Peter H. Flournoy opened the International Law Offices in
1989. He is a graduate of the College of Wooster, Wooster, Ohio
(B.A. Economics 1965), and the University of San Diego School of
Law (J.D., magna cum laude, 1968).
International Law OfficesMr. Flournoy represents associations of fishermen and/or industry groups, as well as individual vessel owners and companies in the fishing industry, in a wide range of legal matters and international advocacy. He also represents business entities involved in foreign business or investment. This includes litigation as well as transactional assignments. Mr. Flournoy has worked in or represented clients in 46 countries around the world.
Mr. Flournoy has a background in international diplomatic, general business, customs, immigration, environmental, maritime, and oceans law. He also has represented clients before the Food and Drug Administration, the National Marine Fisheries Service, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, the Immigration and Naturalization Service, the Departments of Justice, State, and Commerce, the Environmental Protection Agency, and the International Boundary and Water Commission.
The International Law Offices maintains regular close association with offices in Mexico, the Marshall Islands, Fiji, Hawaii, Alaska, Seattle, San Francisco, Los Angeles and Washington, D.C.
From 1983 until 1989, in the State Department's Legal Adviser's Office, Mr. Flournoy provided legal advice for the negotiation of international agreements and treaties in the areas of fisheries, marine mammal conservation, deep seabed mining, the environment, and scientific and technological cooperation. He also handled litigation and administrative actions under the Magnuson Fisheries Conservation and Management Act, the Marine Mammal Protection Act, the Lacey Act, and the Fisherman's Protective Act.
Mr. Flournoy was one of the drafters of the South Pacific Tuna Act of 1988, the regulations promulgated thereunder, and the 1986 Amendments to the Deep Seabed Mining Act. Mr. Flournoy traveled throughout the Pacific, Western Europe, and the former Soviet Union on various legal matters important to the United States.
In 1979 while in the U.S. Foreign Office, Mr. Flournoy served first as a Science Officer in Mexico City, where he dealt with fisheries, nuclear and geothermal energy, pollution, and toxic waste (1980-1982). He later served as an international economist in Washington, tracking economic and social issues in the United Nations, the World Bank, and various regional financial organizations such as the African Development Bank (1982-1983).
In 1992, Mr. Flournoy was selected for the Executive Committee of the State Bar of California's Environmental Law Section and its Legislative Review Subcommittee. In 1993 he was asked to serve on the Public Policy and Border Environmental Advisory Committee of the Institute for Regional Studies of the Californias (member) and in 1994 he was appointed to the Advisory Council for the Southwestern Center for Environmental Research and Policy. In 1991, 1992, and 1994, he served as a member of the San Diego County Bar Association's Delegation to the State Bar Conference of Delegates.
International BackgroundFrom 1983 until 1989, in the State Department's Legal Adviser's Office, Mr. Flournoy provided legal advice for the negotiation of international agreements and treaties in the areas of fisheries, marine mammal conservation, deep seabed mining, the environment, and scientific and technological cooperation. He also handled litigation and administrative actions under the Magnuson Fisheries Conservation and Management Act, the Marine Mammal Protection Act, the Lacey Act, and the Fisherman's Protective Act. In addition, Mr. Flournoy gained valuable legislative experience as one of the drafters of the South Pacific Tuna Act of 1988, the regulations promulgated thereunder, and the 1986 Amendments to the Deep Seabed Mining Act.
During these years, Mr. Flournoy traveled throughout the Western Pacific, Asia, Latin America, Western Europe, and the Soviet Union on various legal matters important to the United States.
In 1979, as our Embassy was being stormed in Iran, Mr. Flournoy joined the Foreign Service. He served first as Science Officer in Mexico City, where he dealt with fisheries, nuclear and geothermal energy, pollution, and toxic waste (1980-1982). He later served as an international economist in Washington, tracking economic and social issues in the United Nations, the World Bank, and various regional financial organization such as the African Development Bank (1982-1983).
Early BackgroundPrior to the time Mr. Flournoy entered the Foreign Service, he gained extensive knowledge in various areas of the law. Initially, as a trial attorney with the Department of Justice's Antitrust Division (1968-1970), he conducted Grand Jury investigations into price fixing and investigations of vertical, horizontal, and conglomerate mergers. Then, as an associate with Sullivan, Jones and Archer (1970-1974), Mr. Flournoy defended suits brought under the Sherman Antitrust Act, the Clayton Act, the 1933 and 1934 Securities Acts, the California Cartwright Act, and various false advertising and deceptive practices statutes, and brought class action price fixing suits (administering multimillion dollar class action settlements).
In 1975, Mr. Flournoy formed his own law firm which emphasized small business and real estate planning, negotiation, and litigation. This included matters before the Internal Revenue Service, California Department of Benefit Payments, California Department of Real Estate, County Tax Assessor, and the San Diego City Council.
Immediately prior to joining the State Department's Foreign Service in 1979, Mr. Flournoy was Director of Land Acquisition for the Donald L. Bren Company. He purchased land for major housing developments and planned communities; coordinated project development with lawyers, engineers, architects, and land planners; and represented the company before neighborhood, city and county planning agencies.
