We recognise that the best strategy is often one that avoids a dispute occurring and we help our clients achieve their objectives in a focused, commercial and cost-effective manner.

Each dispute is different, and we devise an approach that best suits the features of a given case. Our specialist international arbitration lawyers combine a problem-solving mindset with a hands-on service and a commercial approach towards dispute management.

Each strategy we develop with our clients is personalised. But there are common themes to the way we work. They contribute to why we are widely recognised for our arbitration expertise and our ability to secure the results that our clients seek.

Those themes include that:

• We work with our clients at the outset of a matter to develop a strategy for their case. We ensure it aligns with our client’s wider commercial strategy or objectives, which is often to promote early settlement and avoid a potentially lengthy dispute altogether. We continuously refine and refresh that strategy as the case develops to ensure it remains appropriate throughout. Accordingly, it is no coincidence that we have a strong track record of securing settlements in our cases.
• Our partners are hands-on throughout a case, not just at the outset. Our clients benefit from the experience and expertise of our partners, which ensures they maximise their investment in pursuing or defending the arbitration.
• We believe in staffing our cases with appropriately-sized teams of specialists. We work efficiently and effectively to maximise value to our clients. In most of our cases, we use lean teams and where large teams are required, we have the depth of resource to staff them, but only if we are satisfied it is necessary and will produce a cost-effective service.
• Every member of the team is a specialist in international arbitration. Our partners and senior lawyers all are individually ranked by the leading directories in their fields of practice.
• Our partner-led approach, the way in which we staff our teams and the fact that all team members are international arbitration specialists means we always deliver a dedicated yet cost-effective service. This allows our clients to advance their cases from the strongest position.
• We are unrivalled in our ability to enter into innovative alternative fee arrangements. We know the third party funding market inside out and endeavour to secure the best commercial terms for our clients. We regularly enter into risk-sharing arrangements in respect of our own fees. This gives our clients the confidence that they can present their case from a position of financial strength.
• As an independent law firm based in the UK, we can work with a client’s existing advisers around the world. We can co-counsel with the lawyers in other jurisdictions best suited to the dispute at hand. We are not bound by international networks or global offices that could otherwise constrain our ability to work with the best local lawyers. We regularly act as global counsel to manage and coordinate all lawyers on a matter, giving our clients a single point of contact.
• Our independent status also means that we often are able to represent a client when many other law firms in London cannot. We are a destination for conflict referrals and count some of the largest international law firms as sources of work. Other law firms trust us, which underlines our reputation as leading international arbitration specialists.
• We act on high-value, complex and high-profile disputes. The team has advised and represented multinational and other corporate clients, investors, high net worth individuals, states (including sovereign wealth funds) and state-owned entities. We regularly appear opposite the largest international law firms in claims, often worth more than a billion US dollars.

The reputation of our International Arbitration team is underlined by what our clients, our colleagues and the directories say about us. See our Recognition and Accolades page here.