Researcher biography

Dr Paul Taylor is an Honorary Senior Lecturer in the T.C. Beirne School of Law, and Fellow of the Centre for Public, International and Comparative Law. His principal academic interests are international human rights law and conflict of laws (private international law).

Before emigrating from the UK he was in private practice, initially at the criminal bar and latterly as a partner in a large law firm specialising in competition law and intellectual property. During that time he also taught and wrote substantial texts on competition law, intellectual property and human rights.

Dr Taylor's most significant works include UK and EC Competition Law and Compliance (Sweet & Maxwell, 1999, 600pp); Freedom of Religion: UN and European Human Rights Law and Practice (Cambridge University Press, 2005, 400pp); and A Commentary on the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights: The UN Human Rights’ Committee’s Monitoring of ICCPR Rights (Cambridge University Press, 2020, 900pp.)

He has represented Australia at numerous meetings of experts at: The Hague Conference on Private International Law, The Netherlands (on issues affecting cross-border litigation; and was involved in the final stages of negotiating the Convention on Choice of Court Agreements); the OECD Competition Committee, Paris; and at bilateral and regional free trade agreement negotiations. He has also made submissions to and given evidence at various government inquiries.

Dr Taylor has held Visiting Fellowships at Wolfson College, Cambridge and at the Centre for International and Public Law, College of Law, Australian National University. He is an Adjunct Professor at the School of Law, The University of Notre Dame Australia.