International Arbitration

Members of our International Arbitration team act in cases covering a number of jurisdictions including but not limited to: the Middle East, Europe, Channel Islands and Asia.  We accept instructions from solicitors, typically based in London, but also from a number of overseas clients direct, with connections in Jersey, Portugal, Anguilla, Miami, Cayman Islands and Hong Kong.

Examples of international matters in which we have been instructed:

• Acting for a Yemeni contractor in a USD 60m ICC arbitration seated in Vienna concerning the construction of an oil pipeline disrupted by the events of 2011 (‘Arab Spring’) and subsequent GCC campaign in Yemen.
• An agency dispute over a multimillion pound pipeline supply contract.
• Pursing recovery on a promissory note in respect of sums advanced between JV partners developing high end residential properties in France for Russian clients, including injunction and committal proceedings in relation to dissipation of assets.
• A dispute over an alleged defective locomotive supplied to a Sri Lankan mine company.
• Acting for a global engineering company in a dispute with a Turkish state-owned mining company referred to Swiss arbitration seated in Zurich.
• Securing interim injunctive relief from the English Commercial Court in support of high value foreign arbitral proceedings pursuant to s.44 of the Arbitration Act 1996.
• Acting in a dispute between two Russian oligarchs arising out of the breakdown of a joint venture for the creation of a Ukranian media company.
• Acting in a dispute arising from the breakdown of a high value family trust established in Jersey but later exported to Panama, resulting in proceedings in Jersey, Panama and Colorado.
• Acting and advising in complex interrelated proceedings in several jurisdictions concerning Russian parties and covering cross border tracing claims, trusts, partnerships and joint ventures.
• Advising a major US investment group on challenges to default notices served under a USD 90m finance agreement relating to a major commercial property development in Shanghai.
• Advising on lessee defaults and notice provisions under Russian aircraft lease agreements.
• Advising Malaysian clients on joint venture and supply agreements relating to import and export of cars into and from the UK
• Acting for two Bosnian corporations in successfully setting aside a multimillion dollar Commercial Court judgment in a claim under an on-sale of Iranian crude oil.
• Acting for Indian buyers of breeding poultry from US sellers under a sales right agreement in challenge proceedings to an ICC award raising issues of US state and federal law, New York Convention issues and co-ordination of US and London proceedings
• Sale contracts generally, including commodities.

Our team have experience of institutional and ad hoc commercial and technical arbitrations and related applications, challenges and appeals.

We have acted in a number of important arbitration law decisions:

• LG Caltex Gas Co and Contigroup Companies v China National Petroleum Corporation
• China Petroleum Technology Development Corporation [2001] BLR 235 (effect of s 67 Arbitration Act 1996)
• North Range Shipping Ltd v Seatrans Shipping Corp (The Western Triumph) [2002] 2 Lloyd’s Rep 1 (CA applying Human Rights Act 1998 to leave to appeal applications under s 69 Arbitration Act 1996 Antaios held no longer to apply)
• Peterson Farms Inc v C&M Farming Ltd [2004] 1 Lloyd’s Rep 614 (first reported decision on power under s 70(7) Arbitration Act 1996 to secure award pending appeal or challenge; guidelines)
• ASES Havicilik Servic Ve Destek Hizmetleria AS v Delkor (UK) Ltd [2012] EWHC 3667 (Comm) (first reported decision in respect of exercise by Commercial Court of power under s 44 Arbitration Act 1996 to grant interim injunctive relief in support of wholly foreign arbitral proceedings)