International arbitration: counsel in London Bar

Roger ter Haar QC - Crown Office Chambers ‘ Has a wealth of experience, and is an impressive advocate who can quickly get the measure of a witness or tribunal. ’

David Joseph QC - Essex Court Chambers ‘ Very strong in international arbitration, and has the ear of tribunals. ’

Gavin Kealey QC - 7 King's Bench Walk ‘ A very experienced advocate with a style that appeals to arbitrators – one of the best in the field. ’

Paul Key QC - Essex Court Chambers ‘ Has great judgement from a tactical point of view and is very up to speed in the law. ’

Charles Kimmins QC - Twenty Essex ‘ Absolutely top notch, one of the leading silks in the field. ’

Toby Landau QC - Essex Court Chambers ‘ A giant in this field. ’

Ali Malek QC - 3 Verulam Buildings ‘ A fantastic advocate, very experienced, with excellent judgement. ’

Duncan Matthews QC - Twenty Essex ‘ An impressive advocate whose delivery commands the attention of the tribunal. ’

Manus McMullan QC - Atkin Chambers ‘ A very effective cross-examiner and communicator, who at the same time gains the tribunal’s respect with his conduct. ’

Richard Millett QC - Essex Court Chambers ‘ Urbane and charming, and very pleasant to work with. ’

Laurence Rabinowitz QC - One Essex Court ‘ Absolutely outstanding. ’

Simon Rainey QC - Quadrant Chambers ‘ Truly a super silk – devastatingly sharp and exceptional on his feet. ’

Joe Smouha QC - Essex Court Chambers ‘ Very astute tactically, quick minded analytically, and reassuringly calm and measured. ’

Marcus Taverner QC - Keating Chambers ‘ A masterful cross-examiner, and is very good at reading a Tribunal. ’

Daniel Toledano QC - One Essex Court ‘ Top of my list for complex commercial arbitrations. ’

Nigel Tozzi QC - 4 PUMP COURT ‘ A very good arbitration silk. ’

Andrew White QC - Atkin Chambers ‘ Exceptionally talented, very astute, and strategically on the button. ’

Michael Black QC - XXIV Old Buildings ‘ Continues to impress with the swiftness of his responses, the clarity of his analysis, and the commercial approach he applies. ’

Sean Brannigan QC - 4 PUMP COURT ‘ An excellent advocate and real street fighter who will employ all his advocacy and legal skills in winning a case. ’

Adam Constable QC - Keating Chambers ‘ Has a sharp intellect, is accessible, a team player, and good with clients. ’

Huw Davies QC - Essex Court Chambers ‘ Excellent in all areas, a joy to work with, and really impressive in both his written and oral presentations. ’

Stephen Dennison QC - Atkin Chambers ‘ Has great poise, able to deliver difficult messages, and works well as a team player. ’

Zachary Douglas QC - Matrix Chambers ‘ A hugely talented and erudite international lawyer. ’

Colin Edelman QC - Devereux ‘ A leading barrister in the arbitration field. ’

Philip Edey QC - Twenty Essex ‘ Hugely popular for international arbitration. ’

David Edwards QC - 7 King's Bench Walk ‘ An excellent insurance silk and very responsive. ’

Vernon Flynn QC - Essex Court Chambers ‘ A superb silk. ’

Stephen Furst QC - Keating Chambers ‘ His analysis is very precise and his cross-examination some of the best that I have ever seen. ’

Jonathan Gaisman QC - 7 King's Bench Walk ‘ Extremely clever and a brilliant advocate. ’

Jeffrey Gruder QC - Essex Court Chambers ‘ A brilliant mind, commercial as well as legal. ’

Siobán Healy QC - 7 King's Bench Walk ‘ Outstanding intellect, but also easy-going, responsive and user friendly. ’

Mark Howard QC - Brick Court Chambers ‘ One of the leaders of the Bar. ’

Robert Howe QC - Blackstone Chambers ‘ An outstanding silk. ’

Timothy Howe QC - Fountain Court Chambers ‘ Understands every aspect of the realities of the conduct of an arbitration. ’

Dominic Kendrick QC - 7 King's Bench Walk ‘ Especially experienced in insurance and reinsurance disputes. ’

Simon Lofthouse QC - Atkin Chambers ‘ Extremely hardworking, and can be entrusted with complex and substantial cases. ’

John McCaughran QC - One Essex Court ‘ Extremely impressive quality of work, availability and approachability. ’

Ian Mill QC - Blackstone Chambers ‘ Brings outstanding leadership, advocacy and clarity of thought. ’

Stephen Moriarty QC - Fountain Court Chambers ‘ Impressive cross-examination skills, and makes submissions that are lucid and easily understood. ’

Craig Orr QC - One Essex Court ‘ Fantastic at getting on top of complex and detailed issues quickly, and great with clients. ’

Lionel Persey QC - Quadrant Chambers ‘ Excellent in the context of FPSO and similar offshore construction disputes. ’

Alistair Schaff QC - 7 King's Bench Walk ‘ Great to work with. ’

Malcolm Shaw QC - Essex Court Chambers ‘ Authoritative yet approachable, and immensely knowledgeable – a real pleasure to work with. ’

Paul Stanley QC - Essex Court Chambers ‘ He has been great, I would definitely instruct him again. ’

Roger Stewart QC - 4 New Square ‘ A brilliant advocate – no praise is too high. ’

Bankim Thanki QC - Fountain Court Chambers ‘ An outstanding cross-examiner in an unshowy but highly effective way. ’

David Thomas QC - Keating Chambers ‘ Very impressive. ’

Antony White QC - Matrix Chambers ‘ A good and succinct advocate – intelligent, sensible, and a team player. ’

David Wolfson QC - One Essex Court ‘ He is friendly, engaging, charming, but brilliant, and he knows when to stick the knife in. ’

Timothy Young QC - Twenty Essex ‘ Knowledgeable, hardworking and conscientious. ’

David Allen QC - 7 King's Bench Walk ‘ Direct, to the point advice, a robust advocate, and a down-to-earth and friendly QC. ’

Rachel Ansell QC - 4 PUMP COURT ‘ Very hardworking and one of the go-to junior silks who specialise in construction, she definitely goes the extra mile. ’

Michael Ashcroft QC - Twenty Essex ‘ Clearly highly experienced in international arbitration and inspires confidence in his solicitor team and the client. ’

Guy Blackwood QC - Quadrant Chambers ‘ Very approachable, efficient and available around the clock. ’

Richard Boulton QC - One Essex Court ‘ An excellent cross-examiner, and the leading barrister on quantification of damages and forensic accounting issues. ’

Veronique Buehrlen QC - Keating Chambers ‘ Has a lovely measured style to her advocacy, and a huge grasp of the detail that ensures she gets her points over. ’

James Collins QC - Essex Court Chambers ‘ A very thoughtful and hands-on barrister. ’

Helen Davies QC - Brick Court Chambers ‘ An absolutely first-class lawyer. ’

Anneliese Day QC - Fountain Court Chambers ‘ Brilliant with clients and an excellent advocate. ’

Nicholas Dennys QC - Atkin Chambers ‘ A standout barrister. ’

Chantal-Aimée Doerries QC - Atkin Chambers ‘ Particularly strong in energy and infrastructure arbitrations. ’

Andrew Goddard QC - Atkin Chambers ‘ A standout arbitration silk. ’

Charles Graham QC - One Essex Court ‘ He was born for arbitration work – his advocacy and cross-examination skills are second to none. ’

Alexander Gunning QC - One Essex Court ‘ Has an extremely deep knowledge of construction/energy law and international arbitration practice and procedure. ’

Richard Harding QC - Keating Chambers ‘ Continues to impress with his extraordinary knowledge of the laws of the UAE and Gulf region and how they apply to construction industry disputes. ’

Stephen Hofmeyr QC - 7 King's Bench Walk ‘ First rate as a barrister and as an arbitrator. ’

Adrian Hughes QC - 39 Essex Chambers ‘ Very hardworking, a good team player, very gentlemanly and exemplary advocacy skills. ’

Simon Hughes QC - Keating Chambers ‘ A very capable silk. ’

Andrew Hunter QC - Blackstone Chambers ‘ An outstanding cross-examiner and it was an education to watch him in action. ’

David Lewis QC - Twenty Essex ‘ His attention to detail is astonishing and his written submissions are some of the best I have ever seen. ’

Alan Maclean QC - Blackstone Chambers ‘ Has a deep understanding of the law, is a collegiate team worker, and strong advocacy skills. ’

Philip Marshall QC - Serle Court ‘ Thinks creatively about how to advance high-value, complex multi-jurisdictional cases. ’

Harry Matovu QC - Brick Court Chambers ‘ Extremely hardworking, he is there with the team and for the team. ’

Ewan McQuater QC - 3 Verulam Buildings ‘ He got on top of the very substantial factual detail of the case very quickly. ’

David Mildon QC - Essex Court Chambers ‘ Very highly regarded in commercial arbitrations, particularly in energy pricing. ’

Jonathan Nash QC - 3 Verulam Buildings ‘ Extremely capable and user friendly. ’

Sean O'Sullivan - 4 PUMP COURT ‘ Subtle and analytical, but with a real talent for putting things simply and memorably. ’

Andrew Onslow QC - 3 Verulam Buildings ‘ An excellent advocate. ’

David Railton QC - Fountain Court Chambers ‘ Provides painstaking attention to detail and outstanding advocacy skills. ’

Andrew Rigney QC - Crown Office Chambers ‘ An excellent and very personable barrister. ’

David Scorey QC - Essex Court Chambers ‘ Intelligent, astute, insightful and tenacious. ’

David Streatfeild-James QC - Atkin Chambers ‘ He has a very nice style on his feet, and reads a Tribunal well. ’

Richard Waller QC - 7 King's Bench Walk ‘ A very well-regarded arbitration counsel. ’

Sean Wilken QC - Keating Chambers ‘ He offers remarkably quick turnaround, and rigorous analysis of the position. ’

Richard Wilmot-Smith QC - 39 Essex Chambers ‘ He always has the ear of the relevant Tribunal and has great tactical acumen. ’

Michael Bloch QC - Blackstone Chambers ‘ Formidably intelligent and willing to interrogate every argument to tease out the most coherent position. ’

Robert Bright QC - 7 King's Bench Walk ‘ Lives up to his name. ’

Alex Charlton QC - 4 PUMP COURT ‘ He has great gravitas with the Tribunal and is respected and trusted by the client. ’

Alain Choo Choy QC - One Essex Court ‘ Takes a rigorous approach to his written and oral submissions. ’

Ricky Diwan QC - Essex Court Chambers ‘ Exceptionally sharp and extremely pleasant to work with. ’

Andrew Green QC - Blackstone Chambers ‘ Excellent at understanding which are the important issues and what the tribunal will care most about. ’

Hilary Heilbron QC - Brick Court Chambers ‘ Experienced as both arbitrator and counsel ’

Sa'ad Hossain QC - One Essex Court ‘ Provides clear, commercial advice. ’

James Howells QC - Atkin Chambers ‘ Phenomenally clever and strategically astute. ’

Riaz Hussain QC - Atkin Chambers ‘ An ideal choice for complex international arbitrations in the energy sector (both treaty and commercial). ’

Neil Kitchener QC - One Essex Court ‘ An absolutely brilliant advocate, you really don't want him on the other side. ’

Sara Masters QC - Twenty Essex ‘ Great judgement and a real pleasure to work with – hugely experienced in the international arbitration field, both as counsel and arbitrator. ’

Salim Moollan QC - Essex Court Chambers ‘ A smooth and persuasive advocate, hardworking, and hugely knowledgeable on international arbitration. ’

Andrew Neish QC - 4 PUMP COURT ‘ A very good advocate who gets to grips with cases early on. ’

Luke Parsons QC - Quadrant Chambers ‘ An excellent, down-to-earth counsel who has both a high level of technical knowledge as well as a sensible and pragmatic approach. ’

Harish Salve SA - Blackstone Chambers ‘ Hugely experienced in India-related arbitrations. ’

Richard Salter QC - 3 Verulam Buildings ‘ A solid choice for arbitration. ’

Simon Salzedo QC - Brick Court Chambers ‘ Extremely smart and hardworking, and good at coming up with imaginative solutions. ’

Vasanti Selvaratnam QC - The 36 Group ‘ Extremely intelligent, collaborative, rolls up her sleeves and quickly becomes part of the team. ’

Akhil Shah QC - Fountain Court Chambers ‘ Supremely qualified in arbitrations. ’

Michael Swainston QC - Brick Court Chambers ‘ Strong experience of major international disputes and BIT claims. ’

Sam Wordsworth QC - Essex Court Chambers ‘ A really impressive silk. ’

2018 Silks

Lucy Garrett QC - Keating Chambers ‘ The clients love her and her work is always first class. ’

Jawdat Khurshid QC - 7 King's Bench Walk ‘ His judgement is spot on. ’

Thomas Macey-Dare QC - Quadrant Chambers ‘ Excellent on his feet and is a compelling and persuasive advocate. ’

Jern-Fei Ng QC - Essex Court Chambers ‘ Tireless in his pursuit of an argument but without losing sight of the commercial realities of any claim. ’

Adam Robb QC - 39 Essex Chambers ‘ Has strong expertise in major infrastructure disputes. ’

Dan Sarooshi QC - Essex Court Chambers ‘ He has a well-earned reputation to be counted among the finest in London. ’

2019 Silks

Nicholas Craig QC - 3 Verulam Buildings ‘ Particularly effective at processing masses of information within a relatively short period and presenting arguments succinctly and persuasively. ’

Christopher Harris QC - 3 Verulam Buildings ‘ Fantastic on his feet and works incredibly hard, he really deserves to have taken silk. ’

Fionn Pilbrow QC - Brick Court Chambers ‘ Very user friendly, a pleasure to deal with, he drafts very well and is an excellent lawyer. ’

Daniel Saoul QC - 4 New Square ‘ Technically excellent and has an excellent feel for a case, he is exceptionally good to work with. ’

Peter De Verneuil Smith QC - 3 Verulam Buildings ‘ A very clever and very good advocate. ’

David Brynmor Thomas QC - 39 Essex Chambers ‘ Well known both as counsel and arbitrator. ’

Leading Juniors

Tariq Baloch - 3 Verulam Buildings ‘ Excellent client handling, sound knowledge of the law, effective advocacy, and user friendly. ’

Lucas Bastin - Essex Court Chambers ‘ A fantastic lawyer and advocate. ’

David Davies - Essex Court Chambers ‘ Has an excellent and user-friendly manner. ’

Siddharth Dhar - Essex Court Chambers ‘ Very rigorous and does a great job at analysing arguments and challenging them. ’

Alexander Milner - Fountain Court Chambers ‘ Impressive intellect, very quick, and strong experience of Russian disputes and language. ’

Iain Quirk - Essex Court Chambers ‘ A go-to individual, particularly for investment treaty work. ’

James Willan - Essex Court Chambers ‘ The best junior at the Bar. ’

Ravi Aswani - The 36 Group ‘ A rising star in international arbitration. ’

Sean Aughey - 11KBW ‘ Absolutely excellent – he's got a brilliant analytic mind, he's extremely hardworking, and a very good advocate. ’

Harris Bor - Twenty Essex ‘ Thorough, clever, easy to work with, and a good cross-examiner. ’

Mark Chennells - Atkin Chambers ‘ Has a knack of popping up with slightly different answers and approaches which turn issues on their head and in your favour. ’

Dr Cyril Chern - 4 New Square ‘ An exemplary advocate as well as an absolutely excellent strategist. ’

Rupert Choat - Atkin Chambers ‘ A cerebral and creative counsel – now one of the leading juniors at the construction Bar. ’

Rupert d'Cruz - Littleton Chambers ‘ An extremely able and experienced lawyer. ’

Jane Davies Evans - 3 Verulam Buildings ‘ A highly sought after counsel in international arbitration because of her most unusual and helpful dual qualifications as a chartered accountant and as a top barrister. ’

Karen Gough - 39 Essex Chambers ‘ Demonstrated expert knowledge and rapidly and incisively mastered the voluminous and intricate documentation. ’

Sandra Healy - 7 King's Bench Walk ‘ Her work rate is exceptional and she works seamlessly across cultures and jurisdictions. ’

Edward Ho - Brick Court Chambers ‘ One of the best junior barristers at the Bar – a brilliant legal mind and a wisdom far beyond his years. ’

Michael Holmes - 7 King's Bench Walk ‘ Has a great eye for detail and knows insurance and reinsurance inside out. ’

Alexander Macdonald - 7 King's Bench Walk ‘ Even in a legal market that is extremely competitive, Alex stands out as first rate. ’

Marcus Mander - 7 King's Bench Walk ‘ Clever, responsive and amusing, a sensible second opinion, and also technically very able. ’

Ian Meakin - XXIV Old Buildings ‘ An exceptionally prominent practitioner, his deep understanding of arbitration is strongly appreciated. ’

Matthew Parker - 3 Verulam Buildings ‘ A fabulous advocate and nitty-gritty street fighter, you don't want to be against him. ’

Conall Patton - One Essex Court ‘ A gifted cross-examiner, very clear writer, and easy to deal with. ’

David Peters - Essex Court Chambers ‘ He is personable, intelligent, and very willing to get stuck in and involved in the cases. ’

Rajesh Pillai - 3 Verulam Buildings ‘ Extremely perceptive and always meets clients expectations. ’

Philip Riches - Twenty Essex ‘ Excellent – a QC in waiting, and an intelligent and creative advocate. ’

George Spalton - 4 New Square ‘ A real team player with a very reassuring client manner. ’

Andrew Stevens - 4 PUMP COURT ‘ A first-class young advocate who shows great attention to detail and has good cross-examination skills. ’

Mark Wassouf - 3 Verulam Buildings ‘ Very responsive, commercial and client focused. ’

Robert Weekes - Blackstone Chambers ‘ A formidable name to have on your side – meticulous and unafraid as an advocate. ’

Crispin Winser - Crown Office Chambers ‘ Extremely hardworking, very effective in cross-examination and always responsive. ’

Emily Wood - Essex Court Chambers ‘ Exceptionally bright, strategic and commercial in approach. ’

Sushma Ananda - 7 King's Bench Walk ‘ Strong ability to focus in on issues quickly and good drafting ability. ’

Henry Byam-Cook - Twenty Essex ‘ Bright, thorough, and has a keen eye for the essential legal and commercial points in a matter. ’

Eleanor Campbell - One Essex Court ‘ Provides concise advocacy that deals with exactly what the panel wants to hear about. ’

Noel Casey - 7 King's Bench Walk ‘ His background in accounting makes him an excellent fit for a wide range of forensic and quantum issues. ’

Georges Chalfoun - 3 Verulam Buildings ‘ Has a very hard work ethic and is an essential part of the counsel team on big ticket matters. ’

Timothy Chelmick - 4 New Square ‘ My preferred senior junior for international arbitration – he is incredibly good value and hardworking. ’

Jess Connors - 39 Essex Chambers ‘ Always on my radar as a possible person to instruct. ’

Andrew Fenn - Atkin Chambers ‘ Great attitude, hardworking, strong advocate and easy to get along with. ’

Arshad Ghaffar - XXIV Old Buildings ‘ Experienced in energy, infrastructure and aviation disputes. ’

Matthieu Gregoire - 4 New Square ‘ Thorough and detailed and has a comprehensive knowledge of the law. ’

Drew Holiner - Monckton Chambers ‘ An extremely smart and astute lawyer on matters of both English and Russian law. ’

Zulfikar Khayum - Atkin Chambers ‘ Particularly skilled at highly detailed cross-examination of quantum and other experts. ’

Calum Lamont - Keating Chambers ‘ Offers sound strategic advice. ’

Belinda McRae - Twenty Essex ‘ A rising star of the international arbitration Bar. ’

Michelle Menashy - One Essex Court ‘ Does a superb job – highly recommended. ’

Gemma Morgan - Quadrant Chambers ‘ Extremely bright and diligent, she is a clear future star in this field. ’

Rachael O'Hagan - Keating Chambers ‘ Works very diligently on any role she is given. ’

Benjamin Parker - 7 King's Bench Walk ‘ Ferociously intelligent, extremely practical, and an absolute joy to work with. ’

Nicholas Sloboda - One Essex Court ‘ A formidable opponent, his written work is impressive in all respects. ’

James Thompson - Keating Chambers ‘ Very good at cutting through the chaos of construction disputes to identify the key legal and commercial issues. ’

Damien Walker - Essex Court Chambers ‘ An outstanding draftsman capable of distilling complex points into highly effective written advocacy. ’

Angeline Welsh - Matrix Chambers ‘ Has an impressive mastery of the details of a case and of the technical legal arguments. ’

Alex Wright - 4 PUMP COURT ‘ He is tremendous – clever, hardworking, and above all, really nice. ’

Can Yeginsu - 4 New Square ‘ He combines exceptional judgement with an encyclopaedic knowledge of commercial and investment arbitration. ’

Tier 1 firms

Essex Court Chambers Essex Court Chambers

Essex Court Chambers a 'go-to set for any general commercial or arbitration-related matters'. The chambers is praised for being 'commercial and strategic in approach' and 'typically team-oriented and user-friendly, including for non-UK clients'. The barristers are 'the cream of the crop' and few will quibble with the set's overall market-leading status. Members are well-versed in arbitrations across a range of jurisdictions, sectors, and disciplines, including insurance, infrastructure, BIT claims, and general commercial disputes. The set's barristers have been involved in several high-profile disputes, including Turkmenistan v National Iranian Gas Corporation in which Paul Key QC was lead counsel for the National Iranian Gas Corporation. Another highlight was Progas Energy Limited, Progas Holding Limited, and Sheffield Engineering Company Ltd v Republic of Pakistan, in which Dan Sarooshi QC faced David Foxton QC and Iain Quirk.

Tier 2 firms

Chambers of Gavin Kealey QC 7 King's Bench Walk

7 King's Bench Walk is an 'excellent set with some of the best legal minds' and contains a 'well-rounded mix of juniors and silks working at the highest standard' and who take a 'rigorous intellectual approach' to their instructions. Chambers is praised for its strength in depth, whereby 'if the barrister of choice is not available, there will likely be a quality alternative'. The set is a market leader when it comes to insurance and reinsurance disputes, but its members are also highly experienced in broader commercial arbitrations.

Atkin Chambers Atkin Chambers

Atkin Chambers is the 'number one set for construction law' with some 'standout barristers' whose 'competence and experience is really what you need for complex and international disputes'. The set has a hugely impressive global reach, and members are extremely experienced acting on disputes in the Middle East and Asia. In Latin America, Manus McMullan QC successfully represented the Panama Canal Authority which received another award in its favour in December 2018 as part of its ongoing series of arbitrations with Grupo Unidos per el Canal.

Chambers of Mark Howard QC and Helen Davies QC Brick Court Chambers

Brick Court Chambers houses an excellent set of barristers, well-versed across a range of areas, including general commercial disputes and BIT claims. Members are involved in several significant disputes and Simon Salzedo QC was among four acting on FSDEA v dos Santos and others, in which they are representing the Angolan sovereign wealth fund in its pursuit to recover control of a $3bn fund from associates of the previous Angolan regime.

Fountain Court Chambers Fountain Court Chambers

Fountain Court Chambers has 'many outstanding members at all stages of their careers' and when it comes to international arbitration, the set's members offer strong expertise across a range of disciplines. Members also have strong links to key arbitration centres such as Singapore. The set's barristers have been instructed on several major disputes, including Naftogaz v Gazprom, in which Alexander Milner is on the team representing Naftogaz. In the high-profile Maldives International Airport dispute, Bankim Thanki QC is representing GMR in a claim concerning the unlawful cancellation of the development project.

Chambers of Marcus Taverner QC Keating Chambers

Keating Chambers is a 'go-to set' for construction and infrastructure-related arbitrations, and has 'barristers who are willing to work as part of a team and roll their sleeves up with the rest of us, which is much appreciated', according to solicitors, who also note chambers for having 'many barristers with experience in the Middle East'. Four members, led by Simon Hughes QC, are acting on a nuclear power plant-related dispute in the UAE, while a further five members, including David Thomas QC, are currently acting on either side of a major coal-fired power plant dispute in South Africa.

Chambers of Lord Grabiner QC One Essex Court

One Essex Court has an excellent reputation for international arbitration, and its clerking team is 'very efficient in finding appropriate barristers'. The set fields numerous top name silks and juniors with strong expertise in commercial arbitration and BIT claims. Recent highlights for members, such as John McCaughran QC and Nicholas Sloboda, include successfully representing Israel Electric Corp, a defendant in East Mediterranean Gas v Egyptian General Petroleum Corp & Others. The set was recently boosted by the arrival of Alexander Gunning QC from 4 PUMP COURT.

Twenty Essex Twenty Essex

Twenty Essex is 'especially good quality in international arbitration, public international law, and the international trade world'. The highly versatile set has a broad range of expertise, and members regularly handle major shipping, commodities, fraud, and BIT claims, as well as arbitration-related spin-off suits in the courts. Recent highlight cases include PL Holdings S.A.R.L and Republic of Poland in which Sara Masters QC led Belinda McRae in a case that will consider the impact of the Achmea decision.

Tier 3 firms

Chambers of Ewan McQuater QC and Adrian Beltrami QC 3 Verulam Buildings

3 Verulam Buildings is praised for its 'mentality and ethos'. The set has built up an impressive roster of arbitration counsel over recent years, particularly at the more junior end. Recent highlight cases include Marfin Investment Group v Cyprus, where Ali Malek QC, Tariq Baloch and Mark Wassouf represented the claimants, and Anatolie Stati & (2) Gabriel Stati & (3) Ascom Group S.A. & (4) Terra Raf Trans Traiding Ltd v The Republic of Kazakhstan in which Malek and Christopher Harris QC represented Kazakhstan.

Chambers of Charlie Cory-Wright QC and Richard Harwood QC 39 Essex Chambers

39 Essex Chambers has some 'outstanding and world-class advocates with a team-focused and goal-oriented approach'. The set has a good balance of barristers with expertise in infrastructure and insurance-related disputes. Adrian Hughes QC is noted for his experience in Asia-based arbitrations.

4 Pump Court (Chambers of Nick Vineall QC and Sean Brannigan QC) 4 Pump Court

4 PUMP COURT is home to a versatile group of highly rated barristers with strong expertise across a range of areas, including infrastructure, shipping, insurance, and general commercial. Members are very active in Asia and the Middle East, where several members, including Sean Brannigan QC and Rachel Ansell QC, are facing each other in a significant airport-relate dispute.

Tier 4 firms

Chambers of Mark Cannon QC 4 New Square

4 New Square is a 'set to watch' and 'clearly growing as a force in both public international law and international arbitration', according to instructing solicitors. The set is especially strong at the senior junior end, with several barristers who are making strong names for themselves, including Can Yeginsu who was lead counsel for Turkmenistan in the ICSID dispute SECE Insaat v Turkmenistan.

Chambers of Monica Carss-Frisk QC and Anthony Peto QC Blackstone Chambers

Blackstone Chambers is 'particularly strong in the mid and junior level silk bracket, with a number of strong individuals', says a source. The set's barristers are capable of handling a variety of disputes, including BIT claims, across a wide range of sectors. Notable mandates include $650m LCIA shareholder dispute concerning a Caribbean development project, in which Robert Howe QC was one of three members involved. Harish Salve is also known for his strong India-related expertise.

Chambers of Richard Lynagh QC Crown Office Chambers

Crown Office Chambers is 'very much a coming force in international construction', with 'a handful of top international arbitrators and very strong senior advocates', according to clients. The chambers has a strong focus on the UAE and the Middle East, where the likes of Roger Ter Haar QC and Andrew Rigney QC are highly experienced, and members were involved in several major disputes concerning development projects within the region.

Chambers of Simon Croall QC Quadrant Chambers

Quadrant Chambers is a popular choice for major arbitrations in the commodities, energy, maritime, and infrastructure sectors, and fields a strong cadre of experienced counsel and arbitrators. Members such as Simon Rainey QC and Luke Parsons QC have been involved in several significant disputes in the Middle East, Africa and Asia.

The Legal 500 > United Kingdom - The Bar > London Bar > International arbitration: counsel

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International Arbitration: Counsel - Leading Sets

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