Frits Bontekoe

Frits Bontekoe is a Senior Counsel with Lexpat Global Services, advising international organizations and companies operating effectively in complex environments. He brings over 30 years of practical experience in international law, governance, and institutional reform, and a diplomatic style shaped by years in the field. Frits has served as Legal Counsel at the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR), and the International Development Law Organization (IDLO), where he led all legal matters and served as a trusted advisor to senior leadership and Member States on oversight, compliance, and dispute resolution.

Earlier in his career, Frits spent over thirteen years heading legal offices in UN peacekeeping missions across Africa, the Middle East, and the Balkans. His work ranged from negotiating host country agreements and supporting peace and border talks to drafting post-conflict legal frameworks .

Frits serves as  an Adjunct Professor of Law at Luiss Guido Carli University in Rome, on the Executive Council of the American Society of International Law, and the Executive Board of the Global Governance Forum. He holds law degrees from the University of Amsterdam and the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam and is a member of the New York State Bar.