International

Law Practice

Since 2021, Howard Mann has focussed his practice on international investment arbitration. As an arbitrator, Howard brings experience working inside government, advising governments, and a deep understanding of the legal dimensions of international investment law and its linkages to law and policy-making. Over the last decade plus, Howard has also built up significant expertise in the natural resources and infrastructure sectors, including international tax and stabilization issues related to large scale investments.


Prior to this, Howard Mann’s career focused on bringing new thinking to major international law challenges, in particular at the intersection of international economic law and sustainable development. Dr. Mann was the Senior International Law Advisor to the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) for more than 20 years. Through his work at IISD, he pioneered new thinking on international investment law and policy. He worked with more than 75 governments around the world on these matters.



Howard began his international law career working for then Prof. Rosalyn Higgins, prior to her appointment to the International Court of Justice. He then worked with the Department of Justice, Canada, actively representing Canada in multiple international environmental negotiations at the UN and bilaterally with the United States. From 1993-1998 he managed his own private practice providing international law advice to governments and other international actors before beginning his work with IISD. 


Howard’s career highlights include representing Canada at multiple United Nations negotiations, including the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (1989-1992), and in bilateral and trilateral negotiations such as the North American Agreement on Environmental Cooperation (NAFTA environmental agreement,1992-1993). He has appeared before Parliamentary committees, and served on advisory panels for the Government of Canada, OECD, United Nations, International Bar Association and International Commission of Jurists. He pioneered civil society engagement in international arbitrations, and facilitated multiple international negotiations. 

  • Education

    • 1988: London School of Economics, London, U.K., Ph.D., joint degree in international relations and international law.
    • 1984: London School of Economics, London, United Kingdom, Master of International Law.
    • 1983: Barreau du Québec, Bar Admission Course
    • 1982: McGill University, Faculty of Law, Montreal, Canada, Bachelor of Civil Law.
    • 1978: Concordia University, Montreal, Canada, Bachelor of Arts, Cum laude.

  • Affiliations

    • 2021-present: Private practice focussed on international investment law arbitration
    • 1999-2020: Senior International Law Advisor, International Institute for Sustainable Development, Canada (founding manager of Investment and Sustainable Development program, 2003 to 2009)
    • 1993-1999: Private practice, specializing in international trade and investment law, international environmental law and the nexus of economic law and sustainable development.
    • 1988-1993: Counsel, Department of Justice, Government of Canada, Ottawa (Counsel, International and Constitutional Law Section; Counsel, Legal Services, Environment Canada; lead lawyer, international environmental negotiations for Environment Canada).
    • 1983-1988: Assistant to Prof. Roslyn Higgins, Professor of International Law, London School of Economics, London, U.K.

  • Related appointments

    • 2022-2024: Appointed as international arbitrator, Smurfit Holdings BV v. Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, ICSID Case No. ARB/18/49; Final award issued September 2024 with extensive dissent by Howard Mann
    • 2019-2021: Adjunct Professor, International Economic Law, University of Ottawa Faculty of Law
    • 2017-2021: Appointed as international arbitrator, Saint Patrick Properties v. Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, ICSID Case No. ARB/16/40. Case discontinued before a final award.
    • 2016-2020: OECD, member of the drafting group of the OECD Guiding Principles for Durable Extractive Contracts, 2020.
    • 2012-2015: University of Dundee, Honorary Associate, Graduate School of Natural Resources Law, Policy and Management, Centre for Energy Petroleum and Mineral Law and Policy, appointment of the University Senate.
    • 2015: The E15 Initiative: Strengthening the global trade and investment system for sustainable development, Task Force on Investment Policy, a combined project of the World Economic Forum and International Centre Trade and Sustainable Development, Geneva, 2015
    • 2008-2011: International Bar Association, Mining Law Committee, member of the Administrative Committee for the development of the Model Mining Development Agreement for use in developing countries.
    • 2007-2011: Advisor to legal drafters, Prof John Ruggie, Special Representative of the Secretary General of the United Nations on Business and Human Rights 
    • 2006-2008: International Commission of Jurists, member of the ICJ Expert Panel on Corporate Complicity in International Crimes.
    • 2003-2004: Member, Government of Canada Ad-Hoc Expert Advisory Group on international investment law, leading to the preparation of the 2004 Model Canadian Bilateral Investment Treaty.
    • 1997-1999: Member, Government of Canada Special Advisory Committee on international trade law and the environment.

  • Highlights

    • Appointed as Arbitrator in Smurfit Holdings BV v. Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, ICSID, 2022.
    • Appointed as Adjunct Professor, University of Ottawa Faculty of Law, specializing in international economic law and globalization, 2019-2021.
    • Appointment as international arbitrator, St. Patrick v. Venezuela, ICSID, 2017.
    • OECD, Member of the drafting group of the OECD Guiding Principles for Durable Extractive Contracts, 2016-2020.
    • Provided legal and policy advice and technical training to developing country governments on investment treaty negotiations.
    • Lead consulting lawyer, Southern Africa Development Community (SADC), preparation of SADC Model Bilateral Investment Treaty Template and Commentary, 2010-2012; and revised text, 2016-2017.
    • Lead expert advisor, COMESA Common Investment Area Agreement, negotiation of updated regional investment treaty, 2017.
    • Lead, SADC/IISD Training Programme, Negotiating International Investment Treaties, Pretoria, 30 July-3 August 2012.
    • Member of advisory team to Government of Ecuador, Ministerio de Recursos Naturales no Renovables, Proyecto de Diseño de Contrato Minero (Model National Mine Development Contract project), June-October 2010.
    • Member of the Drafting Committee and the Administrative Committee for the development of the International Bar Association’s Model Mining Development Agreement for use in developing countries, 2009-2012.
    • Advisory role to legal drafters for Prof. John Ruggie, United Nations Special Representative of the Secretary General for Business and Human Rights; prepared commissioned paper, “International Investment Agreements, Business and Human Rights: Key Issues and Opportunities”. (2008-2011)
    • Team leader, training session on international investment law for developing country investment treaty negotiators, at the United Nations Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean, Santiago Chile (2007), involving over 20 private practice, government and non-governmental lawyers.
    • Team leader, similar training session for eastern African countries, led by IISD in association with the Trade Policy Training Center for Africa (TRAPCA), in Arusha, Tanzania, 2009.
    • Lead, first ever amicus curiae submission in international investment law arbitrations, in Methanex v. United States, 2000–2005.
    • Lead drafter, first amicus curiae submission under International Centre for the Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID) revised Arbitration Rules, in Biwater v. Tanzania, 2006–2007.
    • Lead writer, IISD Model International Agreement on Investment for Sustainable Development, 2004–2005.
    • 2004–2005, Special Counsel on behalf of municipal governments and others, Federal Court of Appeal, Canada, in Sumas Energy 2, Inc. v. Canada (National Energy Board) (Federal Court of Appeal)[2006]1 F.C.R. 456, the first case in Canada’s domestic courts to address the scope of NAFTA’s Chapter Eleven on Investment.
    • Prepared international law and Canadian constitutional law case materials for Supreme Court of Canada and Federal Court of Canada cases on international sovereign immunity (United States of America v. Public Service Alliance of Canada [1992] 2 S.C.R. 50), and Canadian and international environmental law.
    • Member of Canadian delegation to multiple international negotiations at the United Nations, including climate change, hazardous waste, United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED)1992, and in NAFTA and bilateral US-Canada negotiations. Received Prime Ministerial citation for work relating to UNCED, 1992 and the North American Agreement on Environmental Cooperation, 1993.
    • Contributed legal advice on the preparation of several pieces of Canadian federal environmental law, including the Canadian Environmental Impact Assessment Act and regulations under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, and Supreme Court of Canada cases on environmental jurisdiction.