With ‘terrific capability and expertise at all years of call’, Essex Court Chambers continues to lead in public international law, with members appearing in high-profile cases before the ICJ, ITLOS and a range of domestic courts. The ’unfailingly polite, respectful and cogent’ Sam Wordsworth KC recently defended the Government of Azerbaijan in ICJ cases against Armenia, in which both states accuse each other of violating the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination. At the junior level the set includes the ‘phenomenally clever’ Sean Aughey who has acted on behalf of Iran concerning the legality of US sanctions under international law. ’Precise and compelling’, Tariq Baloch KC joined the Chambers in 2024 and is highly prominent in international treaty arbitration cases, with recent success representing Spain in the Court of Appeal concerning the registration of a €120m ICSID award against it. Hugh Mercer KC is now the British judge on the European Court of Human Rights.
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Mentions
Profile
Position
In private practice as a barrister since 1997, specialising in public international law, including investment treaty arbitration. Regularly advises and appears as counsel before international courts and tribunals including the International Court of Justice, and also before the English courts in matters involving public international law.
He has been instructed on many ICSID, ICC, LCIA, UNCITRAL, NAI and ad hoc arbitrations as well as in arbitrations before the Iran/US Claims Tribunal and claims before the UNCC. He is regularly instructed by the UK government on cases involving public international law (before international tribunals, the ECtHR, the CJEU and in the domestic courts).
He is a visiting professor teaching investment arbitration at Kings College, London.
Career
Called 1997, Lincoln’s Inn (prior to which, qualified as solicitor in 1991); avocat at the Paris bar in 1994; visiting professor, investment arbitration, King’s College, London.
Languages
Fluent French (written and oral).
Memberships
American Society of International Law; British Institute of International and Comparative Law, Public International Law Advisory Panel; Commercial Bar Association (COMBAR).
Education
University College, London (BA (First Class Hons)); London School of Economics (LLM).
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Testimonials
Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.
- 'Ben Perry in particular, the Deputy Senior Clerk is excellent.'
- 'The clerks’ room provides an excellent service – responsive, efficient, and easy to work with. In particular, we worked with Melissa Wood, Sydney Ekiyo and Fabiha Begum, and found them to be highly professional and efficient.'
- 'The set is exceptionally well run. The clerks are responsive, efficient, and always accommodating, which makes instructing counsel a smooth and reliable process. Counsel are consistently available, even at short notice, which reflects both the strength of the set’s organisation and its client-focused approach.'
- 'Essex Court Chambers are one of the, if not the, top set for international law.
- 'Without doubt, Essex Court Chambers has great depth of strength in international law and investment arbitration. There is terrific capability and expertise in these matters at all years of call.'