Simon LESTER

Mr. Lester graduated from Harvard Law School in 1996. After graduation, he worked for a Washington, D.C. law firm for several years, where his practice included advising companies and governments on matters before the World Trade Organization, and on matters before the U.S. Trade Representative’s Office; cases before U.S. government agencies in matters involving anti-dumping actions; and U.S. federal court appeals of government agency decisions. In addition, he helped organize a conference on WTO dispute resolution held in Washington, D.C.

In February 1999, he began working as a Legal Affairs Officer at the Appellate Body Secretariat of the World Trade Organization, where he worked until January 2001. While there, he assisted the Appellate Body Members with all aspects of the conduct of individual appeals and arbitrations before the Appellate Body.  He also lectured to government officials and students on the functioning of the Appellate Body and the WTO dispute settlement system. 

Mr. Lester has written a number of law journal articles, which have appeared in such publications as the Stanford Journal of International Law, the George Washington International Law Review and the Journal of World Trade, as well as several op-ed pieces in the Journal of Commerce.  In addition, he has taught courses on international trade law at American University’s Washington College of Law.