The reality of business today is that it is increasingly a global venture. Arbitration has emerged as the preferred mechanism for many companies seeking to settle commercial and investment disputes, particularly those with cross-border element.
Herbert Smith has one of the leading dedicated international arbitration practices among the world’s major law firms. The group has a top-tier reputation for proficiency in handling the increasing sophistication of international arbitration and in responding to and shaping market practice. We have a core team of specialist arbitration lawyers who deal with a complex, high-value and international caseload of arbitrations from a broad client base. Clients include governments, state-owned entities, financial institutions and major corporations, involved in the following industry sectors amongst others:
- major infrastructure projects
- oil and gas exploration and production
- life sciences and hi-tech products, from research through to sale
- major global telecoms transactions
Eurotunnel, the Coca Cola Company, BP, ChevronTexaco, Philips, PricewaterhouseCoopers, the US Department of Justice, Government of Hong Kong, Vodafone, Roche and Daewoo are all clients of our international arbitration team.
As well as our general international commercial arbitration practice, members of our team also specialise in:
- investment arbitration with a particular focus on disputes arising out of foreign investment in new economies, such as Africa, China, Russia and the former CIS states and
- advisory work on matters of public international law, including sanctions and boundary disputes.
The Herbert Smith team has worked in all of the key jurisdictions and advised on some of the largest arbitrations of recent times wherever the place of arbitration, including London, Paris, Geneva, Zurich, the Hague, New York, Washington, Stockholm, Dubai, Hong Kong, Singapore and Shanghai. In the process, we have developed an unrivalled knowledge of the cultural differences and subtleties of approach of each of the major arbitration venues and institutions.
Our leading arbitration experts work from our offices in London, Paris, Moscow, Tokyo, Hong Kong, Singapore, Bangkok, Dubai and Shanghai, as part of a fully integrated global network. This great strength in key commercial regions outside - as well as within - the traditional Western European centres is a unique feature of our arbitration practice. We conduct cases that are subject to a broad spectrum of laws from the civil and common law systems, with our arbitration specialists working alongside lawyers from respected local firms whenever necessary.
We conduct arbitrations under the rules of all of the major institutions, as well as numerous ad hoc arbitrations. We have also built relationships with the leading arbitrators, institutions and other stakeholders within international arbitration; a valuable asset for our clients when considering strategic issues such as the seat of arbitration and the selection and appointment of arbitrators.
International Arbitration Law Firm of the Year in China, North Asia and South East Asia
Asian-Counsel Awards 2009
Litigation team of the Year
The Lawyer Awards 2009
Herbert Smith - best litigation practice
Vault Guide to the Top 50 UK Law Firms 2007