Investor-State Arbitration in Europe

As part of Debevoise’s European arbitration and international disputes capabilities, the team includes the world’s foremost investor-state arbitration practice. It is regularly engaged on cases involving state-to-state and billion dollar investor state claims, where its experience in public international law provides it with a significant advantage.

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Related Capabilities

Contacts

Announcement

Jeff Sullivan KC to Join Debevoise in July, as a Partner and Co-Chair of International Arbitration in Europe
Debevoise Lawyer Raeesa Rawal Named Best Woman In Construction Law
Antoine Kirry Elected as the New President of Association Droit & Procédure

Recognition

Winner in the “International Arbitration Practice that Impressed” category

—GAR Awards, 2020

Ranked as a leading law firm for Investor-State Arbitration and Public International Law.

“They’re superb and are deeply experienced in this area. It is great to have them on your side and you wouldn’t want to be against them.”

“Absolutely brilliant. The team is thorough, rigorous and they are great in both the detail and the big picture.”

“The team has exceptional capacity for handling issues of any complexity, and can handle various international public law issues.”

“They have stellar people in the field.”

“The quality of their work is impeccable.”

—Chambers UK, 2023-2024

Lord Goldsmith, KC, Tony Dymond, Patrick Taylor and Samantha Rowe included in The Legal 500 International Arbitration Powerlist.

Ranked as a top-tier law firm for International Arbitration and Public International Law.

“A go-to firm for international arbitration.”

“Almost unrivalled in its experience, expertise, depth and overall performance.”

“Continuously demonstrating exceptional legal expertise in public international law and arbitration, as well as professionalism, innovative thinking, and a commitment to client service.”

“The public international law work that Debevoise does is fantastic and it is head and shoulders above other firms.”

“The Debevoise team has shown remarkable reactivity skills when needed – very pragmatic and solution-oriented advice and analyses.”

—The Legal 500 UK, 2023-2024

Ranked as a leading law firm for International Arbitration: Investor-State Arbitration in the UK.

—Chambers Europe, 2023

Featured Topic

The Debevoise team has authored various guides and tools to further the practice of international arbitration, including the industry standard setting Efficiency Protocol, and the Protocol to Promote Cybersecurity in International Arbitration.

These resources can be found here.

Thought Leadership

Debevoise named in top band for Arbitration (International) and Public International Law – Global Market Leaders. Also ranked as a leading firm for Dispute Resolution - Global: Multi-Jurisdictional by Chambers Global (2023).

“Debevoise & Plimpton are excellent. They think strategically with a forward-looking perspective.”

“Debevoise are an exceptionally talented group … the written and oral advocacy is of top quality.”

“The best of the best.”

“The Debevoise team is superb …Coordination is entirely seamless and the different jurisdictions are used to the team’s advantage.”

“Debevoise excels at handling global disputes. They have talented lawyers who speak many languages and understand cultural norms and sensitivities.”

—Chambers Global, 2021-2023

Learn More

The firm’s investor-state arbitration experience stretches back four decades. It remains a highly specialized area of the law, in which Debevoise’s partners are some of the world’s most highly regarded lawyers. Members of the group have regularly lectured on investor-state arbitration and related public international law topics.Lawyers on the firm’s European team act as counsel in investor-state arbitrations both for and against sovereign states. The team includes former advisers to government, giving it a valuable insight into the state issues in play. The practice includes Lord (Peter) Goldsmith KC, who served as the UK’s Attorney General and who also serves as Co-Chair of the ICC’s Task Force on arbitration involving states or state entities; as well as lawyers who have worked in the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office and the New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade. This background gives the team unrivaled understanding in how governments operate.In addition, Debevoise’s lawyers have particular experience in quantum/damages modeling, which is a key component of the scale of the firm’s success. Built on this experience, the team regularly wins the biggest awards for private investors against foreign governments. Debevoise has won three of the largest arbitration awards for breaches of bilateral investment treaties that have ever been ordered. These include two for Occidental Petroleum in the amounts of $1.8 billion ($2.3 billion including interest) and $120 million, and another CME in the amount of $350 million.The team is recognized by leading legal directory Chambers & Partners, which ranks the firm in the top band for global public international law work, quoting sources as saying “they always produce impeccable work.”Working both independently and in conjunction with Debevoise’s investor-state arbitration lawyers in New York and Hong Kong, the firm’s European team advises clients on disputes arising in jurisdictions around the world. Chambers & Partners cites client sources commenting that “the firm interacts seamlessly between the various geographies.”