Professor Armand de Mestral, CM, who passed away on June 16, 2023 at aged 81, was a prominent legal scholar and professor at McGill University in Montréal, Canada. He was well-known for his expertise in international trade and investment law and yet also made important contributions to European law, domestic reception law, humanitarian law, and the law of the sea. He was a member of the Faculty of Law at McGill for many years, where he held the position of Jean Monnet Chair in the Law of International Economic Integration and played a pivotal role in the development and teaching of international trade law and related subjects.
In addition to his teaching responsibilities, Professor de Mestral was actively involved in research, writing, and consulting on matters related to international trade law and policy. He published extensively on various aspects of international trade, including trade agreements, dispute settlement mechanisms, regional trade integration, and the interaction between trade and other areas of law, earning him widespread recognition and respect. He served as a consultant to governments, international organizations, and private entities, providing legal advice and analysis on trade-related issues. He was also involved in trade negotiations for Canada and participated in the resolution of trade disputes. His work has influenced both academia and the practice of law, and he continues to be a highly regarded authority in the field.
Professor de Mestral – Armand – was a member of the Board of Directors for ILA-Canada for five decades as well as being active in many other international law institutions and initiatives. He was a mentor and an influential confidant for all of us within ILA-Canada, regularly providing sage advice and guidance. We remember him as someone who inspired and supported young scholars. He was an essential source of institutional memory for our organization and many other entities concerned with international law in Canada.
Armand was a dear friend who will be very much missed in our community, and in the International Law Association in general, and beyond.
We offer our sincerest condolences to his family and all those who loved him.
ILA-Canada Board of Directors