King & Spalding LLP > London, England > Firm Profile

King & Spalding LLP > The Legal 500 Rankings

Dispute resolution > International arbitration Tier 2

The track record for ‘leading international arbitration firm‘ King & Spalding LLP includes hundreds of arbitrations, administered by all the major international arbitration institutions (ICC, LCIA, ICSID, UNCITRAL, SIAC, HKIAC and SCC), as well as more specialised institutional arbitration forums, such as the Court of Arbitration for Sport and ad hoc arbitrations. The London team comprises no less than four silks, namely: Thomas Sprange KC, who works with clients from the energy, mining, projects, construction, telecoms, technology and financial services sectors (among others); John Savage KC, who is ‘among the best globally of his generation of arbitration practitioners‘; public international law expert Ben Emmerson KC; and Ruth Byrne KC, a 2022-appointed silk. The department also features international arbitration and trade expert Sajid Ahmed; Egishe Dzhazoyan, who has an ‘exceptional strategic approach‘; and energy, natural resources and financial services disputes specialist Giorgio Mandelli. Simon Maynard is an experienced senior associate.

Crime, fraud and licensing > Fraud: civil Tier 3

King & Spalding LLP has notable expertise in representing multi-nationals, states and high-net-worth individuals on both the claimant and defendant side in fraud trials, injunctions, freezing orders and asset recovery matters. It is well-positioned to advise on cross-border matters and in particular matters taking place in the energy and mining sectors. The team fields several Queens Counsel, among them practice co-head Thomas Sprange KC and Ruth Byrne KC. Fellow group head Sarah Walker is well versed in the financial sector.

Projects, energy and natural resources > Oil and gas Tier 3

King & Spalding LLP is ‘highly responsive and showcases exceptional industry knowledge’. The London team sits as part of a wider global team which caters to large multinational clients on a range of transactional and disputes work. In April 2022, Richard Nelson and Kelly Malone relocated from the Singapore office and Nina Howell joined from Bracewell (UK) LLP. Nelson and Howell now head the team, with Nelson recommended for upstream, midstream and LNG matters, and Howell advising on a range of energy-related corporate transactions internationally. Martin Hunt is recommended for M&A, and joint ventures, and is qualified in England and Wales, New York and Texas, and Nikhil Markanday is recommended for corporate, finance and investments work.

Real estate > Construction: contentious Tier 3

The construction and engineering disputes practice at King & Spalding LLP handles large-scale, complex international energy and infrastructure matters. It is well-regarded for its expertise in advising owner and contractor clients, with particular experience in delay disputes, engineering and design defects, and non-compliance matters. The team is co-headed by Vincent Rowan and Shareena Edmonds. Rowan has extensive experience in construction and engineering disputes, whilst Edmond’s practice focuses on international arbitration, specifically in relation to oil, gas, power, offshore and shipbuilding projects. Andrea Stauber was recently promoted to partner, and specialises in international commercial disputes.

Dispute resolution > Public international law Tier 4

King & Spalding LLP‘s department specialises in inter-state disputes involving territorial disputes, privileges, immunities, and international human rights. The team is also experienced in international and transnational criminal law, investment law, and the Law of the Sea. Group head Ben Emmerson KC is a PIL and international corporate risk management specialist.

Projects, energy and natural resources > Power (including electricity, nuclear and renewables) Tier 4

King & Spalding LLP is known for advising energy sponsors and lenders on the full lifecycle of energy assets including financings, international transactions and construction matters. Much of the work done is cross-border with the team acting for the largest electric utility in South Korea and advising on a hydropower plant in Mozambique. Kelly Malone focuses on development issues and co-heads the practice with Nikhil Markanday.

Risk advisory > Regulatory investigations and corporate crime (advice to corporates) Tier 4

King & Spalding LLP is active in representing major corporates and financial institutions, including standout client Deutsche Bank, in a wide range of financial crime cases, including high-stakes foreign exchange and misappropriation cases before UK and US courts, facing charges brought by regulators in the US and UK, as well as advising clients on due diligence and internal compliance issues relating to global anti-bribery and AML regulations. The firm’s cross-border expertise is notable, both due to the team’s ability to leverage its global presence, as well as the international expertise of the team, with practice co-head Aaron Stephens dual UK and US-qualified, and regularly co-ordinating criminal defence proceedings for major clients on both sides of the Atlantic. Co-head Robert Dedman focuses on financial services sector compliance work, while Joanna Harris is a senior associate with standout expertise in fraud and white-collar criminal defence matters on behalf of corporate and financial services clients.

Corporate and commercial > Financial services: contentious Tier 5

King & Spalding LLP is engaged by a variety of executives, managers, entrepreneurs, high-net-worth individuals, financial institutions and corporations. Aaron Stephens is renowned for his proficiency in anti-money laundering, market abuse, fraud and anti-corruption matters; he serves as practice co-head alongside Robert Dedman.

Dispute resolution > Commercial litigation: premium Tier 5

King & Spalding LLP is differentiated by the ratio of Queens Counsel present within its team, providing exceptional advocacy credentials. Ruth Byrne KC, John Savage KC and Ben Emmerson KC are all key players within the group, as is Thomas Sprange KC - who jointly heads up the practice, alongside Sarah Walker. As well as acting across the full roster of commercial disputes across the technology, aviation, energy and financial services sectors, the firm is regularly called on to handle interlocutory and injunctive matters.

Corporate and commercial > Financial services: non-contentious/regulatory Tier 6

King & Spalding LLP’s practice is co-headed by Aaron Stephens and Robert Dedman; the former is dual-qualified in the UK and US, often working in tangent with the firm’s US offices, and is well-versed in matters involving the FCA, PRA and SFO, among other regulatory agencies. Dedman leverages his experience as the head of enforcement at the Bank of England and PRA to support on an array of business-critical regulatory and enforcement advisory affairs.

Employment > Employers Tier 7

King & Spalding LLP is particularly recommended for cross-border employment projects, namely recruitment, Brexit-related exercises and investigations. Its lead partner Jules Quinn often works with in-house counsel of U.S and foreign multinationals on employee transfers, and the restructuring of European workforces.

India > Foreign firms Tier 2

King & Spalding LLP is well known in the market for its high-profile disputes work, including in large international arbitration and litigation proceedings. In addition to its contentious expertise, the practice handles corporate, private equity, projects and development work. The team is led by the Atlanta-based Rahul Patel, who is a key name for M&A and joint ventures. Thomas Sprange KC is based in London and has considerable experience in arbitration, commercial litigation, civil fraud and disputes matters, while Singapore’s Andrew Brereton is a name to note for cross-border financing and restructuring.

Singapore > Projects: foreign firms Tier 2

Latin America: International firms > International arbitration

Global international-arbitration powerhouse King & Spalding LLP represents clients in significant commercial and investment cases, as well as in arbitration-related litigation before courts around the world. Latin America, which accounts for more than half the firm’s pending arbitrations, is a key market for the ‘unparalleled’ practice, which is best known for its exemplary energy-industry track record, but which has also secured a string of notable victories in the aviation and manufacturing sectors (among others). The Latin America team is co-lead by experienced investment treaty and commercial arbitration practitioner Craig Miles, who divides his time between the firm’s Houston and fast-expanding Miami offices (the latter having opening its doors as recently as February 2022); ‘outstanding’ Houston-based international arbitration and public international law expert Roberto Aguirre Luzi; and international commercial and investment treaty dispute specialist Harry Burnett, who is among those to have relocated from New York to Miami. The highly respected and experienced Doak Bishop and international arbitration veteran Edward Kehoe, who co-lead the firm’s global international arbitration group, are also closely involved in Latin American matters. The practice group’s deep bench was further strengthened with the October-2021 hire of tri-qualified (Brazil, New York and Washington DC) Érica Franzetti from Dechert LLP – initially to the Washington DC team but now in Miami. Partners Kenneth Beale (Washington DC) and David Wallach (San Francisco) have also come on board during the course of 2021, joining from Boies Schiller Flexner LLP and Jones Day respectively. Elsewhere, Houston-based Fernando Rodriguez-Cortina -who has particular expertise in construction matters- was raised to the partnership in January 2022; and the New York office saw the arrival of civil and common law trained Samaa Haridi as partner from Hogan Lovells US LLP the following month. At a more junior level, tri-lingual associate Cedric Soule is rapidly gaining profile and is especially active in matters under ICSID and UNCITRAL rules relating to Chile, Ecuador and Peru.

United Arab Emirates > Dispute resolution: arbitration and international litigation

King & Spalding LLP’s global disputes team is headed by Edward Kehoe from New York, though key practitioners in Dubai include Ben Williams who is noted for his expertise in commercial litigation and arbitration. Senior associate Guillaume Hess focuses on disputes relating to the construction and operation of major projects and Kateryna Frolova has experience of energy arbitrations. Samaa Haridi recently joined from Hogan Lovells (United Arab Emirates) LLP.