Taran Molloy

Research Assistant to Professor Campbell McLachlan KC (2021-2022; 2024-2025)

Rendered legal and research assistance to Professor McLachlan’s practice as an arbitrator in investment treaty claims heard at ICSID, the Permanent Court of Arbitration, and other arbitral institutions.

Undertook academic research in the fields of public and private international law, including in support of three book manuscripts.

Junior Barrister, Stout Street Chambers (New Zealand) (2022-2023)

Practised as a junior barrister assisting with both litigation and advisory work in commercial disputes, public law, arbitration, consumer law, and environmental law matters.

Appeared led on a successful judicial review appeal touching upon domestic implementation of international obligations contained in Security Council Resolutions: A v Minister of Internal Affairs [2024] NZSC 63.

Assistance, including drafting Tribunal working papers, in SIAC, ICSID, and PCA arbitrations.

Initially employed as a law clerk (roughly equivalent to aspects of pupillage) prior to admission as a practising New Zealand lawyer.

LLM, University of Cambridge (2023–2024)

First Class Honours

General editor, Cambridge International Law Journal

Researcher, Cambridge Pro Bono Project

LLB(Hons), Te Herenga Waka – Victoria University of Wellington (2016–2021)

First Class Honours

Student editor-in-chief, New Zealand Journal of Public and International Law (2019–2021)

BA (Political Science and International Relations), Te Herenga Waka – Victoria University of Wellington (2016–2021)

Clive Parry Prize (top student in international law designation on the Cambridge LLM), 2024

Faculty of Law Prize in International Law of Global Governance, University of Cambridge, 2024

Becker Law Award, Lucy Cavendish College, 2023

Sir John McGrath Prize in Public Law, Victoria University of Wellington, 2021

Quentin Baxter Prize in Public and International Law LLM, Victoria University of Wellington, 2021

Robert Orr McGechan Memorial Prize (best student work published in the Victoria University of Wellington Law Review), Victoria University of Wellington, 2021

Winner and best oralist, 19th Annual Hong Kong Red Cross International Humanitarian Law Moot Court Competition for the Asia-Pacific Region, 2021

Winner and best oralist, New Zealand Red Cross International Humanitarian Law Moot Court Competition, 2020

Quentin Baxter Prize in International Law, Victoria University of Wellington, 2019

Thomson Reuters Prize in Jurisprudence, Victoria University of Wellington, 2019

John F Kennedy Prize in American Government and Politics, Victoria University of Wellington, 2019

Thomas Prize in Mooting, Victoria University of Wellington, 2018 and 2019

New Zealand Institute of International Affairs Prize in International Relations, Victoria University of Wellington, 2018

(With Campbell McLachlan KC and Toby Fisher) ‘In the Matter of Systemic Integration of International Law by the International Seabed Authority’, independent legal opinion for the Pew Charitable Trusts, 19 December 2024

‘“Equal in Status, in No Way Subordinate”: Interwar New Zealand, Imperial Internationalism, and the Acquisition of International Legal Personality’ (2022) 20 New Zealand Yearbook of International Law 40

‘Qassem Soleimani, Targeted Killing of State Actors, and Executive Order 12,333’ (2021) 52 Victoria University of Wellington Law Review 163