Our expertise

We advise on and conduct international commercial arbitrations for a wide range of clients across various sectors and geographies. We are based in London, one of the global centres for arbitration, and our clients and the work we undertake for them are almost exclusively international.

Our team has experience in arbitration proceedings under the leading institutional rules (LCIA, ICC, SIAC, DIFC, SCC, and others) and in ad hoc proceedings (including under the UNCITRAL Rules).

We have advised on arbitrations subject to various governing laws seated in London and other arbitral centres around the world. Even where there is no English law or London nexus, clients approach us to benefit from our deep expertise in arbitration and instruct us to co-counsel with their existing advisers to maximise their prospects of success.

We have conducted arbitrations in Europe, Africa, the Middle East, South America, North and Central America, Asia Pacific and Australasia.

Our team’s experience covers disputes arising in many sectors, including:

• Oil and gas
• Renewables and energy transition
• Natural resources
• Mining
• Construction and infrastructure (including transport)
• Pharmaceuticals
• Telecommunications, media and technology
• Cross-border trade and commodities
• Agriculture
• Shipping
• Banking and financial services
• Retail and consumer goods
• Cryptocurrency
• Aviation
• Intellectual property
• Insurance

Certain key features distinguish our practice and approach (and more can be read about our approach here)

• We are the UK’s largest disputes-only law firm. Because we do not have a transactional practice, in most cases, we are conflict free and can act when other leading arbitration practices cannot. The firm’s size means we have the experience and depth to take on the largest mandates. That is why we are a ‘go-to’ team for arbitration, trusted not only by our international clients but also by the largest law firms when making conflict referrals.
• Our team is staffed exclusively by genuine experts in international arbitration. All are dedicated to this practice and have a wealth of knowledge in this specialist field.
• We are experts in securing litigation funding for our clients. We lead the market in this area and our sophisticated approach to litigation funding is built on expertise developed across the firm over many years.
• We are partner-led and cost-efficient. Unnecessary costs commonly occur in disputes that are ‘over-lawyered’ and lack clear project management structures and communication. Our partners are deeply involved in each case to avoid these situations occurring and to ensure our clients benefit fully from their wealth of experience and expertise. Our cases are staffed with fee earners of the appropriate seniority and every case is driven by our client’s commercial objectives.
• Our firm is recognised for its culture. We have a supportive environment that enables our lawyers to focus on providing excellent legal advice and attentive client service.

The department has been recognised and ranked by all the major directories, including Chambers and Partners (UK and Global) and The Legal 500. Our partners are individually ranked for their practices in these directories and Who’s Who Legal.

Our clients value that recognised expertise. You can read about what our clients and peers in the market say about us here.

Representative experience of our firm and the members of our International Arbitration team

Our representative experience in international commercial arbitration includes advising:

• a Nigerian oil & gas company in US$1bn+ ICC arbitrations (English and Nigerian law, London seat) against a consortium of lenders in connection with an onshore oil block acquisition.
• a Chilean company in the fisheries industry in a breach of contract claim against a Scandinavian company in an English law governed ICC arbitration seated in London.
• a Qatari insurer in US$20m+ LCIA arbitration (English law, London seat) against a global energy and commodities trading company in connection with LNG supplies into Ghana.
• a Turkish mining company in respect of an LCIA arbitration (English law, Sierra Leone seat) pursued against a West African Government in connection with various mining licences.
• a Nigerian engineering consultancy in claims subject to ICC arbitration (English law, Geneva seat) against a major Italian engineering firm arising in connection with government-tendered projects.
• an Indian client in a wide-ranging arbitral dispute regarding the allocation and control of business and property assets in the UAE, India and Europe over a five-year period.
• a Cayman crypto technology company in ETH ad-hoc arbitration (English law, London) against a US crypto trading company in connection with a lending arrangement
• a German manufacturer in a significant LCIA arbitration (English law, London seat) against a Romanian oil & gas services company in connection with a Turkish gas pipeline project.
• an Indian trading company in an ad hoc arbitration against a Swiss counterpart concerning shipments of coal and non-payment issues.
• a US aviation manufacturer in an ad hoc arbitration (English law, London seat) against a UK customer connected with purchases of componentry for use in military aircraft.
• an Indian airline in a dispute in relation to leasing issues and forfeiture of aircraft for non-payment of sums due under leasing and maintenance agreements.
• a Cameroon oil & gas company in UNCITRAL arbitration (English law, London seat) against an oil & gas supermajor in connection with post-M&A indemnity and tax related claims
• a Nigerian independent exploration and production (E&P) company in respect of claims against a Chinese ship manufacturer subject to LCIA arbitration (English law, London seat) arising from alleged defects in an oil tanker.
• an independent energy company in claims subject to LMAA/LCIA arbitration in connection with the operation of a floating production storage and offloading (FPSO) unit and related infrastructure offshore Equatorial Guinea.
• a Saudi oilfield services provider in (then) DIFC-LCIA arbitration (English law, Dubai seat) against its JV partner in connection with territorial rights for seismic O&G exploration
• a contractor in ICC arbitration (Turkish law, Geneva) against a State in connection with the termination of a FIDIC Silverbook contract for a major railway construction project.
• a Swiss investment house in €70m LCIA arbitration (English law, London seat) against a UAE-based investor in connection with an investment programme and guaranteed returns
• a Scottish heavy industrial manufacturer in a US$ millions ICC arbitration (English law, Geneva seat) against a US-based agent in connection with commissions on sales of wastewater machinery and componentry into the People’s Republic of China.
• a Saudi state-owned participant in an oil and gas services manufacturing joint venture in respect of shareholder issues referable to arbitration and domestic litigation.
• an Emirati sovereign wealth fund with respect to claims in SCC arbitration for the recovery of sums allegedly misappropriated from the fund, predominantly in Eastern Europe.
• a joint venture contractor in ADGM arbitration in relation to its claims for delay and disruption in relation to its work on a Middle Eastern airport.
• a Saudi contractor in ICC arbitration in respect of the construction of a textile plant.
• a Kuwaiti-based contractor in ICC arbitration in respect of a major infrastructure project in Qatar.
• a Middle Eastern sovereign wealth fund pursuing claims arising from the claimed misappropriation of the funds’ assets in an ICC arbitration.
• a Saudi contractor in SADR arbitration against an employer in connection with a Saudi road project.
• a US-headquartered, global food business in respect of various post-completion merger and acquisition (M&A) claims subject to arbitration (English law, London seat) connected with the €1bn+ sale of a well-known foods division of one of the world’s largest food and consumer brands multinational businesses headquartered in London.
• the claimants, acting in subrogation, in relation to a Peruvian law governed US$50m ICC arbitration against one of Europe’s largest industrial companies.
• the respondent on a number of ICC arbitrations governed by Panamanian law in connection with the design and construction of a major maritime project in Central America.
• the claimant, a Latin American company, in an ICC arbitration governed by Swiss law against a European company arising from the faulty repair of generators in a hydro power plant in Latin America.
• an international energy company, in an English law governed ICC arbitration, in respect of its breach of contract claim against an Indian company concerning a wind power plant in Central America.
• a Pakistani-listed gas company in an ICC arbitration seated in Singapore, with a US-controlled power plant arising out of a dispute under a gas sales and purchase agreement (GSPA) connected with the provision of contractual commitments of gas pipeline and force majeure issues.
• a Nepalese airline in a long-running arbitration concerning its sales and finance functions.
• in the place of a liquidator in connection with a dispute involving the import of commodities from India and trade finance fraud via an Asian intermediary.
• a Cameroonian telecommunications conglomerate in LCIA arbitration, seated in Douala, in a shareholders’ dispute regarding unpaid tranches of shareholder loans.
• an international shipping company in multi-party/contract LMAA disputes arising from a bareboat charterparty and the operation and ownership of vessels in West Africa.
• a Zambian energy company in relation to proceedings against a prominent international private equity business concerning rights and obligations under a convertible instrument.
• the political risk insurers of a lender to a high net worth claimant in ICC arbitration seated in Dubai concerning the allocation and valuation of businesses and assets in multiple jurisdictions.
• a US subsurface wellbore construction and drilling company, in respect of threatened indemnity claims subject to LCIA arbitration (English law, London) in connection with the death of a worker at an onshore drilling rig site in the Middle East.

Contact us

Our team also specialises in investment treaty arbitration and arbitration-related litigation. Contact one of the team to learn more about what we do and how we can help you.