote speaker, 'Non-recognition, continuity, and new challenges to international law,' Foreign Ministry of Estonia/Estonian Foreign Policy Institute, Symposium on the 75th Anniversary of the Welles Declaration, 23 July 2015

Opening Address, ‘Intervention, Interveners and Their More Subtle Means,” Hybrid Warfare and Minorities Conference, Lancaster University Law School, 26 June 2015

Book presentation, Aggression Against Ukraine: Territory, Responsibility, and International Law, Henry Jackson Society/House of Lords, Parliament, Westminster, 2 June 2015

Guest lecturer, “Ukraine and the Defense of Public Order in the World Community,” Taras Shevchenko University, Kyiv, Ukraine, 28 May 2015

Speaker, “The Territorial Settlement, Its Challengers, and What’s at Stake for International Law,” Ivan Franko National University, Lviv, Ukraine, 25 May 2015

Speaker, “Responsibility and Use of Force in International Law,” University of Olomouc (Czech Republic), Conference, 21 May 2015

Panel speaker, "The 'Open System' and its Gatekeepers" Confronting Complexity in International Law: A Seminar in Honour of Professor James Crawford AC SC, Freshfields, London, 31 Jan. 2015

Panel speaker, “New Security Challenges and the United Nations,” Faculty of Law, Catholic University of Leuven, Belgium, 24 Oct. 2014

Keynote speaker, “Self-Determination in International Law,” Garrison Library Conference, Gibraltar, 16 Oct. 2014

Guest lecturer, “Crimea and International Law,” Faculty of Law, University College Cork, 30 Sept. 2014

Guest lecturer, “The Scottish Independence Referendum and International Law,” Wayne State University School of Law, Detroit, 4 Sept. 2014

Seminar paper presenter, “Territorial issues and dispute settlement,” Santa Clara School of Law, Santa Clara, California, 27 Aug. 20014

Panel speaker, “International Law and Ukraine,” Chatham House, London, 11 July 2014

Convener, Conference Panel: “National Perspectives in International Law,” Second Annual Conference of the Cambridge Journal of International& Comparative Law, Cambridge, 18 May 2013

Universality and Coherence in the League of Nations, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Poland; University of Glasgow; Queen Mary University seminar on the League of Nations, London, UK, 11 April 2013

"The International Court of Justice in 2012: the Year in Review," Lauterpacht Centre for International Law, November 2012

"Scotland and independent statehood: public international law issues," University of Edinburgh/Scottish Executive conference, April 2011

Occasional debate appearances at Cambridge Union Society, Oxford Union Society, Glasgow University Union, University College London Union Debating Society, Trinity College Dublin Philosophical Society, Durham Union Society, 2004, 2009-present

Occasional television and radio interviews on U.S. political developments, 1996-present

"Admission of States and the Responsibility of International Organisations," Joint Seminar, University of Swansea, Faculty of Law, March 2008

"Legitimacy, Efficacy, and Universality in International Organization," Whitney R. Harris World Law Institute, Washington University, St. Louis, School of Law, March 2006

See my personal website for a further list.

Other professional background

Assistant, advisor or counsel on legal teams in cases before the International Court of Justice and ICSID, ICC and UNCITRAL tribunals

Lead counsel, international law experts' amicus brief, McConnell v Federal Election Commission, 2002-03

Judge on moot court panels (various)

Admitted to practice, Massachusetts (1995), New York (1995), District of Columbia (1996), U.S. Supreme Court (2003)

Prior positions

National Fellow, Hoover Institution, Stanford University (sabbatical fellowship)

Principal associate to Professor James Crawford SC, 2002-2013 (international law advocacy and advisory)

Jennings Randolph Senior Fellow, U.S. Institute of Peace, Washington, DC, 2007-08 (sabbatical fellowship)

Visiting fellow, Max-Planck Institute of Public International and Comparative Law, Heidelberg, 2007

Anna Biegun Warburg Junior Research Fellow, St Anne's College, Oxford, 2000-02

Alexander von Humboldt Foundation Federal Chancellor Scholar, 1999-2000

Visiting fellow, Max-Planck Institute of Public International and Comparative Law, Heidelberg, 1999-2000

Fulbright scholar, University of Cambridge (PhD studies), 1995-1998

Law clerk, U.S. Court of Appeals, 1st Circuit, 1994-95

Personal background

Born, Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, USA, 1969. Raised, North Attleborough, Massachusetts.