Team

Lise Bernard-Apéré is a doctoral candidate at the Faculty of Law at Université Laval and a contractual doctoral candidate at the Faculty of Law at the University of Bordeaux, engaged in a joint supervision by Professors Richard Ouellet and Loïc Grard. She is a member of the Research Chair on New Challenges of Economic Globalization (NEME) at Université Laval and the Center for European and International Law Research and Documentation (CRDEI) at the University of Bordeaux.

In the scope of her doctoral thesis, she focuses on the exportation of the European model of geographical indications. Lise possesses expertise in international economic law, aspects related to economic globalization, public international law, and European Union law.

Throughout her academic journey, Lise has studied at the University of Bordeaux, the University of Oslo, and Université Laval. She graduated at the top of her class in the dual-degree program in Transatlantic Relations Law (Master 2 in Transatlantic Relations Law from the University of Bordeaux and Master's in International and Transnational Law (LL.M) from Laval University), class of 2022. Additionally, Lise Bernard-Apéré is listed on the Honor Roll of the Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies at Université Laval.

Driven by her interest in international relations, Lise is fluent in French, English, and Italian.

Léonie Blackburn is currently a professional Master's student in International Studies, majoring in International Relations. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Public Affairs and International Relations (Diplomacy, Peace, and Security stream) and is a former participant in the International Criminal and Humanitarian Law Clinic. Having taken several courses in international economic law and international economic relations, she has developed a strong interest in the field.

She will be joining the Research Chair on New Challenges in Economic Globalization in the Fall 2024 semester, aiming to deepen her knowledge of international economic law and the law governing the World Trade Organization. Her research interests focus primarily on the exceptions provided by the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade and how states utilize them.

Alan J. M. Bron is a LLD candidate at the Chair of Research on New Challenges in Economic Globalization (NEME), co-supervised by Professors Richard Ouellet from Université Laval and Nguyễn Ngọc Hà from the Foreign Trade University in Hanoi.

Following an international academic journey across France, Spain, and Vietnam, he graduated with a Master’s degree in Economic Cooperation and International Business Law from the Vietnam National University in Hanoi, where he conducted research on economic integration issues in Southeast Asia under the supervision of Professor Nguyễn Ngọc Hà.

His research interests include international economic law, European Union law, regional integrations, and regional trade agreements, with a particular focus on their implications in Southeast Asia. He works and communicates fluently in French, English, Spanish, and Russian, and has working knowledge of Vietnamese.

Mathilde Cloutier is a master's student in International Security at the Graduate School of International Studies at Université Laval, and she is also pursuing a Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.) at Laval University. For her thesis, she will be supervised by Professor Richard Ouellet.

With an integrated Bachelor's degree in Public Affairs and International Relations, Mathilde has previously worked at Global Affairs Canada (GAC) in the Bilateral Europe and Interests Relations Office (EUB) for several years. Before joining the Research Chair on New Challenges in Economic Globalization, she worked at the Permanent Mission of Canada to the World Trade Organization (WTO) in Geneva, Switzerland. This experience allowed her to closely follow multilateral negotiations at the WTO, and her thesis will draw heavily from the insights gained during this unforgettable experience.

Her research interests focus on e-commerce, international economic law, and the compatibility of WTO members' industrial policies with the functioning of the organization.

Antoine Comont is a doctoral candidate at the Faculty of Law at Université Laval and a contractual doctoral candidate at the Faculty of Law at the University of Bordeaux, under the co-supervision of Professors Richard Ouellet and Alexis Marie.

He is a member of the Research Chair on New Challenges of Economic Globalization (NEME) at Laval University and the Center for European and International Law Research and Documentation (CRDEI) at the University of Bordeaux. His thesis aims to reconsider the functioning of the World Trade Organization to incorporate non-commercial provisions into its normative framework.

Antoine Comont has expertise in international economic law, public international law, EU law, as well as French and Common Law. He studied in France before moving to Quebec, where he graduated from the dual-degree program in Transatlantic Relations Law in 2022.

Chloé Denié holds a Bachelor's degree in Private Law with an international focus from the Institut Catholique d'Études Supérieures (ICES) in La Roche-sur-Yon, France. During her final year, she had the opportunity to participate in an academic exchange at St. Thomas University in Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada. After obtaining her degree, she chose to join the Faculty of Law at Université Laval, where she is currently pursuing a Master's in International and Transnational Law. She is now entering her final semester, which will be entirely dedicated to writing her thesis on the legal reconciliation of regional trade agreements and the World Trade Organization system.

Her interest in international economic law grew significantly when she had the chance to attend the centennial edition of The Hague Academy of International Law’s summer program in public and private international law in the Netherlands. There, she engaged in enriching exchanges with distinguished professors and experts in the field, including judges and academics. Following this experience, she participated in the International Economic Law Clinic of the NEME Chair for two consecutive terms, which allowed her to apply the knowledge she gained throughout her Master's program.

Samir El Khanza is a Marie Skłodowska Curie Ph.D. candidate at Université Laval, Luiss University of Rome, and the Université libre de Bruxelles (ULB) as part of the Horizon Europe project GEM-DIAMOND (Globalisation, Europe, and Multilateralism - Democratic Institutions, the rise of Alternative Models and mounting Normative Dissensus). He holds a master's degree in European studies with a specialization in European politics from the Institute of European Studies at ULB and a bachelor's degree in Political Science from ULB.

His doctoral thesis, supervised by Professors Richard Ouellet, Cristina Fasone, and Nathalie Brack, focuses on "The role and influence of national parliaments in the elaboration process of EU trade policy." His research areas include public international law, comparative law, European law, and European politics.

Carla Gomez is LL.D. Candidate at the Université Laval and the University of Bordeaux under the co-supervision of Professors Richard Ouellet and Baptiste Tranchant.

She is a member of the Research Chair on New Challenges of Economic Globalization (NEME) and the Center for European and International Law Research and Documentation (CRDEI) at the University of Bordeaux. Her doctoral thesis focuses on the integration of non-commercial considerations in trade agreements.

Having studied in France, Ireland, and Quebec, she graduated at the top of her class in the dual-degree program in Transatlantic Relations Law. Her research areas encompass both international economic law and public international law, including international litigation, investment law, and European law.

Frédérik Labonté is currently pursuing her integrated Bachelor's degree in Public Affairs and International Relations at Université Laval. Driven by her interest in global issues and international relations, she aspires to deepen her knowledge in international economic law by pursuing master's and doctoral studies in this field.

Her primary areas of interest within international economic law include the environment, trade, and international relations. She is aware of the growing challenges facing our planet and is particularly interested in environmental issues in the context of international trade. She seeks to understand how to reconcile economic imperatives with the need to preserve the environment and promote sustainability.

Maude Lachance hold a Master in International Trade and Foreign Investments at the Graduate School of International Studies at Université Laval. Her essay focusing on the end of exceptionalism at the World Trade Organization and potential solutions to address it was carried out under the supervision of Professor Richard Ouellet.

Maude Lachance is a member of the Research Chair on New Challenges of Economic Globalization as a student-researcher and the Canada Research Chair in International Political Economy as a research assistant. 

She is also particularly interested in the concept of "global challenges" and how they could be integrated into the framework of the World Trade Organization.

Florence Marquis is currently pursuing a double Bachelor's degree in Public Affairs and International Relations (BIAPRI) and Economics, which has fueled her interest in international economic law. She joined the Research Chair on New Challenges of Economic Globalization in the winter session of 2023 to work on the concepts of ally-shoring and friend-shoring, as well as changes in global supply chains.

Her research interests include international food trade, economic conflicts, and subsidization in developing countries.

Laura O'Brien is a law student at the Master's degree in "International and Transnational Law." Holding a Bachelor's degree in Law from the University of Paris Nanterre and a law degree from the University of Potsdam in Germany, she started her studies in a Franco-German context and continued in an international setting by choosing to pursue her Master's degree in Quebec. Her interests lie in issues related to obstacles to environmental protection and international economic law.

Alongside her academic pursuits, she had the opportunity to work as a consultant for the United Nations Global Compact and secured various research assistant positions. During these roles, she developed a deep interest in the matter of sustainable food systems. Since the fall of 2023, Laura O'Brien has been closely collaborating with the NEME Chair and its partners, particularly within the framework of the International Economic Business Clinic.

Séréna Ortigosa Fernandez has recently been admitted to the doctoral program at the Université Laval, under the co-supervision of Professors Richard Ouellet and Olivier Delas. Her thesis project focuses on Foreign Public Subsidies in European Union Trade Agreements. She is the recipient of the Ivan Bernier scholarship from the NEME Chair.

Originally from France and Spain, Séréna holds a master's degree in Law and Litigation of Public Contracts from the University of Pau, France, and a specialized master's degree in European Law from the Institute of European Studies at the Université libre de Bruxelles, Belgium. Her high-quality legal education provides her with expertise in European and international economic law.

In addition to her academic background, Séréna has professional experience in Compliance within a multinational corporation. She has also completed various legal internships in Spain, France, and Belgium, which have been instrumental in enhancing her legal knowledge in Spanish, French, and English.

Leidy Natalia Serrano Burbano is a qualified lawyer, having graduated from the Universidad del Cauca in Colombia. After building her professional career as a lawyer in Colombia, she decided to pursue higher education in France at the University of Bordeaux.

She has been graduated from the Dual Master's Program in Transatlantic Relations Law at the University of Bordeaux and Laval University, with an essay regarding the future of the free trade agreement between the European Union and Mercosur.

Throughout her academic journey, Natalia has studied in Colombia, France, and Canada. She achieved the 4th position in the national ranking of bachelors in Colombia and received the Citizens of the World Scholarship for Excellence during her master's studies in Canada. Furthermore, Natalia is fluent in French, English, and Spanish.

She has been admitted to the doctoral program at Laval University in the fall of 2023, where she will develop a research project focused on the inclusion of the interests of indigenous peoples in next-generation trade agreements under the supervision of Professor Richard Ouellet. In doing so, she will become a member of the Research Chair on New Challenges of Economic Globalization (NEME).

Maude Tremblay holds a Bachelor's degree in law from Université Laval and is currently pursuing a Master's in law with a thesis in international and transnational law, in order to gain further knowledge in international economic and commercial law.

Her research interests include public international law, WTO law, investment law, and the incorporation of non-commercial issues in next-generation regional agreements, such as environmental and intellectual property matters. She is joining the Research Chair on New Challenges of Economic Globalization (NEME Chair) as a student-researcher

Paul Uranga is a doctoral candidate at the Faculty of Law at Université Laval and a contractual doctoral candidate at the Faculty of Law at the University of Bordeaux, under the co-supervision of Professors Richard Ouellet and Baptiste Tranchant.

He is a member of the Research Chair on New Challenges of Economic Globalization at Université Laval and the Center for European and International Law Research and Documentation (CRDEI) at the University of Bordeaux. His doctoral thesis focuses on the subject of "The Predictability of International Investment Law."

His research areas include public international law, international economic law, European law, and particularly international investment law and international arbitration.

Charles Codère is a postdoctoral researcher at the Research Chair on New Challenges of Economic Globalization (NEME) at Université Laval. He holds a doctoral degree in law, specializing in innovation, science, and technology, from the University of Montreal, as well as a Master's in Public International Law from the University of Oslo and an LLB from the University of Montreal. He has been a member of the Barreau du Québec since 2016.

Charles's research focuses on international environmental law, particularly climate change law, and the implementation of obligations arising from international environmental treaties in domestic law. His doctoral thesis explored legal issues related to the transfer of climate technologies under the Paris Agreement on climate change. During his postdoctoral journey within the NEME Chair, he focus on examining the operationalization of climate disclosure standards for companies and their potential interactions with the norms and mechanisms of the Paris Agreement.

Milcar Jeff Dorcé holds a doctorate in public international law from the University of Bordeaux. He is a lawyer and has been a member of the Petit-Goâve Bar (Haiti) since 2014. He is a member of the editorial committee of the Arbitration Club and the French Association for European Studies. He recently obtained the Certificate of Aptitude for the Legal Profession (CAPA) in France. He joined the NEME Chair in October 2024.

His work focuses on international investment agreements and Caribbean economic integration. His doctoral thesis was on the *International Protection of Investments in the Caribbean*. He has authored several presentations, book chapters, and articles published in French, Canadian, American, South American, and Caribbean academic journals. He has collaborated with researchers from diverse geographical areas (North America, South America, the Caribbean, Europe, Africa) and different disciplines (international economic law, European Union law, CARICOM law, legal history, philosophy, sociology, anthropology). His current research project examines the interactions between Indigenous rights and investment arbitration, with a primary focus on Latin America and the Caribbean. He also works on counterclaims, developments within the Caribbean Court of Justice, third-party funding, sustainable development, the rule of law, good governance, and various issues related to the sociology of arbitration, such as the geographical and ethnic diversity of arbitrators, civil society participation, and perceptions of arbitral justice.

Laurie Durel is a LL.D. candidate at the Graduate School of International Studies at Laval University. Her research focuses on the connection between international trade and the environment, particularly concerning the interaction between the rules of the World Trade Organization and border carbon adjustment measures.

Laurie serves as a research assistant at the Canada Research Chair in International Political Economy and is a doctoral fellow of the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) (J.A. Bombardier Scholarship). Before starting her Ph.D., she held various positions within the Quebec public administration.

Marie-Joséphine Kadjo holds a Master's degree in Law with a thesis from Université Laval, completed under the supervision of Professor Richard Ouellet. She is currently a Research Associate at the Research Chair on the New Challenges of Economic Globalization (NEME) and a member of the Interdisciplinary Research Center on Africa and the Middle East (CIRAM). She is now an Industrial Development Advisor at the Ministry of Economy, Innovation, and Energy of Quebec.

In May 2024, Marie-Joséphine was honored with the Best Oral Presentation Award at the Chair’s annual conference. She is an intern at the Permanent Mission of Côte d'Ivoire to the World Trade Organization (WTO) in Geneva from September to December 2024.

Alongside her studies, Marie-Joséphine participated in several international simulations, including the prestigious Model United Nations (MUN) in New York. She also contributed as a consultant to the World Bank's "Women, Business and the Law 2024" report.

Her research focuses on international economic law, with a particular emphasis on trade in developing countries, the agricultural market, and global food security.

Laura Létourneau Tremblay is an assistant professor at the department of law of Inland School of Business and Social Sciences (Norway). She has a doctoral degree in law from the University of Oslo/Pluricourts (Norway). In her doctoral research, she focused on how investment treaty tribunals have dealt with environmental concerns in investor-state disputes. She also holds a master’s degree in public international law from the University of Oslo and an LLB from Université Laval (Canada). She also is a research fellow associated with the Earth System Governance network and the Department of Public and International Law of the University of Oslo.

Her research focuses on international investment law, compliance with investor-state disputes and reforms of the investor-state dispute settlement (ISDS). She is particularly interested in the interactions between international investment law and environmental and climate change policy making, and on innovative and critical perspectives for analyzing international investment law.

Gabrielle Marceau, PhD, was appointed lecturer in 2000 and became Associate Professor in the Department of Public International Law and International Organization at the Faculty of Law of the University of Geneva (UNIGE) in 2005, also served as Adjunct Professor at the Faculty of Law of the University of Ottawa. She teaches World Trade Organization (WTO) law, supervises numerous master's theses and doctoral dissertations, and organizes conferences and research seminars. She also founded a doctoral seminar. She now holds the title of Honorary Professor of Public International Law and International Organization.

She is also a visiting professor at many other institutions. Professor Marceau serves on several academic boards that promote international economic law. She has served as President of the Society of International Economic Law, sits on the Board of the Geneva Society of Law and Legislation, and is a Counsellor of the American Society of International Law. Professor Marceau is a specialist in dispute settlement and in the legal interplay between international trade and non-trade concerns (such as the environment, human rights, labour, etc.), with over 125 publications to her name.

Gabrielle Marceau has also worked at the World Trade Organization for more than 30 years, serving as legal advisor in international disputes, in the Cabinet of Director-General Pascal Lamy, and in the Economic Research and Statistics Division.

Laurence Marquis is an assistant professor at the Faculty of Law at the University of Sherbrooke, specializing in dispute prevention and resolution.

With a dual Ph.D. in Political Science and Law from LUISS University and Université Laval, she also holds a master's degree from the University of Paris1-Sorbonne and an LLB from the University of Montreal. She is a member of the Barreau du Québec and the Paris Bar.

Her research focuses on dispute prevention and resolution at both the national and international levels, including free trade agreements, the impact of the European Union's trade and investment policies, international commercial arbitration and investor-state disputes, as well as international negotiations of trade agreements.

Her doctoral research centered on the reform of investor-state dispute settlement by the European Union and the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law, through a comparative analysis of the ethics of arbitrators, as a recipient of a Marie Sklodowska Curie fellowship from the European Union.

As a specialist in international arbitration, Laurence Marquis worked with Hon. L. Yves Fortier as Secretary to various tribunals in international commercial arbitrations, investor-state disputes, and sports arbitrations. She also represented Canada in investor-state arbitrations under Chapter 11 of NAFTA, advised negotiation teams on investment promotion and protection agreements, and free trade agreements as a lawyer for the International Trade Law Division at Global Affairs Canada. Additionally, she serves as an Assistant Counsel at the Secretariat of the International Chamber of Commerce Court of Arbitration in Paris.

Professor Marquis was appointed by the Government of Quebec to the list of individuals eligible to act as members of a special group for the Canadian Free Trade Agreement (CFTA) (2019 - 2024). She has been part of the Women Arbitrators Mentoring Program at the Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport since 2021 and is on the list of arbitrators of the Canadian Committee of the International Chamber of Commerce.

NGUYEN Ngoc Ha is an associate professor in international economic law at the Faculty of Law of the Foreign Trade University (FTU) in Hanoi, Vietnam. He is the director of the research project on "Legal Aspects of Trade and Sustainable Development in accordance with Agenda 2030 and Lessons for Vietnam," funded by the National Foundation for Science and Technology Development of Vietnam (NAFOSTED). He is also a member of the NAFOSTED Law Committee for the period 2022-2024.

His teaching and research focus on the law of the World Trade Organization, international trade dispute resolution, free trade agreements, and those of the new generation. He has authored several presentations, articles, and books. His current research projects particularly concentrate on the link between trade and non-trade issues (such as environment, labor, sustainable development, etc.) at both multilateral and regional levels. He has been involved in organizing several international and national conferences on international economic law and regional economic integration.

He serves as a national consultant for around ten projects, supported by the World Bank, the Delegation of the European Union to Vietnam, USAID, etc., addressing the assessment of Vietnam's national law compatibility with its commitments in the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership and the Free Trade Agreement between the European Union and Vietnam. These projects also focus on the implementation of commitments, especially those related to the environment and labor, in various agreements.

NGUYEN Ngoc Ha has supervised around thirty master's students and serves as a visiting professor in some French master's programs located in Vietnam.

Van Anh Ly is Deputy-Director and researcher of the Research Chair on New Challenges of Economic Globalization.

She holds a Master's in International Law (LL.M.) and a Doctorate in Law (LL.D.) from Université Laval. She was on the Honor List of the Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies at Université Laval for the year 2022.

With around twenty years of experience in research and teaching in the field of international economic law at the Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam, she began teaching WTO law at the graduate level at Université Laval in September 2022.

Van Anh Ly has authored and co-authored about fifty publications, including books, book chapters, journal articles, and conference papers, in Canada, France, and Vietnam, in three languages (French, Vietnamese, and English). She has been involved in numerous research projects funded by the UN, the World Bank, and the Red Cross in Vietnam.

Her research interests encompass WTO law, regional trade agreements, public international law, and private international law.

Richard Ouellet is a full professor in international economic law at the Faculty of Law and the Graduate School of International Studies (ESEI) at Université Laval in Quebec. He is the Chair in New Challenges of Economic Globalization and director of the Center for Multidisciplinary Studies in International Trade and Investment (CEPCI). He has been a member of the Barreau du Québec since 1992.

His teachings and research focus on the agreements of the World Trade Organization and regional economic integration. He has supervised nearly a hundred master's and doctoral students to date. He is the author of numerous papers, book chapters, and articles published in scholarly journals. His current research projects include economic integration in North America, the application of the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA), the national security exception in the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT), the resurgence of the concept of treaty-contracts in international economic law, and the institutional reform of the World Trade Organization.

Richard Ouellet has been a visiting professor, lecturer, and researcher in about fifteen countries across the Americas, Europe, Africa, and Asia. He serves as a consultant for various ministries, organizations, and public entities in the field of international economic law and is regularly sought after by the media to comment on news related to the WTO, regional trade agreements, and Canadian trade policy. He is regularly selected as an anonymous evaluator by specialized scholarly journals in international law, international relations, or trade. Ouellet is associated with HEC Montréal's School of Management as a Trainer-Professor for the Quebec Institute of Diplomacy. He is listed as arbitrator for Annex 31-B of the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement.

Professor Ouellet has served on several boards of directors, including those of the Center for International Studies and Cooperation (CECI) and the National School of Public Administration of Quebec (ENAP). He has been the program director for HEI and has served on the University Council of Université Laval. Currently, he sits on the Board of Directors of Université Laval and the Board of Directors of the National Museum of Arts of Quebec.