Blair Shepherd recently participated in the LLM Alumni Spotlight series at Duke University School of Law, where he spoke with students about building a career in international law.
The session, held in person on Thursday, 9 October 2025, offered students insight into Blair’s path from law school to his current role, including the pivotal experiences that shaped his trajectory. Blair opened the discussion by sharing his reflections on how career paths evolve, what a “day in the life” looks like for a lawyer working across borders, and the range of legal and strategic issues he encounters.
The remainder of the session focused on Q&A, with students exploring practical questions about international legal practice, advocacy, and the future of dispute resolution.
ABOUT BLAIR SHEPHERD
Blair is an associate in the Paris office. He has experience in a variety of international commercial arbitrations under several institutional rules in industries including energy, concessions, automotive, and construction. He also has experience in investor-State arbitration, as well as in advising States and non-governmental organisations on matters of public international law, with a focus on human rights and national security.
Blair has made numerous appearances in the New Zealand courts, including the High Court, and was the sole solicitor acting on a two-year bifurcated commercial arbitration, with favourable awards upheld on appeal. His note, “Cutting Submarine Cables: The Legality of the Use of Force in Self-Defense” was published in the Duke Journal of Comparative & International Law, and he has been a recurring New Zealand contributor to the World Bank’s “Women, Business and the Law” reports.