Dominic Roughton is a partner in the dispute resolution practice with extensive experience in international arbitration, including public international law, and international litigation. Dominic is thought to be unique in Asia for his experience of international boundary disputes and state to state dispute resolution procedures. He has acted and advised upon matters arising from all major industry sectors but has particular industry experience in energy and TMT-related disputes, including joint venture and shareholder disputes.
Dominic has acted in arbitrations under the auspices of the ICC, LCIA, SCC and PCA and before both pure ad hoc and UNCITRAL tribunals. Many of his cases have involved jurisdictional disputes concerning parallel proceedings, both before other arbitral tribunals and in US and other national courts. He has recently published an article on international law titled "The rights (and wrongs) of capture: international law and the implications of the Guyana/Suriname arbitration".
He is licensed to advise upon English law in Japan as a Gaikokuho Jimu Bengoshi and is the Official Representative of the LCIA in Japan.
Dominic has advised:
- a South Asian state in relation to its maritime boundary disputes, CLCS arbitration and Annex VII arbitration
- retained by the Government of Japan in relation to negotiation of the investment protection provisions of its EPA and FTA treaties
- a consortium of Japanese companies in relation to various disputes over a $300 million construction contract for a European power station governed by an UNCITRAL arbitration clause
- an Asian state oil company in relation to its rights under public international law against a CIS state in relation to a threatened expropriation
- an oil company on behalf of itself and its co-venturers in relation to resolution of the 30 year dispute between Thailand and Cambodia over the Overlapping Claims Area (OCA) in the Gulf of Thailand.
- a South East Asian Government in relation to the negotiation of the maritime delimitation treaty and joint development agreement with another sovereign state.
- a Japanese telecommunications company in relation to disputed IP rights under a joint venture and licensing agreements governed by UNCITRAL arbitration clauses in the Netherlands. The matter also involved injunctive proceedings in Germany
Accolades
"Leading individual - Dispute Resolution: foreign firms in Japan"
Asia Pacific Legal 500, 2005-2010
"Excellent"
Who's Who Legal, 2007/08
"Clients recognise Roughton for his superb legal intelligence, 'first-rate brain and academic approach'."
Chambers Asia 2009
"The firm has a prominence in Asia due to the practice [PIL] of Dominic Roughton in Tokyo"
Chambers Global 2008
"Clients are impressed with Dominic Roughton's 'extensive knowledge of international law' and his 'precise and effective interpretation and presentation'.”
Chambers Global 2008
"The firm has also sewn up the market in Asia in terms of PIL advice, in the shape of Dominic Roughton in Tokyo"
Chambers UK 2008
"Dominic Roughton has been retained by the Japanese government as its main adviser on international investment treaties and is one of the few experts in this area in Asia; he is also a “bright, capable, clear-thinking” disputes lawyer with an enviable client base"
Chambers Global 2008
"Aggressive, commercially practical and, above all, client-centred"
Chambers Global 2007