Expertise

Dan is an arbitration specialist. He represents clients in international commercial and investor-state arbitration and arbitration-related litigation before the English courts. His practice, experience and client base are as international as they are diverse.

His experience covers arbitration proceedings under the major institutional rules and in ad hoc arrangements. He has advised on disputes governed by a range of applicable laws, subject to various arbitral seats and involving many jurisdictions. His practice is global.

Dan has an equally deep experience of arbitration-related litigation before the English courts. His recent caseload has involved challenges to arbitral awards, enforcement matters, anti-suit and related injunctive relief and jurisdictional issues. Dan led the team in the seminal Aiteo v Shell successful award challenge, and he is currently representing a number of different states in some of the most significant challenges before the courts.

Dan is widely recognised as an expert in disputes connected with Africa and the Middle East. He has a notable practice of representing local companies in dispute with multinational partners and financial institutions. A fluent English and French speaker, Dan’s recent activities have involved Nigeria, Cameroon, Ghana, Sierra Leone, Tanzania, Kenya, South Africa, Seychelles, Côte d’Ivoire, Equatorial Guinea and Botswana and, in the case of the Middle East, the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Qatar.

Dan is similarly recognised for his expertise in oil and gas disputes, including construction matters. His sectoral experience includes cases in the technology, infrastructure, healthcare, finance, transport, automotive, mining, power, manufacturing, insurance, shipping, hospitality and consumer retail industries.

Dan accepts arbitrator appointments. He is a regular speaker and author in his areas of practice. He is Adjunct Professor of International Commercial Arbitration at Pepperdine University. Dan also consults in respect of disputes legal technology.

Recognition

Dan is individually ranked in Chambers (Global and UK), The Legal 500 and Lexology Index (formerly Who’s Who Legal). Dan is also ranked individually in Chambers Global’s listing of Africa-wide dispute resolution specialists. Stewarts is the only UK-based disputes-specialist law firm similarly ranked by Chambers Global in this Africa-focused listing.

Some recent quotes include:

• “Daniel Wilmot is simply amazing. He works hand-in-hand with counsel on both legal and procedural issues and brings real expertise and high-level strategic ideas to the table in highly complex cases.”
• “Dan is an excellent strategic and commercial lawyer. He understands the legal landscape of the case but he is able to hone in and give clients the advice that they need.”
• “Daniel Wilmot is an excellent lawyer, very responsive and professional. He provides advice taking into account the client’s needs and desired outcome.”

Dan was included in The Legal 500’s most recent “Powerlist”, a curated selection of the leading international arbitration practitioners within the UK.

Dan has, for two years running, received the “International Arbitration Lawyer of the Year” (United Kingdom) award in the Lawyer Monthly ADR Awards 2023 and 2024.

Experience

A selection of Dan’s experience includes advising:

• a Nigerian oil and gas company in consolidated ICC arbitrations against a group of lenders arising from a US$ billions financing of an onshore oilfield interest
• the Republic of Poland in its sections 67 and 68 challenges against a £252m BIT UNCITRAL award in its dispute with GreenX Metals (formerly Prairie Mining)
• a Sierra Leonean mining joint venture company in its LCIA dispute with a Chinese state-owned port operator and a related dispute with a Chinese offtaker
• Aiteo Eastern E & P Company Limited in a rare successful section 68 challenge against Shell (and a number of others), as reported at [2024] EWHC 1993 (Comm)
• an Emirati developer in a FIDIC dispute against various subcontractors in connection with a mixed-use US$ billions tourism and leisure megaproject in Jordan
• a Qatari corporate in LCIA arbitration involving LNG supplies into Ghana
• a Dutch/Emirati emergency services company in DIAC arbitration, DIFC court proceedings and English court section 9 stay proceedings with a customer
• a West Asian state in its section 67 challenge of a novel BIT award on jurisdiction
• one of the world’s largest energy companies (based in the Middle East) in respect of various disputes connected with joint venture obligations and licensing issues
• a US wellbore construction services provider in LCIA arbitration involving knock-for-knock indemnity claims regarding drilling activities in Kurdistan
• a Nigerian energy company in LCIA arbitration against a Chinese state-owned shipbuilder involving claims related to the purchase of a crude tanker
• a Cayman crypto trading solutions company in ad hoc arbitration against a major crypto lending company involving disputed loans of Ethereum (ETH)
• two European governments resisting English court proceedings to enforce separate arbitration awards obtained under intra-EU bilateral investment treaties
• a Saudi oilfield services company in ICC arbitration against its joint venture partner in claims related to disputed territorial rights to seismic exploration activities
• a French transportation group in ICC arbitration against a European government involving a FIDIC Silverbook railway infrastructure project
• a global IT company in a major ad hoc arbitration against the UK government in connection with the NHS Connecting for Health national IT programme

Career

Dan is an alumnus of University College London (UCL). He trained and qualified at Pinsent Masons and, after many years, moved to White & Case’s top-ranked international arbitration practice. In 2019, he joined Stewarts’ International Arbitration team.

Publications and media

Dan is a regular publisher in his areas of practice and interest. He was a contributor to a chapter in The Law and Business of LNG (3rd ed.). Dan regularly speaks at conferences and events, especially ones focussed on arbitration in Africa. Dan has trained Attorneys-General and members of the judiciary in Africa. He is Adjunct Professor of International Commercial Arbitration at Pepperdine University.

Personal

Dan enjoys music, cycling, computing and travelling. He is often found chasing after his mischievous dachshund, Dudley.