Fietta LLP > London, England > Firm Profile
Fietta LLP Offices
1 FITZROY SQUARE
LONDON
W1T 5HE
England
Fietta LLP > The Legal 500 Rankings
Dispute resolution > Public international law Tier 1
Standing out for its ‘strong concentration on investment disputes and public international law matters‘, PIL-dedicated firm Fietta LLP routinely assists states with both high-stakes PIL disputes and advisory matters. The team also acts for investor and respondent state clients in investor-state arbitrations and related domestic court and human rights proceedings. The group’s principal practitioners are founding partner Stephen Fietta KC
, who is ‘in his element when discussing maritime boundary and sovereignty issues‘; Jiries Saadeh, who represents both states and investor clients in international investment treaty claims; and recently-elevated partner Ashique Rahman, an expert in disputes under international investment agreements. At counsel level, Laura Rees-Evans advises on a wide range of PIL issues; while ‘very capable and knowledgable individual‘ Oonagh Sands represents sovereign states (and their state-owned entities), individuals and private entities before leading world dispute resolution venues. Practice head(s):
Stephen Fietta KC; Jiries Saadeh; Ashique Rahman
Other key lawyers:
Testimonials
‘What makes Fietta LLP’s dispute resolution practice unique in international arbitration is its vast experience and remarkable knowledge, and its strong concentration on investment disputes and public international law matters.’
‘The team’s strengths include its vast expertise in this area and excellent quality of legal services that are tailored towards the client’s needs.’
‘Stephen Fietta KC can determine strategic approach in complex arbitration cases, and has team leadership skills when the members of the legal team are from various offices or chambers.’
‘Stephen Fietta is in his element when discussing maritime boundary and sovereignty issues. He will always give an objective and reasoned opinion with clarity. He does not and will not tailor the advice to only what the client wants to hear. It is this objectivity and his expertise which are highly valuable.’
‘Jiries Saadeh is highly professional in fact-finding processes, whether by analysing facts or determining the key elements of the dispute. He has vast experience in international arbitration involving investment disputes.’
‘Fietta LLP is a very hands-on legal team with extensive experience in public international law, particularly in relation to boundary issues.’
‘The service is par excellence in terms of legal opinion writing and strategy. They have proven themselves as an invaluable asset to clients in achieving their targets and objectives.’
‘Oonagh Sands is a very capable and knowledgable individual, who stands out as being a very dependable legal focal point when discussing issues related to sovereignty and maritime boundaries.’
Key clients
Republic of Croatia
PL Holdings
The Islamic Republic of Pakistan
Elliott Advisors (UK)
Silver Point
Work highlights
- Continuing to advise an Asian state on various public international law questions, which relate to sovereignty, maritime delimitation, navigation, and international environmental law.
- Representing PL Holdings in proceedings before the European Court of Human Rights concerning the annulment by the Swedish Supreme Court of a BIT award against Poland (on EU law grounds following an intervention by the CJEU).
- Representing Pakistan in two proceedings against India under the 1960 Indus Waters Treaty, in relation to the design and construction by India of several dams on the Indus River system.
Dispute resolution > International arbitration Tier 4
'Unique 'public international law boutique Fietta LLP is best known for its representation of both investor and respondent state clients in major investor-state arbitrations. Name partner Stephen Fietta KC is 'a stellar lawyer', whose track record includes high-profile territorial and maritime disputes; Jiries Saadeh ‘has substantial experience in international arbitrations involving investment disputes‘; and recently-promoted partner Ashique Rahman represents states and foreign investors in their public international law disputes. Laura Rees-Evans and Oonagh Sands are experienced counsels.
Practice head(s):
Stephen Fietta KC; Jiries Saadeh; Ashique Rahman
Other key lawyers:
Testimonials
‘What makes Fietta LLP’s dispute resolution practice unique in international arbitration is its concentration on investment disputes. Probably the best public international law and investment arbitration firm in the UK.’
‘Excellent quality of legal services that are tailored towards the client’s needs.’
‘Of course Stephen Fietta is a stellar lawyer, but everybody knows that already!’
‘Stephen Fietta determines the strategic approach in complex arbitration cases, and has solid team leadership skills when the members of the legal team are from various offices or chambers.
‘Ashique Rahman is great. A superb lawyer and very easy to work with.’
‘Jiries Saadeh is highly professional during fact-finding processes, whether analysing facts or determining the key elements of the dispute. He has substantial experience in international arbitrations involving investment disputes.’
‘They have a unique approach in terms of investment treaty arbitration. A very complete and easy-to-work-with team.’
‘The firm is responsive and works very well with other law firms.’
Key clients
Republic of Croatia
PL Holdings
Elliott Advisors (UK)
Silver Point
Work highlights
- Counsel to over 900 Greek and Luxembourgian investors (depositors and bondholders in Cyprus Popular Bank and the Bank of Cyprus) in a pending ICSID arbitration, brought under two bilateral investment treaties against Cyprus.
- Representing a respondent state in an ad hoc UNCITRAL arbitration, brought by a Canadian investor under a bilateral investment treaty, involving issues of state succession in former Yugoslavia.
- Representing three Mauritian claimants, which are corporate members of two global investment management firms, in an ICSID claim brought under a bilateral investment agreement between Mauritius and Portugal.
Fietta LLP > Firm Profile
Fietta LLP is a law firm dedicated to public international law (PIL) and international arbitration. The Fietta practice comprises a unique team of specialists with broad-based experience advising States, international organisations, multinational corporations and private clients across a range of international law matters. Fietta lawyers have acted as counsel on some of the largest and most important PIL disputes of the past two decades. They have won a number of the most substantial or significant victories seen in investment arbitration cases globally over recent years. The firm also has a busy advisory practice, advising State (and other) clients on some of the most sensitive and important PIL issues of the day.
International Arbitration: investor-state arbitration:
Fietta LLP is one of the few law firms in the world that specialises in investor-State disputes and public international law. At all levels of the firm, our lawyers have substantial experience advising States, multinational corporations, individuals and international organisations across a broad range of international law matters. Our lawyers have won cases as counsel in treaty arbitrations across all regions of the globe. We advise on the full life-cycle of foreign investments, from the initial structuring of an investment, to the operation of an investment, the avoidance or settlement of related disputes and the pursuit or defence of arbitral proceedings on behalf of the investor or State. Fietta’s lawyers have been involved in around 50 decided and pending investment arbitration and associated court proceedings around the world. Unlike many other leading investment arbitration practices, we have acted regularly for both investor and State parties. Our lawyers have won some of the largest arbitral awards in the history of investment arbitration. In the past five years alone, our lawyers have secured four separate investment treaty merit awards worth US$100 million or more, and total awards and favourable settlements in excess of US$1.3 billion. We are regularly chosen to advise on some of the most complex and novel investor-State disputes, including those involving multiple parties and/or multiple treaties. We have acted in investor-State disputes involving a wide array of economic sectors and industries.
Public international law (advisory and contentious):
We have a leading advisory practice in public international law. We have advised sovereign clients on many high-profile and sensitive public international law questions. We have recently advised clients on issues of, inter alia, State responsibility, Statehood and sovereignty, sovereign immunity, treaty interpretation, law of the sea, international environmental law, foreign investment law, international human rights, international humanitarian law, State succession, international refugee law, as well as UN law and procedure. Our lawyers have represented State clients in disputes before a variety of international courts, tribunals and other dispute fora, including the International Court of Justice (ICJ), the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA), the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR), the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU), ad hoc arbitration under Annex VII of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and ad hoc mediation under the auspices of the United Nations. We have also represented State clients in a range of public international law cases before domestic courts. Our State clients have enjoyed a positive outcome (win or positive settlement) in all concluded State-to-State disputes in which we have acted as counsel. A number of our State representations have involved disputes over territorial sovereignty, the delimitation of land and maritime boundaries, environmental damage and human rights. We are uniquely equipped to assist with the management, coordination and advocacy of such complex, multifaceted and sensitive cases, or in the conduct of negotiations prior to invocation of third-party procedures.
Main Contacts
| Department | Name | Telephone | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Founder and principal | Stephen Fietta KC | stephen.fietta@fiettalaw.com | |
| Partner | Jiries Saadeh | jiries.saadeh@fiettalaw.com | |
| Partner | Ashique Rahman | ashique.rahman@fiettalaw.com |
Lawyer Profiles
| Photo | Name | Position | Profile |
|---|---|---|---|
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Miglena Angelova | Miglena Angelova is a dually-qualified English and French lawyer, and Associate at… | View Profile |
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Eileen Crowley | Eileen Crowley is a dual-qualified English and US lawyer, and an Associate… | View Profile |
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Mr Stephen Fietta | Stephen Fietta KC founded Fietta LLP in 2015. He has practised at… | View Profile |
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Gershon Hasin | Dr. Gershon Hasin is a qualified US lawyer. He has extensive experience… | View Profile |
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Laura Rees-Evans | Laura is an English-qualified solicitor and Solicitor-Advocate (Higher Courts Civil Proceedings). Laura’s… | View Profile |
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Oonagh Sands | Oonagh Sands is a dually-qualified English and US lawyer: she is an… | View Profile |
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Abdullah Tariq | Abdullah Tariq is a Pakistani-qualified lawyer and Associate at Fietta LLP. Abdullah… | View Profile |
Staff Figures
Number of UK partners : 3 Number of other UK fee-earners : 7Languages
French Italian Spanish Bulgarian RussianDiversity
Fietta LLP operates on the principles of equality and diversity, ensuring that all members of staff are treated fairly and with dignity and respect. It seeks to recruit and retain the best candidates, regardless of background, and considers that no member of staff, client, supplier or other third party should be unlawfully discriminated against, victimised or harassed because of their actual or perceived sex, marriage and civil partnership, gender reassignment, pregnancy and maternity, race (including colour, nationality and ethnic or national origins), religion or belief, sexual orientation, age or disability, or that of someone associated with them.
Unlawful discrimination, victimisation and harassment are all contrary to Fietta LLP’s values.
Diversity
Fietta LLP operates on the principles of equality and diversity, ensuring that all members of staff are treated fairly and with dignity and respect. It seeks to recruit and retain the best candidates, regardless of background, and considers that no member of staff, client, supplier or other third party should be unlawfully discriminated against, victimised or harassed because of their actual or perceived sex, marriage and civil partnership, gender reassignment, pregnancy and maternity, race (including colour, nationality and ethnic or national origins), religion or belief, sexual orientation, age or disability, or that of someone associated with them.
Unlawful discrimination, victimisation and harassment are all contrary to Fietta LLP’s values.
- Dispute resolution > Public international law
Top Tier Firm Rankings
- Dispute resolution > International arbitration