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Mr. Michael Becker
Assistant Professor, Law

Biography

Michael A Becker is Assistant Professor of International Human Rights Law. With a broad background in public international law and human rights, Mike's research interests include international courts and tribunals, fact-finding bodies and commissions of inquiry, the law of the sea, and the relationship between international law and global politics (including the role of human rights in foreign policy). At Trinity, Mike delivers modules in Public International Law and International Human Rights Law. He also serves as Dissertation Director of the LLM programme.

Mike's scholarship has appeared in leading international law journals, including the European Journal of International Law, the American Journal of International Law, the Journal of International Dispute Settlement, and the Harvard International Law Journal. He also serves as a correspondent for the Irish Yearbook of International Law. As a law student, Mike served as Editor-in-Chief of the Yale Journal of International Law.

Mike holds a law degree from Yale Law School and a B.A. in Political Science and French from Amherst College. He is completing his PhD dissertation at the University of Cambridge as a WM Tapp scholar at Gonville and Caius College. Prior to entering academia, Mike served as an Associate Legal Officer at the International Court of Justice in The Hague from 2010 to 2014. He was previously in private practice at the law firms Allen & Overy LLP in London and Patterson, Belknap, Webb & Tyler LLP in New York City. He has also been a judicial law clerk to the Hon. Sidney H. Stein (S.D.N.Y) in U.S. Federal Court. Mike is a qualified New York attorney and remains admitted to practice.

Publications and Further Research Outputs

Peer-Reviewed Publications

Michael A Becker, Pay No Attention to That Man Behind the Curtain: The Role of Civil Society and Other Actors in Decisions to Litigate at the International Court of Justice, Max Planck Yearbook of United Nations Law, 26, (1), 2023, p90 - 107 Journal Article, 2023 URL

Michael A Becker, Ireland and International Law 2020, Irish Yearbook of International Law, 15, 2023, p113 - 141 Journal Article, 2023

Michael A Becker, Developments in the International Adjudication of Human Rights Disputes, 6th Global Legal Forum: Global Legal Trends and Future Challenges on Human Rights, Seoul, South Korea (and online), 17 November 2023, 2023, Legal Research Institute of Korea Unversity Invited Talk, 2023

Michael A Becker, Challenging Some Baseline Assumptions About the Evolution of International Commissions of Inquiry, Vanderbilt Journal of Transnational Law, 55, (3), 2022, p559 - 629 Journal Article, 2022 URL

Michael A Becker, Review of Jurisprudence of the PCIJ and of the ICJ on Interim Measures of Protection, by Ewa Salkiewicz-Munnerlyn , Heidelberg Journal of International Law, 82, 2022, p513-521 Review, 2022 URL

Michael A Becker, The Plight of the Rohingya: Genocide Allegations and Provisional Measures in The Gambia v Myanmar at the International Court of Justice, Melbourne Journal of International Law, 21, (2), 2020, p428 - 449 Journal Article, 2020 URL

Michael A Becker and Sarah MH Nouwen, International Commissions of Inquiry: What Difference Do They Make? Taking an Empirical Approach, European Journal of International Law, 30, (3), 2019, p819 - 841 Journal Article, 2019 URL

Michael A Becker, Review of Commissions of Inquiry: Problems and Prospects, by Christian Henderson, ed , European Journal of International Law, 28, (4), 2017, p1418-1422 Review, 2017

Michael A Becker and Cecily Rose, Investigating the Value of Site Visits in Inter-State Arbitration and Adjudication, Journal of International Dispute Settlement, 8, (2), 2017, p219 - 249 Journal Article, 2017 URL

Michael A Becker, Review of Lawfare: Law as a Weapon of War, by Orde F Kittrie , British Yearbook of International Law, 86, (1), 2017, p199-203 Review, 2017

Michael A Becker, The Dispute That Wasn't There: Judgments in the Nuclear Disarmament Cases at the International Court of Justice, Cambridge International Law Journal, 6, (1), 2017, p4 - 26 Journal Article, 2017 URL

Tadic v Prosecutor, International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (1995) in, editor(s)Eirik Bjorge & Cameron Miles , Landmark Cases in Public International Law, London, Bloomsbury Publishing, 2017, pp377 - 407, [Michael A Becker and Sarah MH Nouwen] Book Chapter, 2017

Michael A Becker, Request for an Advisory Opinion Submitted by the Sub-Regional Fisheries Commission (SRFC), American Journal of International Law, 109, (4), 2015, p851 - 858 Journal Article, 2015

Michael A Becker, International Maritime Security Law by James Kraska and Raul Pedrozo, and The Interception of Vessels on the High Seas: Contemporary Challenges to the Legal Order of the Oceans by Efthymios Papastavridis, Review of International Maritime Security Law, by James Kraska & Raul Pedrozo , Irish Yearbook of International Law, 7, 2014, p297-303 Review, 2014

Michael A Becker, Sustainable Fisheries and the Obligations of Flag and Coastal States: The Request by the Sub-Regional Fisheries Commission for an ITLOS Advisory Opinion, ASIL Insights, 17, (19), 2013 Journal Article, 2013 URL

Michael A Becker, Russia and the Arctic: Opportunities for Engagement Within the Existing Legal Framework, American University International Law Review, 25, 2010, p225 - 250 Journal Article, 2010 URL

Michael A Becker & Ernesto J Sanchez, International Law of the Sea, International Lawyer, 44, 2010, p519 - 533 Journal Article, 2010

Michael A Becker, International Law of the Sea, International Lawyer, 43, 2009, p915 - 928 Journal Article, 2009 URL

Michael A Becker & Margaret L. Tomlinson, International Law of the Sea, International Lawyer, 42, 2008, p797 - 809 Journal Article, 2008 URL

Michael A Becker, International Law of the Sea, International Lawyer, 41, 2007, p671 - 682 Journal Article, 2007 URL

Michael A Becker, The Shifting Public Order of the Oceans: Freedom of Navigation and the Interdiction of Ships at Sea, Harvard International Law Journal, 46, 2005, p131 - 230 Journal Article, 2005 URL

Michael A Becker, Managing Diversity in the European Union: Inclusive Citizenship and Third-Country Nationals, Yale Human Rights & Development Law Journal, 7, 2004, p132 - 183 Journal Article, 2004 URL

Michael A Becker, Review of The Guilt of Nations: Restitution and Negotiating Historical Injustices, by Elazar Barkan , Yale Journal of International Law, 27, (2), 2002, p470-473 Review, 2002

Non-Peer-Reviewed Publications

Michael A Becker, Desperate Times, Desperate (Provisional) Measures Rafah and South Africa"s Latest Action at the ICJ, Verfassungsblog, 2024 Journal Article, 2024 URL

Michael A Becker, 'Episode 23: Unhappy New Year! Genocide in the Courtroom', EJIL: The Podcast!, 2024, - Broadcast, 2024 URL

Michael A Becker, 'Justice Update: All you need to know about ICJ Advisory Opinions', Asymmetrical haircuts: your international justice podcast, 2024, - Broadcast, 2024 URL

MA Becker, 'Justice Update Palestine and Israel at the ICJ', Asymmetrical Haircuts : the international justice podcast, 13 January 2023, 2023, - Broadcast, 2023

Michael A Becker, Trends in International Human Rights Adjudication, Global Legal Trends and Future Challenges on Human Rights, Seoul, South Korea, 17 November 2023, 2023, Legal Research Institute of Korea University Invited Talk, 2023

Michael A Becker, The International Court of Justice and Accountability for Mass Violations of Human Rights, International Justice Program (Human Rights Watch), 16 June 2023, 2023, Human Rights Watch Invited Talk, 2023

Michael A Becker, Moderator, Developments in Interstate Dispute Settlement at the Regional Human Rights Courts, Developments in Interstate Dispute Settlement at the Regional Human Rights Courts, Online, 13 December 2023, 2023, European Society of International Law Invited Talk, 2023

MIchael A Becker, Advisory Opinions and the UNCLOS Regime, Law of the Sea for the Next Generation, Seoul, South Korea, 17 November, 2022, Korean Society of International Law Invited Talk, 2022

Michael A Becker, Episode 14: From Russia With War, EJIL: The Podcast!, 6 March, 2022, EJIL Invited Talk, 2022 URL

Michael A Becker, International Law and the Ukraine-Russia Conflict, Ukraine-Russia Conflict, ESSEC Business School, 1 March, 2022, ESSEC Business School Invited Talk, 2022

Michael A Becker, International Law and the Plight of the Rohingyas: Insights from International Dispute Settlement (webinar), 10 February, 2021, American Society of International Law Invited Talk, 2021

Michael A Becker, The Gambia v Facebook: Obtaining Evidence for Use at the International Court of Justice, EJIL:Talk!, 2021 Journal Article, 2021 URL URL URL

Michael A Becker, Kingsley Abbott, and Bruno Gelinas-Faucher, Why So Secret? The Case for Public Access to Myanmar's Reports on Implementation of the ICJ's Provisional Measures Order, Opinio Juris, 2020 Journal Article, 2020 URL URL

Michael A Becker, From Inside the Peace Palace: The Working Practices of the International Court of Justice, Exploring the Ecosystem of International Law, Jindal Global University, 14 October, 2020, Jindal Global University Invited Talk, 2020

Michael A Becker, Do We Need an International Commission of Inquiry for COVID-19?, EJIL:Talk!, 2020 Journal Article, 2020 URL URL

Michael A Becker, International Commissions of Inquiry: What Difference Do They Make?, EJIL: Live!, Cambridge, UK, 15 December, 2019, European Journal of International Law Invited Talk, 2019 URL

Michael A Becker, The Challenges for the ICJ in the Reliance on UN Fact-Finding Reports in the Case Against Myanmar, EJIL:Talk!, 2019 Journal Article, 2019 URL

Michael A Becker, Commissions of Inquiry: What Difference Do They Make? (workshop), 5-6 January 2017, 2019, Pembroke College, University of Cambridge, European Journal of International Law Meetings /Conferences Organised, 2019

Michael A Becker, The Possibility of a Case Against Myanmar at the International Court of Justice, Conference on the Situation of the Rohingyas, National Assembly, Paris, France, 1 June, 2018 Invited Talk, 2018

Michael A Becker, The Situation of the Rohingya: Is There a Role for the International Court of Justice?, EJIL:Talk!, 2018 Journal Article, 2018 URL

Michael A Becker, The Role of UN Commissions of Inquiry, Human Rights, Transitional Justice, and Environmental Protection Summer School, The Hague, 12 July, 2018, Leiden University Invited Talk, 2018

Michael A Becker, Are International Commissions of Inquiry Still a Form of International Dispute Settlement?, Are International Commissions of Inquiry Still a Form of International Dispute Settlement?, Leiden, Netherlands, 3 November, 2017, Grotius Centre, Leiden University Invited Talk, 2017

Michael A Becker, International Commissions of Inquiry and the Uses of International Law: A Project Overview, Doctoral Scholarship Conference, Yale Law School, 10 November 2017, 2017, Leiden University Invited Talk, 2017

Michael A Becker, 'Pay No Attention To That Man Behind the Curtain': NGOs and the Decision to Pursue Dispute Settlement at the ICJ, International Law Association (British Branch) Spring Conference, Lancaster, UK, 9 April, 2016, International Law Association (British Branch) Invited Talk, 2016

Michael A Becker, The EU-Japan Free Trade Agreement: An Opportunity to Influence Japanese Whaling Policies?, The EU-Japan Free Trade Agreement: An Opportunity to Influence Japanese Whaling Policies?, Brussels, 28 June, 2016, European Parliament Invited Talk, 2016

Michael A Becker, Japan's New Optional Clause Declaration at the ICJ: A Pre-Emptive Strike?, EJIL:Talk!, 2015 Journal Article, 2015 URL

Michael A Becker, The Law of the Sea and Russia"s Claims in the Arctic Circle, Symposium on Russia and the Rule of Law, American University, Washington College of Law, 11 February, 2009 Invited Talk, 2009

Research Expertise

Keywords

American Foreign Policy; Fact-FInding; International COurt of JUstice; International Courts and Tribunals; International Criminal Law; International Human Rights; International Law; Law of the Sea; Public International Law; United Nations

Recognition

Awards and Honours

WM Tapp PhD Studentship (Gonville and Caius College, University of Cambridge) 2014-17

Ambrose Gherini Prize (Yale Law School) 2004

Edward D Robbins Prize (Yale Law School) 2004

Memberships

Member, European Society of International Law

Member, American Society of International Law