Shayan Ahmed Khan is a dual-qualified lawyer in New York and Pakistan, currently working as a Consultant to the Attorney General for Pakistan on International Disputes where he is staffed on pending international commercial and investment arbitrations. Shayan regularly represents Pakistan in investment treaty and free trade agreement negotiations. Notably, he was Pakistan’s lead negotiator and served as a Rapporteur for the Organization of Islamic Cooperation’s (OIC) Intergovernmental Group of Experts to establish a permanent organ and mechanism for the settlement of investment disputes as mandated by the OIC’s Council of Foreign Minister’s through Resolution 3/49-LO.

Prior to this, he worked at the International Committee of the Red Cross’ Permanent Observer Mission to the United Nations in New York where he worked with States to review drafts and recommend language on resolutions adopted under the UN framework. In particular, he was involved in the drafting of UN Security Council Resolution 2664 (2022) on multilateral sanctions and humanitarian exemptions, and advised the European Union on the Fourth Geneva Convention for UN General Assembly Resolution 77/31 (2022).

Shayan publishes frequently on issues of public international law in journals and blogs. He is an Assistant Editor for CIL Dialogues, and his work has previously been referenced as a research guide for the International Court of Justice by the Peace Palace Library. He is also regularly invited to deliver lectures at various institutions, including the Foreign Service Academy as part of the 40^th Specialized Diplomatic Course and the 27^th Advanced Diplomatic Course. In addition, he is the host of Jus Cogens – The International Law Podcast which is currently one of the world’s biggest podcasts on international law with listeners in 165 countries and territories.

At RSIL, he has advised governmental stakeholders on issues of public international law, international dispute settlement and multilateral sanctions.

Shayan obtained his LL.B. (Hons.) from the University of London and his LL.M. from Harvard Law School. At Harvard, he served as an Article Editor for the Harvard International Law Journal; a host of the Masterclass Workshop Series, Harvard International Arbitration Law Students Association; and, coached the School’s Philip C. Jessup Moot Court Competition team to its first-ever world championship since the competition’s inception in 1960.