Dr. Weiwei Zhang

Senior Trade Advisor

Baker McKenzie Switzerland SA

Geneva

Not admitted to practice law in this jurisdiction

T + 41 22 707 98 09

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Biography

Weiwei is a senior trade advisor at Baker McKenzie Geneva's global WTO disputes practice. Prior to joining the Firm, she worked in a global law firm in Geneva since 2012, where she advised clients on WTO dispute settlement. Before that she worked for three years as an expert for a technical assistance project, supporting a developing country's implementation of its WTO accession commitments. She also interned in the Trade in Services and Investment Division of the WTO Secretariat and the Shanghai WTO Affairs Consultation Center.

Weiwei holds a PhD in international law, an LL.M. in international economic law and a master's degree in international economics. She teaches international trade law as an adjunct professor at various universities in China and Europe and publishes extensively. She also serves on the academic board of the John H. Jackson moot court competition.

Practice Focus

Weiwei advises governments on WTO dispute settlement, including consultations and proceedings before WTO panels and the Appellate Body, covering both original and compliance proceedings. With her deep understanding of a wide range of substantive issues in international trade agreements, she supports effective participation of governments and other stakeholders in international trade negotiations and WTO Committee meetings.

Representative Legal Matters

Advisor to WTO Members in the following disputes:

India - Sugar and Sugarcane (DS579)
Russian Federation - Measures on the Importation of Live Pigs, Pork and Other Pig Products from the European Union (DS475)
China - Domestic Support for Agricultural Producer (DS511)
Argentina - Measures Relating to Trade in Goods and Services (DS453)
China - Measures Related to the Exportation of Rare Earths, Tungsten and Molybdenum (DS431/432/433)

Education

Graduate Institute of Geneva (PhD in Internaiontal Law (summa cum laude)) (2016)
University of Barcelona (Master of International Economic Law and Policy (IELPO LL.M.)) (2010)
Shanghai Institute of Foreign Trade (Master of Economics (International Trade)) (2007)

Journal Articles:

Co-author, "Tax, Trade Rules and the Digital Economy: Unilateral or International Solutions in 2021?", International Tax Report, March 2021
Author, "Export Restrictions on Medical Supply Amidst a Pandemic", Swiss Life Sciences Briefing, February 2021
Author, "Blockchain: Eliminating, Replacing and Creating Services, special issue on ‘Trade in Services: A Holistic Solution to New-Found Issues in Trade Law?’", Trade, Law and Development, Vol. 12, No. 1 (2020)
Author, "Embracing Global Tax Reform in the General Agreement on Trade in Services?", in Rhea T. Hoffmann, Markus Krajewski (eds), Coherence and Divergence in Services Trade Law, Springer International Publishing (2020)
Co-author, "Busier than Ever? A Data-Driven Assessment and Forecast of WTO Caseload", Journal of International Economic Law, Volume 21, Issue 3, 30 August 2018
Co-author, "Non-legal Adjudicators in a Lawyers’ World", Transnational Dispute Settlement, 2 ,2017

Baker McKenzie Switzerland SA is a member of Baker & McKenzie International, a Swiss Verein.