Samuel Pape > Latham & Watkins > London, England > Lawyer Profile

‘One of the premier international arbitration practices in the London market’, Latham & Watkins‘ London team acts across the range of commercial and investment treaty arbitration, including oil and gas-related disputes over investments, pricing, terminations, post-M&A issues, and the construction of pipelines and LNG vessels. It is also highly experienced in private equity disputes. On the investment arbitration side, the team acts for both investors and respondent states. An expert in oil and gas, energy, construction, shareholder and joint venture disputes, Philip Clifford KC has ‘an encyclopaedic knowledge of international arbitration law and practice‘. Sophie Lamb KC acts throughout Europe, Asia, Africa, and the US in arbitrations, under all the principal arbitration rules. The practice also features Charles Claypoole, who represents corporations and states in high-profile matters and ‘excellent lawyer’ Robert Price. Samuel Pape‘s track record includes acting as an advocate in both investment treaty and commercial arbitrations. The next line of experienced practitioners comprises Charles Rae, Stephanie Forrest, Isuru Devendra and Rebecca Angelini. In March 2024, former partner Oliver Browne left the firm.

According to one client, Latham & Watkins is ‘simply the best law firm around when it comes to investment treaty arbitration’. The London team advises on a range of public international law issues, including international boundary law and Law of the Sea disputes, as well as investment treaty and international trade law, sanctions, sovereign immunity, international humanitarian legislation, and human rights law. It also acts for states in major investment treaty arbitrations. The practice is headed by Charles Claypoole, who is ‘one of the London market’s most knowledgeable and experienced public international law practitioners’. Claypoole is particularly focused on investment treaty arbitration, international trade law, and state immunity issues. The team also includes Sophie Lamb KC, who has an enviable track record in successfully representing investors and sovereign states in investment treaty disputes; Robert Price, whose workload encompasses investment treaty arbitrations, international trade, export control law and international trade sanctions; and investment treaty arbitration expert Samuel Pape. Other names to note are Thomas Lane, ‘a star of the future’; and Isuru Devendra, who acts in disputes concerning investment treaties, free trade agreements, national investment laws, and joint venture agreements.

Latham & Watkins‘s Latin America international arbitration practice primarily sits in its Paris, New York and London offices. The expanding team is adept in English, Spanish and Portuguese proceedings and continues to achieve growth in commercial arbitrations, notably in post-M&A disputes; the firm is a market leader in Latin America M&A. With its ‘outstanding and reliable associates to take on highly complex tasks‘ the firm is at the forefront of energy, oil and gas, and natural resources cases, with additional progress in pharmaceuticals and construction disputes. The department represents both states and investors, although it has more of an emphasis on company representation. Fernando Mantilla-Serrano (‘attention to details makes the difference‘) is global co-chair of the international arbitration practice and is a recognised leader in Latin America disputes. Fellow global co-chair and New York-based John Pierce brought further weight to the team when he joined in 2022; while less focused on Latin America, he nevertheless has plenty of experience in the region. New York counsel Santiago Bejarano (‘very kind, extremely intelligent, he always makes himself available‘) is another genuine Latin America specialist; while London’s Samuel Pape, elected to the partnership in 2023, has a fine record in the region, having represented the Republic of Colombia in a series of ICSID cases and acted for clients in a range of commercial arbitrations. Associates Esperanza Barrón-Baratech and Diego Romero (who ‘stands out in the group of lawyers at Latham & Watkins‘) are also key team members. Named individuals are based in Paris unless stated otherwise.