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  1. Public international law
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Allen & Overy LLP ‘needs no introduction to an informed PIL audience’. The practice advised clients with business interests in Libya and Iran, on the impact of sanctions imposed by the UN Security Council, the EU, and the US on asset freezing and tracing, and on force majeure clauses in contracts. It was also instructed by AES in commencing an ICSID arbitration against Kazakhstan. Stephen Jagusch has ‘an excellent command of issues and strong communication skills’; Anthony Sinclair has ‘fantastic analytical skills and a broad range of PIL knowledge’; and counsel Jeffrey Sullivan is ‘extremely personable and trustworthy, and displays strong and detailed knowledge of current legal issues’. Judith Gill QC, Mark Levy, Edward Murray and senior associate Tom Sebastian are key contacts.

Clifford Chance represented the Government of Poland in defending an Energy Charter Treaty claim, and advised in an ICSID arbitration brought under the Netherlands-Nigeria BIT, concerning expropriation of rights under a production sharing contract. Team heads Audley Sheppard and Rae Lindsay are recommended, as are consultants Jeremy Carver and Andrew Dickinson.

Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP saw growth in investment arbitrations arising out of CIS, Middle East and African countries. The team has also developed an active sanctions practice, and handled state immunity issues arising out of contracting with state or quasi-state entities, and the firm’s international human rights group has been active in relation to corporations’ human rights responsibilities. Highlights included advising MTN in its ICSID arbitration against the government of Yemen, under the UAE-Yemen bilateral investment treaty and Yemen’s Investment Law, marking the first time a UAE investor has filed a claim at ICSID. Global PIL head Jan Paulsson, team head Constantine Partasides and counsel Sylvia Noury are recommended.

Edwards Angell Palmer & Dodge UK LLP’s experience includes issues relating to land and to maritime boundaries. It advised the National Boundary Commission of Nigeria on matters of interpretation where significant issues remain unresolved on the maritime boundary relating to straddling oil deposits. Tim Daniel and Alan Perry are well regarded.

Herbert Smith LLP was strengthened by the arrival of Andrew Cannon as a senior associate from the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office, and Christian Leathley, who joined as of counsel from Curtis, Mallet-Prevost, Colt & Mosle LLP. Recent work for the practice includes advising in long-running arbitration proceedings brought under the LCIA rules in connection with the US’ softwood lumber dispute with Canada. Matthew Weiniger ‘impresses clients; he provides sound and skilful legal advice’.

Hogan Lovells International LLP is increasingly carving a niche in investment treaty disputes. The practice represented the Slovak Republic against the Eureko Group in a challenge to a jurisdictional award on the basis of the Netherlands-Slovak Republic BIT. Team head Michael Davison and Markus Burgstaller are recommended.

Led by Gary Born, the team at WilmerHale has broad experience in matters involving public international law, foreign states and state-owned entities. Representative experience includes advising in an arbitration between two African nations over territorial sovereignty.

Clyde & Co LLP’s PIL practice draws on the firm’s international trade and dispute resolution expertise. The team is increasingly involved in disputes arising under investment treaties, acting for and against governments in relation to expropriation, fair and equitable treatment, discrimination, and denial of justice claims. PIL work is also relevant to the firm’s work concerning contract frustration, sovereign immunity, and international debt issues, and it has expertise in sanctions-related advice. John Whittaker, Ben Knowles and Michael Swangard are key practitioners.

DLA Piper UK LLP extended its London offering, with Maria Alcalde joining from WilmerHale and Alex Price and Silvia Farre Munoz from Herbert Smith LLP. Highlights included defending the government of Georgia in $700m investment treaty arbitration claims. Matthew Saunders and Kate Knox are recommended.

Eversheds LLP ‘provides a solid and reliable service’. Boundary disputes are a particular specialism, and the practice has seen a growing number of instructions in relation to investor-state cases. It recently acted for two Lithuanian investors in the first international investment arbitration undertaken against Serbia. London team head Stuart Dutson is ‘the star; the practice largely revolves around his knowledge and expertise’.

Latham & Watkins LLP’s ‘knowledgeable and professional’ London team recently saw the departure of Robert Volterra and Stephen Fietta, but has been instructed in new investment treaty disputes and in various PIL matters related to recent events in the Middle East and North Africa. Highlights included acting for Macedonia in a major investment arbitration proceeding at ICSID, brought by an Austrian energy company under the Energy Charter Treaty and the Austria-Macedonia bilateral investment treaty. Philip Clifford is experienced in resolving a broad range of disputes for states and commercial entities, and Charles Claypoole has ‘deep knowledge’ of international boundary disputes and the Law of the Sea.

Linklaters LLP offers a ‘high level of quality, and prompt and reliable advice’. Highlights included advising the Republic of Poland in the defence of a €2.5bn claim under the French/Polish BIT, and acting in a high-profile case in which $50m damages were won in international arbitration proceedings concerning the expropriation of a mining and metals project in Latin America. Greg Reid leads the team. Associate Philomena Cleobury is also a key contact.

Baker & McKenzie LLP, on the international human rights front, acted for UNHCR as intervener in a high-profile refugee law case. On the trade side, the group is split into customs, trade remedies, outbound trade compliance, and WTO matters. Group head Edward Poulton, London arbitration head Jeremy Winter, and trade practitioner Ross Denton are key figures.

Baker Botts (UK) LLP’s Alejandro Escobar is experienced in advising on investment treaty disputes, boundary issues, the Law of the Sea, and international trade agreements, and has handled matters involving multiple jurisdictions and overlapping treaty obligations.

Carter-Ruck is at the forefront of challenges to the asset-freezing regime introduced in the aftermath of 9/11. Team head Cameron Doley was instructed by the government of the State of Qatar in relation to border and energy rights disputes, and transnational investment and broadcasting issues. Guy Martin is ‘excellent’.

Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP’s highlights included acting as counsel to the Republic of Argentina, together with the Procuración del Tesoro de la República Argentina, in claims brought at ICSID under the Argentina-Italy bilateral investment treaty by holders of interests under multiple Argentine bonds, the case marking the first attempt to pursue a mass claim in an ICSID arbitration. Jonathan Blackman and David Sabel are recommended.

At Debevoise & Plimpton LLP, Jessica Gladstone joined from her role as a legal adviser to the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office, while Peter Rees QC left to join Royal Dutch Shell as Legal Director. The team advised the defendant in proceedings initiated by the government of Belize to impose an anti-arbitration injunction preventing the defendant from pursuing an investment treaty arbitration under the UK-Belize BIT. Lord Peter Goldsmith QC, Sophie Lamb, David Rivkin and Karolos Seeger are recommended.

Reed Smith has ‘a strong understanding of the issues at stake’. The team successfully defended the Tanzanian state-owned electricity company, TANESCO, in a substantial ICC arbitration brought by a Houston-based company. Practice head Belinda Paisley and Gautam Bhattacharyya are key contacts.

Clients praise Steptoe & Johnson’s ‘knowledge of US laws’. Recent work includes advising on bilateral investment treaties, state immunity, sanctions and anti-corruption matters. The practice was lead counsel in an investment dispute arbitration with the Republic of Zimbabwe after a family’s farming and forestry operation was nationalised. Matthew Coleman is a well-respected practitioner, and David Lorello is ‘technically strong’.

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