The Legal Business Awards > Categories > International Arbitration Team of the Year

At a glance

2019 Winner

  • King & Spalding

2019 Shortlisted

  • Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom - HIGHLY COMMENDED | David Herlihy, Bruce Macaulay
  • Boies Schiller Flexner | Kenneth Beale, Natasha Harrison
  • DLA Piper | Kate Cervantes-Knox, Ben Sanderson
  • Hogan Lovells | Markus Burgstaller
  • Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan | Boris Bronfentrinker, Nick Marsh

Previous Years

Select a year below to download a .pdf of the previous winners and nominees.

International Arbitration Team of the Year

The winner of this award will demonstrate pre-eminent advice in a single international arbitration matter, be that acting for private corporates, investors, state-owned enterprises or states themselves in international commercial arbitration or investment treaty arbitration.

2019 Winner

King & Spalding

Tom Sprange QC

Successfully defended Reliance Industries against a $1.7bn UNCITRAL claim brought by the government of India. The claimants had argued the client had sold gas from blocks adjacent to the one it was licensed to operate, with the outcome of great significance to the oil and gas industry.

Shortlisted

Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom - HIGHLY COMMENDED


David Herlihy, Bruce Macaulay

Successfully defended the Republic of Cyprus against an ICSID claim brought by former shareholders in the country’s second-largest bank, Laiki. The claims emanated from the Eurozone crisis where Laiki incurred €3bn in losses from Greece’s sovereign debt haircut.

Boies Schiller Flexner


Kenneth Beale, Natasha Harrison

Successfully representing Codere in an ICC arbitration over control of the company, following a move by the board of directors to remove two brothers from their posts because of concerns about the company’s financial and strategic performance under their leadership.

DLA Piper


Kate Cervantes-Knox, Ben Sanderson

Successfully defending the Republic of Kenya in an ICSID arbitration brought by Cortec Mining Kenya and Stirling Capital, relating to the alleged expropriation of a mining licence in Kwale County. The claims were entirely dismissed and Kenya was awarded costs of over $3.5m.

Hogan Lovells


Markus Burgstaller

Securing a landmark judgment before the Court of Justice of the European Union for the Slovak Republic. The client challenged a €25m BIT award issued in favour of the Dutch insurer Achmea, stemming from its investment in the Slovak health insurance market.

Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan


Boris Bronfentrinker, Nick Marsh

The team represented the Cypriot company, Raga Establishment, in an LCIA claim against Ukrainian oligarch Rinat Akhmetov and his company over the non-payment of a $760m debt. The defence and counterclaims were dismissed, and Akhmetov was ordered to pay the full debt plus $60m in interest and costs.