United Nations – Office of Legal Affairs

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On 10 October 2020, on the occasion of the 75th anniversary of the United Nations, the Office of Legal Affairs of the United Nations Secretariat and the German Federal Foreign Office have partnered to organize a conference on “Effective Multilateralism and International Law”         Learn more

The United Nations Office of Legal Affairs, through its Division for Ocean Affairs and the Law of the Sea (DOALOS), and Norway, have entered into an agreement to provide support to developing countries, particularly Small Island Developing States (SIDS), in building sustainable ocean-based economies through a series of capacity-building trainings to be organized over a four year period.    Learn more

On 30 June 2020, The United Nations Legal Counsel, Mr. Miguel de Serpa Soares, addressed the 37th Annual Seminar on International Humanitarian Law for Diplomats Accredited to the United Nations, jointly organized by International Committee of the Red Cross and New York University School of Law    Learn more

On Tuesday 4 February 2020, Yale Law School organized a conversation between United Nations Legal Counsel, Mr. Miguel Serpa Soares, and Harold Hongju Koh, Sterling Professor of International Law.    Learn more

On 3 February 2020, Mr. Miguel de Serpa Soares, Under-Secretary-General for Legal Affairs and United Nations Legal Counsel, delivered opening remarks at the first plenary meeting of the fifty-second session of the Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf.    Learn more

The celebration of the 30th Anniversary of the Convention on the Rights of the Child presents an opportunity to reflect on the progress made by the international community regarding the rights of the child since its adoption, in 1989, as well as the challenges that remain in achieving its full implementation.
    Learn more

On Friday 15 November 2019, the Treaty Section of the Office of Legal Affairs organized the “Seminar on Treaty Law and Practice: The Work of the Treaty Section of the United Nations Office of Legal Affairs”
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On 13 November 2019, the Office of Legal Affairs organized a lunch and learn series for staff members with a presentation by the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) New York, NY.
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At the invitation of the American Society of International Law, the Legal Counsel participated in discussions with students, international law practitioners and academics at Brooklyn Law School on 8 November 2019.
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United Nations Legal Counsel, Mr. Miguel de Serpa Soares, participates in the International Law Weekend 2019, held in New York, NY.
    Learn more

United Nations Legal Counsel, Mr. Miguel de Serpa Soares, participates in the Second World Meeting of Societies for International Law, held in The Hague, Netherlands
    Learn more

At the invitation Mr. Roman Kolodkin, Judge at the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea who is also a Member of the Advisory Board of the International and Comparative Law Research Center, the United Nations Legal Counsel, Mr. Miguel de Serpa Soares, visited Moscow from 5 to 8 August 2019,     Learn more

On 24 and 25 July, the United Nations Legal Counsel, Mr. Miguel de Serpa Soares, visited Kingston, Jamaica.

The main purpose of Mr. Serpa Soares’s visit to Kingston was to participate in the events commemorating the 25th anniversary of the entry into force of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea and the establishment of the International Seabed Authority, alongside Heads of State and Government, ministers,
    Learn more

From 17 to 19 June 2019, the United Nations Legal Counsel, Mr. Miguel de Serpa Soares, visited London, United Kingdom. The main purpose of Mr. Serpa Soares’s visit to London was to chair the 2019 meeting of the Legal Advisers of the Specialized, Related and other Organizations of the United Nations System.
    Learn more

On 10 and 11 June 2019, The Office of Legal Affairs (OLA) hosted an annual meeting of the Senior Legal Advisors and Legal Advisers of UN peace operations at United Nations Headquarters in New York.
    Learn more

During the week of 3 to 9 June 2019, the Under-Secretary-General for Legal Affairs and the United Nations Legal Counsel, Mr. Miguel de Serpa Soares, led and participated in United Nations World Oceans Day at the United Nations Headquarters and a number of events throughout New York City marking World Oceans Week.
    Learn more

United Nations Legal Counsel, Mr. Miguel de Serpa Soares, made a statement by video conference at the 3473rd meeting of the International Law Commission, held on 4 June 2019, in which he provided information on the activities of the Office of Legal Affairs as well as regarding recent developments in international law, in the context of the United Nations. An exchange of views followed
    Learn more

United Nations Legal Counsel, Mr. Miguel de Serpa Soares, introduces and moderates a panel discussion on the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia on 31 May 2019.
    Learn more

On 23 May 2019, United Nations Legal Counsel, Mr. Miguel de Serpa Soares, participated as keynote speaker at an event celebrating the fiftieth anniversary of The Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties, co-organized by the Permanent Missions of Canada and Colombia to the United Nations.
    Learn more

United Nations Legal Counsel, Mr. Miguel de Serpa Soares, visited People’s Republic of China from 23 to 26 April 2019.
    Learn more

On 20 March 2019, United Nations Legal Counsel, Mr. Miguel de Serpa Soares, addresses the 36th Annual Seminar on International Humanitarian Law for Legal Advisers and other Diplomats Accredited to the United Nations
    Learn more

United Nations Legal Counsel makes working visits to The Hague (the Netherlands) and Brussels (Belgium) from 16 to 25 January 2019.     Learn more

From 14 to 19 November 2018, the United Nations Legal Counsel, Mr. Miguel de Serpa Soares, visited Phnom Penh, Kingdom of Cambodia, to attend the delivery of the judgement by the Trial Chamber of the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia (ECCC) in Case 002/02 against NUON Chea and KHIEU Samphan, and Bangkok, Kingdom of Thailand, and to open the Regional Course in International Law for Asia-Pacific       Learn more

International Law Week and 29th Informal Meeting of Legal Advisers    Learn more

United Nations Legal Counsel visits Banjul (The Gambia), Dakar (Senegal) and Paris (France)     Learn more

United Nations Legal Counsel participates in the 57th Annual Session of the Asian-African Legal Consultative Organization in Tokyo, Japan     Learn more

United Nations Legal Counsel, Mr. Serpa Soares, convened the Office of Legal Affairs (OLA) for a Town Hall meeting. Colleagues from the International Trade Law Division based in Vienna participated via video link      Learn more

Visit of the United Nations Legal Counsel to the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea in Hamburg and the VII Colloquium of the International Association of the Law of the Sea in Lisbon       Learn more

1st Session of the Intergovernmental Conference on an International Legally Binding Instrument under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine Biological Diversity of Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ)       Learn more

United Nations Legal Counsel visits Geneva, Switzerland, Vienna, Austria, and The Hague, Netherlands       Learn more

United Nations Legal Counsel opens 51st session of UNCITRAL       Learn more

United Nations Legal Counsel meets with Nippon Foundation Fellows      Learn more

OLA hosts annual meeting of Field Legal Advisers at UNHQ     Learn more

United Nations Legal Counsel, Mr. Serpa Soares participated in the opening of the 28th Meeting of States Parties to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea     Learn more

As Focal Point for UN Oceans, United Nations Legal Counsel, Mr. Serpa Soares participated in several events on World Oceans Day     Learn more

United Nations Legal Counsel, Mr. Serpa Soares, participates in commemorative events to mark the 70th session of the International Law Commission     Learn more

United Nations Legal Counsel, Mr. Serpa Soares, hosts the leadership of the American Bar Association. Learn more

On 16th April 2018, the Legal Counsel of the United Nations, Mr. Serpa Soares, opened the Intergovernmental Conference on an international legally     Learn more

From 8th to 10th April 2018, the Legal Counsel of the United Nations, Mr. Serpa Soares, visited Baghdad at the invitation of the Government of the Republic of Iraq     Learn more

From 14 to 16 March 2018, the Legal Counsel of the United Nations, Mr. Serpa Soares, visited Washington, D.C.  On this mission, the Legal Counsel was accompanied by his Deputy, Assistant Secretary-General for Legal Affairs, Mr. Stephen Mathias.     Learn more

The legal Counsel delivered an address to the Tenth Meeting of the Ad Hoc Working Group of the Whole on the Regular Process for Global Reporting and Assessment of the State of the Marine Environment, including Socioeconomic Aspects     Learn more

The Legal Counsel Mr. Serpa Soares delivered opening remarks on the first day of the plenary part of the forty-sixth session of the Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf on 5 February 2018. Learn more

The Legal Counsel Mr. Serpa Soares accompanied the Secretary‑General António Guterres during his official visit to the Netherlands, from the 21 to the 22 December 2017. Learn more

On Friday 8th December 2017, the United Nations Legal Counsel, Mr. Miguel de Serpa Soares participated in the event to mark the 69th Anniversary of the Genocide Convention and the Learn more

On 4th December 2017, the United Nations Legal Counsel, Mr. Miguel de Serpa Soares, delivered the keynote address Learn more

On the 4th December 2017, the United Nations Legal Counsel, Mr. Miguel de Serpa Soares, accompanied the Secretary-General in the opening of the Learn more

From 23 to 27 October 2017, the United Nations Legal Counsel, Mr. Miguel de Serpa Soares attended International Law Week held at the United Nations Headquarters Learn more

From 17 to 20 October 2017, the United Nations Legal Counsel, Mr. Miguel de Serpa Soares, visited Hong Kong, SAR, and Beijing in the People’s Republic of China Learn more

On 13th October 2017, the United Nations Legal Counsel, Mr. Miguel de Serpa Soares, participated in OIOS Conference titled “18th Conference of International Investigators” in Glen Cove Learn more

On 26 September 2017, the United Nations Legal Counsel, Mr. Serpa Soares, in his capacity as focal point for UN-Oceans, hosted and moderated a side event entitled, Fit for purpose? Looking at the future of UN-Oceans Learn more

On 25 September 2017, the United Nations Legal Counsel, Mr. Serpa Soares, participated in the side event “The International (UN) Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development” jointly organized by the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of UNESCO, the Permanent Mission of Norway to the United Nations and the Permanent Mission of Maldives to the United Nations.   Learn more

On 14 September 2017, the United Nations Legal Counsel, Mr. Serpa Soares, convened the Office of Legal Affairs (OLA) for a Town Hall     Learn more

United Nations Legal Counsel, Mr. Serpa Soares, participated in 40th Round Table on Current Issues of International Humanitarian Law in Sanremo, Italy    Learn more

United Nations Legal Counsel, Mr. Serpa Soares visited Juba, Republic of South Sudan on July 20-22, 2017 Learn more

United Nations Legal Counsel, Mr. Serpa Soares delivered a keynote address to Session 12 of the High Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development, focused on the review of
the implementation of Sustainable Development Goal 14: Conserve and sustainably
use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development   Learn more

United Nations Legal Counsel, Mr. Serpa Soares, travelled to Europe to visit Sarajevo, Pristina, Mitrovica, Vienna and Geneva 
From 22 June to 9 July 2017    Learn more

United Nations Legal Counsel, Mr. Serpa Soares, chaired the three traditional meetings of the networks of Legal Advisers     Learn more

United Nations Legal Counsel, Mr. Serpa Soares, took part in the Symposium on the Rule of Law and Sustaining Peace on 15 June 2017 Learn more

United Nations Legal Counsel, Mr. Serpa Soares, delivered opening remarks and moderated a side event on the “Choice of procedure under article 287 of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea”, organized by the Division for Ocean Affairs and the Law of the Sea, Office of Legal Affairs, on the margins of the twenty-seventh Meeting of States Parties to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea on 14 June 2017 Learn more

United Nations Legal Counsel, Mr. Serpa Soares, including in his capacity as Special Advisor to the Presidents of the Ocean
Conference on oceans and legal matters, as well as UN-Oceans Focal Point
participated in many events throughout the week of the United Nations Conference to support the implementation of Sustainable
Goal 14 (SDG14): “Conserve and sustainably use the oceans and their resources for sustainable development”, the Ocean Conference     Learn more

United Nations Legal Counsel, Mr. Serpa Soares, chaired the annual meeting of the network of the Legal Advisers of the Specialized, Related and other Organizations of the UN System on 25 and 26 May 2017     Learn more

United Nations Legal Counsel, Mr. Serpa Soares, travelled to the Central African Republic and Mali to visit the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA) and the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA)     Learn more

United Nations Legal Counsel, Mr. Miguel de Serpa Soares, delivered opening remarks at the eighth meeting of the Ad Hoc Working Group of the Whole on the Regular Process for Global Reporting and Assessment of the Marine Environment, including Socioeconomic Aspects     Learn more

United Nations Legal Counsel, Mr. Serpa Soares, visited Santiago, Chile, to open the 2017 United Nations Regional Course in International Law for Latin America and the Caribbean     Learn more

United Nations Legal Counsel , Mr. Serpa Soares, visited Quito, Ecuador, to participate in the inaugural ceremony of the Conference of Ministers of Justice of the Ibero-American Countries (COMJIB)     Learn more

United Nations, Mr. Serpa Soares, visited Colombia to familiarize himself with the work of the United Nations Mission in Colombia     Learn more

United Nations Legal Counsel Mr. Miguel de Serpa Soares delivered the keynote speech at the opening dinner of the Authors Meeting of the Oxford Handbook of United Nations Treaties, held at the Greentree Estate (NY) from 9 to 11 April 2017     Learn more

United Nations Legal Counsel, Mr. Miguel de Serpa Soares, delivered opening remarks at the third session of the Preparatory Committee established by General Assembly resolution 69/292: Development of an international legally binding instrument under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea on the conservation and sustainable use of marine biological diversity of areas beyond national jurisdiction    Learn more

United Nations Legal Counsel, Mr. Miguel de Serpa Soares, delivered two speeches at the Launch of Oceano Azul Foundation: 1. for the Board of Trustees and Directors and 2. for the Group of Estoril and other Ocean Leaders    Learn more

United Nations Legal Counsel, Mr. Miguel de Serpa Soares, addresses the 34th Annual Seminar for Diplomats on International Humanitarian Law jointly organized by the International Committee of the Red Cross    Learn more

United Nations Legal Counsel addressed the Second Open Meeting of the Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf in the Trusteeship Council Chamber    Learn more

United Nations Legal Counsel attends an Informal briefing by the co-facilitators on the preparations for the preparatory meeting for the United Nations Conference to Support the Implementation of Sustainable Development Goal 14: Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development    Learn more

United Nations Legal Counsel participates in the inauguration ceremony for the new premises of the Arusha branch of the International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals    Learn more

The 2016 International Law Week, which was organized by the Indian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, was held in the last week of October. The Legal Counsel met with the legal advisers from the capitals and from the Permanent Missions, and discussed with them certain current legal issues that the United Nations is facing     Learn more

Visit by the Secretary-General of the United Nations and the United Nations Legal Counsel to Hamburg, Germany, to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea from 5-7 October 2016     Learn more

RTP (Portuguese radio and television network): “The Legal Counsel is Portuguese!” (in Portuguese) Saber mais

Visit by the United Nations Legal Counsel to San Remo, Italy, and Brussels, Belgium – 7 to 16 September 2016
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Mr. Serpa Soares attends the commemoration of International Criminal Justice Day 14 June 2016
   Learn more

Fortieth Annual Conference of the Center for Oceans Law & Policy
Legal Order in the World’s Oceans: UN Convention on the Law of the Sea
27-28 June 2016
   Learn more

Mr. Serpa Soares opens the Forty-Ninth session of UNCITRAL    Learn more

OLA hosts annual meeting of Filed Legal Officers at UNHQ from 22 to 24 June 2016    Learn more

The Legal Counsel, Mr. Serpa Soares, spent almost three weeks at the forefront of supporting oceans and the law of the sea, 1-16 June 2016   Learn more

On 23 May 2016, the Legal Counsel, Mr. Serpa Soares, addressed the Resumed Review Conference on the Fish Stocks Agreement    Learn more

Visit by the United Nations Legal Counsel to
Port Louis, Mauritius; Lisbon, Portugal; and Geneva, Switzerland
8 to 18 May 2016
   Learn more

Visit by the United Nations Legal Counsel to Rome, Italy, and The Hague, Netherlands
14 to 21 April 2016
   Learn more

The United Nations Legal Counsel, Mr. Miguel de Serpa Soares, hosts ABA Day 2016 at United Nations Headquarters.    Learn more

The United Nations Legal Counsel, Mr. Miguel de Serpa Soares, addresses the 33rd Annual Seminar on International Humanitarian Law for Diplomats Accredited to the United Nations, 16 March 2016    Learn more

The United Nations Legal Counsel, Mr. Miguel de Serpa Soares, visits Cyprus, Israel and Lebanon
from 28 February to 10 March 2016    Learn more

The United Nations Legal Counsel, Mr. Miguel de Serpa Soares, addresses the New York Law School, 18 February 2016
   Learn more

The United Nations Legal Counsel, Mr. Miguel de Serpa Soares, visits Washington D.C. from 11 to 14 February 2016 Learn more

Fortieth session of the Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf. Learn more

The United Nations Legal Counsel, Mr. Miguel de Serpa Soares, starts his outreach activities in the New Year with a visit on 21 January 2016 to the University of Pennsylvania Law School in Philadelphia. Learn more

The United Nations Legal Counsel participates in the commemoration events marking the
official closure of the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda
  Learn more

The United Nations Legal Counsel participates in “International Law Week” events Learn more

Interview: The United Nations and International Law (in Portuguese) Saber mais

The United Nations Legal Counsel joins Permanent Representative of the Republic of Korea and Chairman of UNCITRAL in opening a seminar on E-Commerce  Learn more

The United Nations Legal Counsel attends the UN70 Chatham House-Office of Legal Affairs conference, London Learn more

The United Nations Legal Counsel addresses the Oxford University Public International Law Discussion Group Learn more

Somalia deposits instrument of ratification to the Convention on the Rights of the Child   Learn more

The United Nations Legal Counsel signs exchange of letters with China. Learn more

On 8 September 2015, the United Nations Legal Counse delivered a statement at the opening of the Sixth meeting of the Ad Hoc Working Group of the Whole    Learn more

United Nations International Law Seminar for Arab States on 8 July 2015   Learn more

The United Nations Legal Counsel, Mr. Serpa Soares, visited Seoul from 29 June to 2 July 2015    Learn more

The United Nations Legal Counsel, Miguel de Serpa Soares, delivered a keynote address at the Colloquium «Formes du droit international: réflexions sur le devenir des travaux de la Commission du droit international des Nations Unies», held in Paris on 22 June 2015    Learn more

The United Nations Legal Counsel, Miguel de Serpa Soares, made introductory remarks at the second of a series of expert panel discussions entitled Responsibility of States: state of play and the way forward, held at United Nations Headquarters on 15 June 2015  Learn more

OLA hosts annual meeting of Field Legal Advisers at UNHQ 17 and 19 June 2015  Learn more

Under-Secretary-General for Legal Affairs and United Nations Legal Counsel meeting with the 2015 United Nations-Nippon Foundation and Hamilton Shirley Amerasinghe Fellows  Learn more

With a focus on the oceans the Legal Counsel visits Lisbon, Portugal, and Paris, France(4 to 9 June 2015)Between 4 and 9 June 2015, the United Nations Legal Counsel attended two important events in Europe which were organized to draw more attention to the importance of the oceans and the law of the sea  Learn more

Visit by the Legal Counsel to Nuremberg, Germany
(6 and 7 June 2015)  Learn more

Visit by the Legal Counsel to St. Petersburg, Russian Federation  Learn more

From 4 to 8 May 2015, the United Nations Legal Counsel, Mr. Miguel de Serpa Soares, visited Geneva where he met with the International Law Commission, and Vienna where he chaired the 2015 meeting of the Legal Advisers of the United Nations System Learn more

Legal Counsel hosts ABA Day 2015 at United Nations Headquarters on 27 April 2015 Learn more

The United Nations Legal Counsel, Mr. Serpa Soares, visited the People’s Republic of China from 12 to 15 April 2015 Learn more

From 9 to 17 March 2015, the United Nations Legal Counsel, Mr. Serpa Soares, visited the DRC, Uganda and Mauritius Learn more

On 23 February 2015, the Under-Secretary-General for Legal Affairs and United Nations Legal Counsel, Mr. Miguel de Serpa Soares, and the Permanent Representative of the Kingdom of the Netherlands to the United Nations, H.E. Mr. Karel van Oosterom signed an agreement Learn more

On 7 February 2015, the Legal Counsel, Mr. Serpa Soares, opened the thirty-seventh session of the CLCS Learn more

International Criminal Justice events at United Nations Headquarters in New York Learn more

United Nations Legal Counsel visits Tokyo Learn more

United Nations Legal Counsel participates in the commemoration events marking the
20th anniversary of the establishment of the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda. Learn more

United Nations Legal Counsel participates in the 2014 “international law week” at UNHQ. Learn more

United Nations Legal Counsel addresses AALCO high-level event at UNHQ. Learn more

United Nations Legal Counsel addresses the Sixth (Legal) Committee of the General Assembly at its opening meeting Learn more

United Nations Legal Counsel speaks at Lisbon University Law School. Learn more

Legal Counsel participates in 2014 UN SIDS Conference in Apia, Samoa. Learn more

Mr. Serpa Soares participates in 17 July commemoration at UNHQ. Learn more

Mr. Serpa Soares in his first interview to UN Radio (in Portuguese) on 11 July 2014. Learn more

On 7 July 2014, the Legal Counsel, Mr. Serpa Soares, opened the forty-seventh session of UNCITRAL. Learn more

For his upcoming second year in office, the United Nations Legal Counsel, Mr. Serpa Soares, decided to make ocean affairs and the law of the sea priority issues. Learn more

At the invitation of the Government of the People’s Republic of China, Mr. Serpa Soares visited Beijing from 26 to 29 May 2014.   Learn more

On his first mission to Europe from 1 to 16 May 2014 Mr. Serpa Soares visited Hamburg, The Hague, Berlin, Geneva and Ljubljana. Learn more

Visit by the United Nations Legal Counsel to Cairo (Egypt), Kigali (Rwanda) and Addis Ababa (Ethiopia). From 2 to 9 April 2014, Mr. Serpa Soares went on his second mission to Africa since his appointment as United Nations Legal Counsel in September 2013.  The mission emphasizes the importance that the Legal Counsel attributes to this region and his determination to work very closely with OLA’s partners in Africa over the course of his tenure. Learn more

The United Nations Legal Counsel, Mr. Serpa Soares speaks at New York Law Schools. Learn more

On 19 March 2014, the Legal Counsel, Mr. Serpa Soares, addressed the 31st Annual Seminar on International Humanitarian Law for Diplomats Accredited to the United Nations. Learn more

The United Nations Legal Counsel, Mr. Serpa Soares attends a side event, entitled “The role of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea in sustainable development” held on 3 February 2014 during the Open Working Group on Sustainable Development Goals. Learn more

The United Nations Legal Counsel, Mr. Serpa Soares and the Controller visit Phnom Penh, Cambodia. Learn more

The United Nations Legal Counsel, Mr. Serpa Soares, visits The Hague, Dar es Salaam, Arusha and Freetown. Learn more

Secretary-General Appoints Miguel de Serpa Soares of Portugal
Under-Secretary-General for Legal Affairs Learn more

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