International arbitration

Browne Jacobson's specialist arbitration lawyers provide comprehensive support and advice on issues relating to all aspects of international commercial and investment treaty arbitration and public international law.

We have a wide range of expertise, from successfully representing clients in the natural resources, technology and healthcare sectors to acting for States in significant and high-profile investment disputes arising out of alleged treaty breaches. We have acted in cases conducted under all major rules, including ICSID, UNCITRAL, LCIA, ICC, SIAC, VIAC and AAA. We  have experience with third-party funded cases, both on the respondent and claimant side.

What we do

• Draft arbitration agreements.
• Provide advice on corporate structuring to benefit from treaty protection in relation to high-value investments.
• Act in all stages of the arbitration process, including jurisdiction, merits and valuation.
• Provide advice in relation to arbitrator selection and the constitution of the tribunal.
• Prepare and defend bifurcation applications. 
• Provide advice in relation to third-party funding options.
• Conduct advocacy at hearings.
• Assist with the collection of evidence for use in proceedings.
• Seek or resist injunctive or interim relief from tribunals.
• Act in domestic court proceedings in support of arbitration.
• Act in enforcement proceedings arising from arbitration awards.
• Co-ordinate litigation strategy in multi-jurisdictional disputes.
• Provide training sessions on all aspects of international arbitration.

Our international arbitration expertise

International commercial arbitration – we advise clients on all aspects of international commercial arbitration, including providing advice on arbitration agreements, contract review and conducting arbitration proceedings from the notice of dispute through to the enforcement of arbitration awards. We routinely work with industry, technical and valuation experts and often co-counsel with lawyers from other jurisdictions in the pursuit of our clients’ case. We have experience in acting in the energy, oil and gas, construction, healthcare, technology, aviation, insurance and other sectors.

Investment treaty arbitration – our lawyers are experts in investment treaty arbitration and have acted in a significant number of such cases, including in the mining, oil and gas, tourism and hospitality, construction and technology sectors. Our lawyers have extensive experience in acting for both States and private clients in such disputes.

Public international law – our lawyers have experience in advising States on complex public international law issues, including treaty and trade negotiations and disputes, designing dispute resolution bodies for international organisations, advising States in cases pending before the International Court of Justice and representing States before domestic courts, including in relation to questions of sovereign immunity.

Enforcement of arbitration awards – we advise clients on all issues arising out of the enforcement of arbitration awards before domestic courts, whether this involves seeking the enforcement of an arbitration award or resisting its enforcement.

Capacity building – we have extensive experience in training both sovereign States and private clients in all matters regarding international arbitration. For example, our lawyers have delivered bespoke training courses to high-ranking government officials of a Middle Eastern State and the Attorney General’s Office of a Western African State.

Treaty structuring – we assist clients in structuring their inward or outward investments in a manner that allows them to benefit from the substantive protection of bilateral or multilateral investment treaties in the event a dispute arises. This is particularly relevant in times of economic uncertainly and heightened geopolitical tensions.

Contact us