Expertise

Sherina has a wide range of experience in all key aspects of international arbitration, including a focus on India-related disputes. Her global client base spans a broad range of industries, including energy, construction, oil and gas, trade, transport pharmaceuticals, commodities, finance and technology.

Sherina has experience of all major arbitral institutions, including the London Court of International Arbitration (LCIA), the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC), the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL) and the Singapore International Arbitration Centre (SIAC).

Sherina has practised across multiple jurisdictions, including as an advocate in India (Mumbai) before qualifying in England and Wales.

Recognition

Sherina is featured in The Legal 500 Powerlist guide to the leading arbitration practitioners in the UK.

Sherina is ranked in both Chambers and The Legal 500 for her arbitration work. The Legal 500 lists her as a Global Leader and describes her as a “powerhouse in the international arbitration world, particularly as regards India-related work… [She] is exceptional. She gives 110% to her clients and is a fantastic strategist.”

Sherina maintains her place in Tier 1 of Chambers Asia Pacific (India Dispute Resolution – International Firms), where she is described as “one of the best arbitration lawyers I have ever come across… hands down, I’d close my eyes and give every matter to her… stands out for her hands-on approach to the case, her tactical sense and her user-friendly manner, which combine to make her a great team leader… one of Sherina’s skills is managing to avoid getting into arbitration in the first place.”.

Sherina is also listed as a Global Leader in arbitration in Who’s Who Legal.

Accreditations and Memberships

Sherina is on the board of the LCIA and the European Federation of Investment Law and Arbitration (EFILA).

She is also a member of:

• Advisory Council of the School of International Arbitration of the Queen Mary University of London
• City of London Law Society Arbitration Committee
• ICC Indian Arbitration Group
• SIAC Users Counsel
• Chamber of Arbitration of the Indian International Arbitration Centre
• Steering Committee of the Pledge for Equal Representation for Women and the Chair of the India Pledge Committee.
• Task Force of the IBA Arbitration Guidelines and Rules Subcommittee for the revision of the 2014 IBA Guidelines on Conflicts of Interest.

Sherina is also part of a number of mentorship programmes for law students, including for the School of International Arbitration of the Queen Mary University of London and the Institute of Transnational Arbitration (ITA) at the Centre for American and International Law.

Publications and Media

Sherina is a published writer and speaker on international arbitration. She has co-authored chapters of numerous books, including:

• “Arbitration in England” edited by Julian Lew QC
• “The Guide to Challenging and Enforcing Arbitration Awards” (two editions) edited by J Willian Rowley QC, Emmanuel Gaillard and Gordon E Kaiser
• “Commercial Arbitration, International Trends and Practices” edited by Chirag Balyan and Yahraj Samant
• “Enforcing Arbitral Awards in India” edited by Nakul Dewan
• “Arbitration in India” edited by Fali Nariman, Martin Hunter, Dushyant Dave and Marike Paulsson.

She is currently editing a book on third party funding.

Experience

Sherina has achieved a number of successes for her clients in both commercial and investment arbitration proceedings in terms of settlement and arbitration awards. Her experience includes acting for:

• An Indian multinational oil and gas company and its international subsidiary in two oil and gas-related arbitrations against an African state (UNCITRAL, Sudanese law, London seat).
• A French maritime and transportation company in respect of its challenge in the English courts to an award issued under the India-France BIT in an arbitration seated in London and conducted under the UNCITRAL rules (UNCITRAL, English law, London seat).
• A US curtain manufacturer against a large Pakistani textile manufacturing company (UNCITRAL, English law, London seat).
• A national oil and gas company in relation to a decommissioning dispute against a contractor in respect of a drilling campaign offshore West Africa. The dispute involves variation claims exceeding US$80m (LCIA, Angolan law, London seat).
• An Indian airline in relation to a multi-billion dollar dispute between various shareholders concerning alleged breaches of a shareholders agreement (LCIA, Indian law, New Delhi seat).
• One of the wealthiest South Asian families in an African jurisdiction involving a dispute over a number of assets the family owns worldwide (LCIA, English law, London seat).
• A Middle Eastern satellite operator in a dispute with a Canadian telecommunications provider concerning a transponder rights agreement (ICC, English law, London seat).
• An Indian water manufacturer against a Qatari contractor relating to contracts in relation to two water treatment plants (ICC, Qatari law, London seat).
• Two multinational banks against an insurance company relating to political risk insurance events in South America (LCIA, English law, London seat).
• A global company on potential remedies under bilateral investment treaties involving Tanzania in a matter involving several hundred million dollars, including advice on the implications of the Standard Chartered v Tanzania BIT claim.
• A European infrastructure company in a bilateral investment treaty claim against a former Soviet state for breaches of agreements and fair and equitable treatment provisions relating to changes in local law and investment policy.

Sherina has also had numerous successes in high-value litigations before the English High Court. Some high-value, complex disputes in which she has been involved include acting for:

• A US construction company as defendant in a litigation concerning the construction of one of the world’s largest beverage facilities
• One of India’s largest conglomerates in a multi-billion dollar litigation against numerous global and Indian banks
• An Indian owner and operator of a commodities and currencies derivative exchange in a litigation relating to the enforcement actions arising out of a successful award in a London-seated ICC arbitration.

Career

Sherina trained at Linklaters in London before spending six years at Shearman & Sterling. She was most recently Head of India and International Arbitration EMEA practice at Norton Rose Fulbright before joining Stewarts in November 2023.

Personal

Sherina is passionate about family, friends, food, animals and adventure. If she weren’t a lawyer, Sherina would likely be a travel and food writer.