International
Arbitration
Clients facing complex, high-value international business disputes are increasingly looking to international arbitration to resolve them. Paul, Weiss positions companies and investors to secure the most favorable decisions possible, drawing on our team’s nuanced understanding of the how arbitration institutions function, and our lawyers’ unsurpassed skills, confidence and track record as litigators. Whether devising a winning strategy before a claim is filed, seeking emergency or expedited measures, advocating before an arbitral panel, or overseeing post-award proceedings, our focus is on positioning our clients to secure the most favorable results possible.
Our lawyers have appeared before all major international arbitration centers, including the ICC, AAA/ ICDR, SIAC, ICSID, and ad-hoc UNCITRAL proceedings. They are fluent in multiple foreign languages and hold practicing rights in key arbitral jurisdictions including England & Wales, Singapore, France, Canada, Australia, Ireland and Belgium. Our lawyers have clerked at key international arbitration courts such as the Permanent Court of Arbitration, and they have been appointed as tribunal secretaries to renowned arbitrators in high-value claims. Our international capabilities are reinforced by our offices in the EU (London and Brussels) and Asia (Hong Kong, and Tokyo), with some of our lawyers being honorary members of COMBAR, the London commercial barristers organization.
The team handles a wide range of complex cross-border disputes, including high-value claims arising from sales, supply, distribution and other agreements; loans and recapitalizations; insurance disputes; joint ventures, M&A transactions and other transactions across borders; and alleged breaches in investment contracts. We also have experience in complex arbitration claims involving construction and defense contracts; franchise and financial data agreements; oil-and-gas supply and transportation contracts; and others. In recent years, our lawyers have secured among the highest-value arbitral wins, including complete defense victories in two consecutive multibillion-dollar claims. We also routinely advise clients on matters of international or foreign law, including regarding the taking of discovery pursuant to the Hague Evidence Convention, or the application of foreign export control, privacy, among others.
Recent Engagements
- Obtaining a favorable award on behalf of Citigroup in a $7.5 billion ICDR arbitration brought by the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority. The three-person arbitration panel unanimously decided in our client’s favor. The ruling was subsequently upheld by the Southern District of New York, and by the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit.
- Successfully obtaining an injunction in aid of arbitration for Invar International, Inc. and Talex International, LLC which ordered the respondent, a major Turkish power company, to prevent its affiliate from foreclosing on a $780 million project finance loan pending a Geneva Chamber of Commerce arbitration.
- Successfully representing a state-owned electric company in an LCIA arbitration concerning a $200 million dispute with a midstream marketer of natural gas over spiking of gas prices during a major weather event, including early termination damages for the dissolution of a long-term gas supply agreement.
- Acting for a global private equity firm in a SIAC arbitration concerning oppressive conduct by one of India’s most valuable startups, seeking damages of $200 million.
- Securing a substantial cash payment and other favorable terms on behalf of a German-based IT company in the radiotherapy field in an AAA/ICDR arbitration (and parallel Delaware litigation) regarding a dispute under a long-running sales contract.
- Successfully representing the Santa Barbara Hospitality, N.V., in a ICDR arbitration against Hyatt involving alleged breaches of a hotel management agreement involving a 350-room luxury resort in the Caribbean. The tribunal ruled that SBH properly terminated Hyatt under the hotel management agreement and that Hyatt breached its fiduciary duties, resulting in the Panel awarding SBH damages.
- Negotiating a favorable settlement on behalf of a leading producer of premium men’s grooming and skin care products in a dispute with its Russian distributor concerning allegations of product diversion. Our client was able to avoid formal ICDR arbitration proceedings while also recovering unsold product and unwound its relationship with the Russian distributor.
- Achieving a favorable settlement on behalf of a Japanese electronics company in an ICC arbitration against a Chinese solar module manufacturer concerning breaches of a purchase agreement.
- Representing a private equity firm in an ICC arbitration brought by another private equity firm that alleged breaches of the purchase agreement for interests in a South American technology company. The matter was successfully resolved prior to hearing.
- Securing a final award of more than $24 million for a Thai chemical company in an ICC arbitration concerning a dispute over pricing and disclosure obligations under a long-term purchase and sale agreement.
- Representing a Chinese-based telecommunications company in an ICC arbitration in Hong Kong with respect to a patent licensing dispute arising from a joint venture transaction with a global communications technology company.
- Successfully obtaining relief for a publicly-traded financial institution in ICC emergency arbitration proceedings, requiring the counterparty to adhere to the contract and provide services during pendency of a dispute.
- Representing a large independent crude oil and natural gas producer and its insurer in a UK Arbitration Act arbitration against their reinsurer regarding a dispute arising out of damages suffered at an off-shore oil platform.
- Representing a global oil and gas company in a UK Arbitration Act dispute with its reinsurance carrier regarding property damage coverage for a Gulf of Mexico oil platform destroyed by Hurricane Ike.
- Representing an international sports organization in a nationwide class action seeking injunctive relief in the form of rules changes and medical monitoring. Paul, Weiss moved to compel arbitration based on the applicability of the mandatory arbitration provision in the organization’s bylaws calling for arbitration of disputes in the Court of Arbitration for Sport. The organization was dismissed with prejudice and without leave to replead.
- Achieving a favorable settlement for Lundin Mining Corporation in litigation and arbitration proceedings against an affiliate of an Arizona-based natural resources company in relation to the parties’ mining operations in the Democratic Republic.
