Project Finance
United States
07 May 2025
DLA Piper LLP (US)‘s team is commended for taking a ’pragmatic and creative be approach to very difficult and complex projects’. The firm is particularly skilled at handling cross-border enforcement as well as asset recovery. The team notably recently achieved a high value victory for Rusoro Mining Limited linked to the enforcement of a $1.5 billion award against Venezuela. The team also has expertise in the energy sector, acting on complex Energy Charter Treaty enforcement matters. Ilana Eisenstein chairs the practice, based in Philadelphia, while in New York, James Berger and Loren Brown lead the practice. Berger focuses on the enforcement of arbitral awards and foreign judgments, and routinely advises on insurance and asset recovery issues to leading litigation funders and insurers. Also in New York, Charlene Sun and Joseph Wan are noted.
Legal 500 Editorial commentary
Testimonials
Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.
‘James Berger and Charlene Sun are an outstanding team and proposition. They are true experts in the field of enforcement, which is rare indeed, and they take a pragmatic and creative approach to very difficult and complex projects.They are collaborative and very good to work with. Our chosen counsel for international enforcement projects.’
‘The strength of the practice is the breadth. They can bring in experts from different areas whenever that is necessary. Furthermore, they are creative in their strategic approach, really think along with the client. ’
‘James Berger is really good. He is very determined, listens to the client's demands and develops a strategy that fits those demands. He is also able to adjust the strategy if the circumstances change. He is great during court hearings, manages to convince the judges. Finally, he is a great guy to work with. Very pleasant, humoristic. He is the kind of lawyer that you want on your side. ’
Key clients
- Rusoro Mining Limited
- Cube Infrastructure Managers
- Third Eye Capital
- Gebre LLC
- Olin Holdings Limited
- Han Qin
- Gustavo Villoldo
- IC Power Ltd. And Kenon Holdings Ltd.
- De Well Container Shipping Inc.
- Mercuria Energy Group Ltd.
Work highlights
Won enforcement of $1.5 billion arbitration award against Venezuela arising out of Venezuela's expropriation of Rusoro’s gold mining assets and succeeded in piercing the corporate veil between Venezuela and PDVSA to reach PDVSA's assets for purposes of satisfying Rusoro’s judgment. Represented Rusoro in connection with continued contested litigation related to sale of PDVSA assets.
Won enforcement of $110 million arbitration award arising out of failed M&A transaction. Coordinated arbitral enforcement process in both the U.S. and India, and successfully obtained a temporary restraining order over judgment debtors’ assets in U.S. and abroad, and represented Uphealth in appellate proceedings before U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit.
Won arbitration award on behalf of U.S.- and China-based corporations in connection with corporate governance dispute. Successfully defended award in first-impression judicial proceedings brought by award creditors to invalidate arbitration agreement.
Lawyers
Practice head
James E. Berger; Ilana Hope Eisenstein; Loren H. Brown
Other key lawyers
Charlene Sun; Joseph Wan