Washington DC Elite
The ‘excellent and specialised international arbitration practice’ at Three Crowns LLP acting for leading multinationals in high-profile disputes, with expertise spanning commercial, investor-state, and state-to-state cases. Based in Washington DC, the team has a dedicated practice representing sovereigns, with experience handling matters for the Kingdom of Bahrain, and Republic of Chile. Team head Luke Sobota frequently acts as lead counsel in investor-State and commercial disputes, acting on investment arbitrations involving multi-billion-dollar claims related to expropriation, and denial of justice, demonstrating the human rights expertise of the practice. Liz Snodgrass ’provides first rate advice’ and is skilled at handling arbitrations in the aerospace, financial services, and oil and gas sectors, while Scott Vesel has experience acting on significant international arbitrations, including recently representing a consortium including four oil supermajors in relation to disputes with the Republic of Kazakhstan. Simon Consedine also leads the team, and notably represents clients in the construction and private equity industries. Nicola Peart is noted. Charles (Chuck) Kotuby joined the practice in March 2024 from Jones Day.
Legal 500 Editorial commentary
Mentions
Profile
Work Department
International Arbitration
Position
Liz, a partner in the Washington, DC office, has more than twenty-five years of experience as an advocate and adviser in international arbitration matters. Her practice is a mix of commercial and investment treaty arbitration, across a range of industry sectors and for clients based in the US and around the world. Liz has particular expertise handling disputes involving States and State entities, including investment treaty cases, fiscal disputes under long-term contracts, and disputes that implicate both contract and treaty protections.
Liz is recognized in leading directories. Chambers & Partners notes that Liz is particularly well regarded for her expertise in the energy sector, and handles both commercial and investment treaty disputes. Clients note: “She is very impressive; a great lawyer with strong analytical skills,” adding that she “knows the client’s needs and works to understand their business”, and Who’s Who Legal notes that she has “a brilliant legal mind” and offers “wise counsel” in arbitrations.
Career
Liz is a member of the International Bar Association, the Advisory Board of the Institute for Transnational Arbitration, and the North American Users’ Council of the LCIA.
Liz holds degrees from the University of Virginia and the University of Oxford. At Virginia, she was an Articles Editor for the Virginia Law Review. She clerked for the Hon. Judge J.H. Wilkinson, then Chief Judge of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit. Liz regularly speaks and teaches on international arbitration and global disputes, including appointments at University College London (2007-2012), American University’s Washington College of Law (2019-2024), and Georgetown University (2021-2024).
Languages
English
Education
University of Virginia (1994 BA; 1997 JD)
University of Oxford (2001 BCL; 2002 MPhil)
Content supplied by Three Crowns LLP
Testimonials
Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.
‘Excellent and specialised international arbitration practice’
‘Liz Snodgrass provides first rate advice, is very responsive and directly available. Excellent advocacy skills’
Key clients
- Boeing
- ExxonMobil
- Elliott Associates
- Chevron
- ContourGlobal
- Viorel Micula
- Sultanate of Oman
Work highlights
Representing Elliott Associates in relation to a USD500+ million investment treaty claim against the Republic of Korea which is among the foremost cases on state corruption in the investment context.
Representing ContourGlobal Kosovo in its claims against the Government of the Republic of Kosovo and various publicly owned enterprises of the Republic of Kosovo in a London-seated ICC arbitration.