Masters of the Bench

Monica is a specialist in public international law practising from Twenty Essex.  She regularly acts for Sovereign States and private parties in litigation across the full spectrum of international law.    She has acted on cases before the International Court of Justice, Court of Appeal, The High Court, PCA, ITLOS, UN organs and regional courts, ICSID, UNCITRAL, SCC and SIAC tribunals, UN Special Rapporteurships and diplomatic fora. She is admitted to act before the International Criminal Court.  In addition to counsel work, she also sits as arbitrator.  Prior to the Bar, Monica worked for international tribunals including the ICJ (where she advised on the seminal Genocide case) and acted as Legal Adviser to a State Delegation during the Diplomatic Conference that negotiated the Rome Statute which established the ICC.  Monica has also served as Assistant Legal Adviser to the FCO.   Born in Lima; Called in 2014, LL.M. with merit (LSE); UN Fellowship ILC Training 2000; Diploma of the Hague Academy in International Law 2000; 2007 Gruber Justice Prize  (received at a ceremony chaired by US Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg); Inge Genefke International Award 2006.  In 2020, The Lawyer Magazine, named her in its Hot 100 list of stand-out lawyers in the United Kingdom; Partner Fellow LCIL, University of Cambridge.