Christopher Tahbaz serves as Debevoise & Plimpton’s General Counsel. A litigator and arbitrator with a broad range of U.S. and international experience, Mr. Tahbaz is also a member of the firm’s International Dispute Resolution Group. For more than a decade, Mr. Tahbaz’s practice has focused on disputes in the Asia-Pacific region. Clients in GAR 30 (2019) note that “he was meticulous in addressing all issues and precise in giving direction and counsel,” and in Benchmark Litigation (2019), “exactly the type of guy you’d want on your side in Asia to get through a major mess.” Mr. Tahbaz is also recommended by Chambers Global (2021), Chambers USA (2020) and The Legal 500 US (2018) for his international arbitration practice, with the guides highlighting his “clear, concise and focused” approach to matters, and describing him as “smart and talented,” and “exceptional.” He is also a recognized practitioner in China for Dispute Resolution: Arbitration by Chambers Asia Pacific (2017). The Legal 500 Asia Pacific (2017) recommended Mr. Tahbaz and noted that he “is clear-thinking, agile, hardworking and commercial.” Mr. Tahbaz is also included in Who’s Who Legal as a global leader for Arbitration (2022), and Who’s Who Legal: Litigation (2018) in Hong Kong.
Mr. Tahbaz regularly represents U.S.- and Asia-based multinational corporations in commercial arbitration before the ICC, the LCIA and other arbitral institutions. He also represents clients in investment treaty disputes in Asia and elsewhere. Current and recent assignments include representing an Asia-based global manufacturer in the solar power industry in an LCIA arbitration, representing a Japanese pharmaceutical manufacturer in a major dispute arising under a license agreement, and representing leading U.S. financial services companies in arbitration and pre-arbitration advice arising out of transactions occurring in China and Hong Kong. Mr. Tahbaz was one of the two Debevoise partners who, along with co-counsel from Bae, Kim & Lee LLC of Seoul, Korea, led a team of lawyers who obtained an award worth at least $750 million on behalf of claimants in an ICC arbitration involving disputes between the shareholders of Hyundai Oilbank (HDO), Korea’s fourth largest oil refining and marketing company. In March 2011, Global Arbitration Review designated this award as “Arbitration Win of the Year.”
In addition to his work representing clients, Mr. Tahbaz regularly serves as arbitrator in arbitrations conducted under HKIAC, UNCITRAL, ICDR/AAA and ICC rules, and he is included in the Hong Kong International Arbitration Centre’s List of Arbitrators, the Singapore International Arbitration Centre’s Panel of Arbitrators, and the ICDR Roster of Neutrals. Mr. Tahbaz also frequently writes and speaks on arbitration and other topics related to dispute resolution. Among other things, he is a regular lecturer at Kobe University’s Summer School of Asian Law and Dispute Management. Recent publications include “Recognition and Enforcement of Awards,” Singapore International Arbitration: Law & Practice (LexisNexis, 2d ed. 2018), co-author; “Jurisdictional Findings on Provisional Measures Applications in International Arbitration,” Jurisdiction, Admissibility and Choice of Law in International Arbitration: Liber Amicorum Michael Pryles (Kluwer Law International 2018), co-author; “The Development of Arbitral Institutions in Asia,” 13 U. Penn. Asian L. Rev. 102 (2018), co-author; “Investment Treaty Arbitration in the Asia-Pacific,” The Asia-Pacific Arbitration Review 2019 (Global Arbitration Review 2018), co-author; and “Cross-Cultural Perspectives on Effective Advocacy in International Arbitration,” Asian Dispute Review (April 2012).
Mr. Tahbaz co-chaired Debevoise’s global Pro Bono Committee from 2002 until 2012, and he has been active in the New York pro bono community. He served as Chair of the board of directors of New York Lawyers for the Public Interest, Inc. from 2008 to 2010, and he has been a director of the organization since 2000. He is also a member of the board of directors of Sanctuary for Families, a former member of the board of directors of the Urban Justice Center (1999–2008), and a former member of the Pro Bono and Legal Services Committee of the Association of the Bar of the City of New York. In addition, for many years, Mr. Tahbaz led the team of Debevoise lawyers who served as class counsel in Brad H. v. City of New York, a class action, now settled, which alleged claims regarding the manner in which the City discharged from custody inmates who had received treatment for mental illness while incarcerated in city jails.
Mr. Tahbaz received his B.A. from Columbia University in 1986 and his J.D. from Columbia Law School in 1990, where he was a Harlan Fiske Stone Scholar and served as articles editor of the Columbia Law Review. He joined Debevoise as an associate in 1994 and became a partner in 1998.
达祺思（Christopher K. Tahbaz）律师担任德普的总法律顾问。他是一名拥有广泛的美国及国际执业经验的诉讼律师和仲裁员，也是德普国际争议解决业务团队的成员。达律师十多年来一直专注于亚太地区的争议解决业务。在《全球仲裁评论30》（2019年）中客户特别指出“他一丝不苟地解决一切问题，为客户提供明确的建议和咨询”；客户在《基准诉讼》（2019年）中称“Chris正是你在亚洲所需要的帮助你走出困境的不二人选。”《全球钱伯斯》（2021年）、《美国钱伯斯》》（2020年）、《美国法律500强》（2018年）均对达律师在国际仲裁领域的工作表示好评，并特别强调了他对于事务“清晰、简洁和有针对性”的处理方式，称其“聪明、有才能”，“杰出”。《亚太钱伯斯》（2017年）则认可其为中国“争议解决：仲裁”领域杰出律师。达律师受到《亚太地区法律500强》》（2017年）的推荐，称其“思路清晰、思维敏捷、工作努力且具备商业意识”。达律师还被2022年香港《法律名人录》（Who’s Who Legal）评为全球仲裁业务的领导者，以及入选2018年该名录的诉讼类别。
达律师经常代理美国及驻亚洲的跨国公司在国际商会仲裁院（ICC）、伦敦国际仲裁院（LCIA）和其他仲裁机构进行的商业仲裁。他还代表客户处理在亚洲及其他地区的投资条款争议。达律师目前及近期的案例包括：在一起LCIA仲裁案中代表一家驻亚洲的全球太阳能行业制造商；在一起由许可协议引发的重大争议中代表一家日本制药企业；以及代理美国领先的金融服务公司因其在中国和香港的交易所引发的仲裁，为其提供仲裁前的法律建议。达律师与另一位德普合伙人在韩国首尔的韩国太平洋律师事务所的协助下，共同带领律师团队代表客户在一起ICC仲裁中赢得了价值至少7.5亿美元的仲裁裁决，此项争议的双方是韩国第四大炼油及营销公司——Hyundai Oilbank (HDO) 的股东。2011年3月，《环球仲裁评论》（Global Arbitration Review）将此项仲裁裁决评为“年度仲裁胜诉”。
除了代表客户的工作以外，达律师亦经常在按照香港国际仲裁中心（HKIAC）、联合国国际贸易法委员会（UNCITRAL）、国际争议解决中心/美国仲裁协会（ICDR/AAA）和国际商会（ICC）规则进行的仲裁案中担任仲裁员，并被收入香港国际仲裁中心仲裁员名录、新加坡国际仲裁中心仲裁组名单、以及国际争议解决中心中立人士名录。
达律师经常就仲裁和与争议解决相关的议题撰写文章并发表演讲。他定期在神户大学的“亚洲法律与争议管理暑期课程”进行授课。达律师最近发表的文章包括：“裁决的承认与执行”，《新加坡国际仲裁：法律与实践》（LexisNexis，2018年第二版），合著者；“国际仲裁中关于临时性措施应用的司法裁决”，《国际仲裁中的管辖权、可受理性和法律选择：Liber Amicorum Michael Pryles》（Kluwer Law International，2018年），合著者；“亚洲仲裁机构的发展状况》，（宾夕法尼亚大学亚洲法律评论，2018年），合著者；“亚太地区的投资条款仲裁”，《亚太仲裁评论2019》（全球仲裁评论2018），合著者；以及“国际仲裁中有效辩护的跨文化视角”，《亚洲争议评论》（2012年4月）。
达律师自2002年至2012年担任德普公益法律委员会的联席主席，同时活跃于纽约的公益法律圈。达律师自2000年开始担任纽约公益律师协会的董事会成员，2008至2010年间担任该协会董事会主席。达律师还是非盈利机构“庇护家庭”的董事会成员，“城市正义中心”的前任董事会成员（1999 – 2008年），以及纽约市律师协会公益及法律服务委员会前成员。此外，达律师多年来带领的德普律师团队在Brad H.诉纽约市的集团诉讼案中担任原告集团的律师，该集团诉讼的主要诉求是纽约市释放关押于纽约市监狱期间接受精神病治疗的犯人的方式。
达律师1986年从哥伦比亚大学获得文学学学位，1990年从哥伦比亚大学法学院获得法学博士学位，在校时他曾获得“Harlan Fiske Stone Scholar”荣誉称号，并任《哥伦比亚法律评论》的文章编辑。达律师于1994年加入德普，1998年成为合伙人。