Ms Sarah Vasani > CMS > London, England > Lawyer Profile

CMS
CANNON PLACE
78 CANNON STREET
LONDON
EC4N 6AF
England
Sarah Vasani photo

Position

Partner, Co-Head of International Arbitration

Career

Sarah is Co-Head of International Arbitration at CMS Cameron McKenna Nabarro Olswang LLP, a role covering the U.K., Central and Eastern Europe, the UAE, Singapore, Turkiye, China, Brazil and Mexico. She is a seasoned international arbitration lawyer specialising in both international commercial arbitration and investor state disputes, representing clients before all key arbitral institutions including the LCIA, DIFC-LCIA, ICC, ICDR, SIAC, HKAIC, SCC, ICSID, and in arbitrations conducted under the UNCITRAL Rules, and foreign investment laws. She is dual-qualified in England & Wales and the U.S. (Texas and Washington D.C.), is a Solicitor-Advocate of the Higher Courts of England and Wales, and works in both English and Spanish.

In addition to advocating for her clients’ interests before international tribunals, Sarah advises clients on investment (re)structuring, and on strategies, options, and tactics for minimising the prospects of full-blown disputes. She is an adroit counsellor on managing and sharing the risks of arbitration through third-party funding, ATE insurance, and conditional-fee and damages-based agreements, and enforcing arbitral awards.  She has particular experience in energy, oil and gas, mining, and other large scale project disputes in Africa, the Middle East, Central Asia, the Indian Subcontinent, and Latin America and has represented many of the leading global energy and construction companies. Sarah regularly sits as party-nominated, sole, and presiding arbitrator.

Memberships

  • Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators.
  • Member of the Panel of Arbitrators for the CIArb’s Business Arbitration Scheme.
  • Member of the International Mediation Institute (IMI) Investor-State Mediation Taskforce (2017-present), and head of the Singapore Convention subgroup (2018-present).
  • Pledge for Green Arbitration, Steering Committee

Education

  • 2006 – Juris Doctorate, Vanderbilt University Law School
  • 2002 – Bachelor of Arts, International Relations, Michigan State University
  • 2002 – Bachelor of Science, Agriculture & Natural Resources Communications,  Michigan State University
  • Specialisations: Latin American and Caribbean Studies, Environmental

Lawyer Rankings

London > Dispute resolution > Public international law

CMS‘ London group covers a range of public international law issues, including jurisdiction, immunity and enforcement matters. The team also comprises experts in expropriations, The Law of the Sea, treaty law, state responsibility, international institutional law, and obtaining evidence for use in overseas proceedings. The practice further encompasses sanctions and investor-state arbitrations. Karen Denny represents sovereign states and international organisations in public international law matters; Pieter Bekker leads the investment arbitration task force; and Sarah Vasani is ‘a standout practitioner’.

London > Dispute resolution > International arbitration

(Leading partners)

Sarah Vasani – CMS

CMS is well known for its representation in arbitrations across the energy, infrastructure, construction, TMT, insurance, and life sciences sectors. The practice houses experts in climate change-related disputes and the intersection between arbitration and IP rights. The firm also maintains a robust investor-state arbitration offering. Richard Bamforth specialises in international commercial arbitration, both as counsel and arbitrator. Sarah Vasani has ‘a proven track record in arbitration’ and Phillip Ashley is an energy disputes expert. Guy Pendell routinely handles major corporate and commercial disputes. Other names to note are Adrian BellSarah Grenfell, Philip Norman, Louise Boswell and Kushal Gandhi.