María J. Pereyra

With three decades of professional experience in the fields of public international law, international economic law, and international dispute resolution, María is a senior international civil servant and currently serves as Senior Counsellor with the Legal Affairs Division (LAD) of the WTO. In that capacity, she leads large multicultural teams of lawyers and other Secretariat staff advising panels/arbitrators in WTO dispute settlement proceedings. She also assists disputing parties and, where appropriate, the WTO Director-General, in the selection and appointment of dispute settlement panelists/arbitrators; and provides advice to WTO Member governments and the WTO Secretariat on legal issues and practice related to WTO law and public international law. As LAD focal point for digital trade, artificial intelligence (AI), risk management, and gender, María is a member of the WTO Digital Transformation Advisory Group, the WTO Internal Network on Digital Trade, and the WTO AI Advisory Group.

Before joining the WTO, María practiced law at two leading international law firms in Brussels, focusing on international economic law, negotiations, and trade compliance. A member of the Spanish Bar, she holds a law degree, a Master's degree from the College of Europe, and several certifications on AI, innovation, and digital transformation. She regularly lectures at universities around the world and has published widely on issues of international economic law. María is a former member of the Advisory Board of the Master in International Legal Studies (MILS), IE Law School, and of the Executive Council of the Society of International Economic Law (SIEL).

Throughout her career in both the private and public sectors, María has acquired substantial experience managing large multicultural and multilingual teams, including legal and non-legal staff (economists, political scientists, engineers), and WTO adjudicators, many of whom are senior government officials. Well-known for her diplomatic skills through extensive interactions with government delegations worldwide, María builds trust relationships, fosters consensus, and advises on sensitive policy and legal matters to achieve mutually beneficial outcomes. Committed to nurturing fresh talent, she serves as a role-model and mentor for generations of lawyers now working in the public and private sectors.

An advocate for innovation, María has actively contributed to digital transformation initiatives and plays a key advisory role in advancing international economic law through her lectures, publications, and leadership in professional associations.

Corporate Experience

Senior Counsellor, Legal Affairs Division, WTO, Geneva, Switzerland, 2001—present
Senior Associate, Hammonds, Brussels, Belgium, 1998—2001
Associate, Coudert Brothers, Brussels, Belgium, 1996—1998

Academic Experience

Adjunct Professor of International Economic Law, IE Law School, 2024—present
Visiting Professor, European Public Law Organization, Academy of International Economic Law and Policy (AIELPO), Athens, Greece, 2020—2025
Visiting Professor, University of Barcelona, IELPO Program (LLM in International Economic Law and Policy), Barcelona, Spain, 2009–2018
Visiting Professor, ITESO, Mexico, 2020—2024
Visiting Professor, Lyon Catholic University, LLM in International Economic Law, Lyon, France, 2020–2026

Academic Background

Generative AI for Business Professionals: Building with AI – IE Faculty version by Rebundle, IE Business School, 2026
AI Co-Teaching Certificate, IE Business School, 2025
Generative AI for Business Professionals – IE Faculty version by Future Skills Lab, IE Business School, 2025
Innovation as a Force for Good in an AI Enabled World, Geneva Innovation Movement Association, 2024
Master of Arts in Advanced European Studies, College of Europe, Warsaw, Poland, 1995
Diploma in International Relations, Universität Wien, Austria, 1993
LLB (Licenciatura en Derecho), University of Cádiz, Spain, 1993