Merryl Lawry-White is member of Debevoise & Plimpton’s International Dispute Resolution Group based in London.
Ms. Lawry-White’s practice includes contentious and advisory work across public international law, investment treaty arbitration, commercial arbitration, international humanitarian law, human rights and transitional justice. She acts as counsel on claims and complaints brought before the International Court of Justice, the WTO, international conciliation commissions, UN human rights treaty bodies, domestic courts, as well as arbitral tribunals established under the ICSID Convention, the UNCITRAL Rules, the ICC, LCIA, DIFC-LCIA rules, and other regional arbitration rules. Ms. Lawry-White has completed advanced advocacy training.
Ms. Lawry-White is named a Rising Star in Public International Law by The Legal 500 UK (2023), with the guide further recognising her work in international arbitration. She is also listed as a Future Leader for Arbitration Who’s Who Legal (2022).
Ms Lawry-White is a member of the public international law and business integrity groups. She regularly assists clients with queries related to a variety of public international law matters, as well as business and human rights and environmental concerns, such as modern slavery acts statements and other areas of environmental and business and human rights risk. Ms. Lawry-White is a member of the International Bar Association’s Subcommitee on ESG. Ms Lawry-White is also a member of the Justice Rapid Response Roster of Experts that may be deployed to assist in the investigation, analysis and reporting of human rights, international humanitarian law and international criminal law violations. Ms. Lawry-White has an active pro bono practice, including advising the interveners on questions of state responsibility and international humanitarian law in R (Campaign Against Arms Trade) v Secretary of State for Business Innovation & Skills, on questions related to reparation under international law for sexual violence against women, acting on multiple complaints to the Human Rights Committee concerning sexual and reproductive violence, providing comparative and practical advice on the rights of women to for transitional justice mechanisms, and assisting in peacebuilding processes.
Prior to joining Debevoise, Ms. Lawry-White was an associate in the Public International Law and International Arbitration Group of a leading international law firm and a Juriste Adjointe at the International Court of Justice in the Hague, where she worked as the Legal Officer to the Former Vice-President of the Court and his successor. Ms. Lawry-White has also worked with a human rights NGO in Nepal, advising on the international law aspects of two strategic litigation projects; with a leading transitional justice NGO in New York; and as the Project Coordinator of an HIV/AIDS Prevention Project in Rwanda.
Ms. Lawry-White regularly presents on issues of public international law, transitional justice, investment treaty arbitration, business and human rights and commercial arbitration, including at BIICL and the ILA. She has also published articles and book chapters on similar issues, including in the ICLQ, the JWIT, Arbitration International, the ICSID Review, the Journal of International Criminal Justice. She is a member of the International Law Association (British Branch).
Ms. Lawry-White is admitted to practise as an Attorney in New York (New York Bar) and as a Solicitor Advocate in the UK. She speaks French and Spanish.