Nawi Ukabiala is a senior associate in the International Dispute Resolution Group at Debevoise & Plimpton LLP. His practice focuses on international arbitration, transnational litigation, public international law, and ESG advisory. He represents corporations, States, and individuals in complex contract- and treaty-based disputes across industries including mining, oil and gas, energy, construction, technology, finance, and telecommunications.
Mr. Ukabiala has acted in proceedings administered by leading arbitral institutions such as the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID) and the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC), as well as before leading international courts, such as the International Court of Justice (ICJ). His experience includes first-chair cross- and direct examinations and oral arguments on complex issues in disputes totaling billions of dollars. He has also served as lead counsel in New York state court trial and appellate proceedings.
Mr. Ukabiala advises clients on structuring investments to secure investment treaty protection, managing dispute risk in cross-border transactions, navigating sovereign immunity and enforcement risk, ESG-related litigation risk, and novel public international law issues. In addition, he advises international organizations on international administrative law and treaty drafting.
Recognized by Who’s Who Legal as a Future Leader in Arbitration and by CPR as a Rising Star, Mr. Ukabiala is also praised by Legal 500 for handling “very complex aspects of the cases,” explaining them “in a didactic and simple way,” and being “very intelligent” and able to “comprehensively analyze a case.” He has been honored by the Cyrus R. Vance Center for International Justice for International Pro Bono Excellence.
A leader in the international law community, Mr. Ukabiala serves on the Executive Council of the American Society of International Law (ASIL), is a Director of the American Branch of the International Law Association (ABILA), is a member of the CPR Arbitration Committee, and is a member of the African Arbitration Association (AfAA). He is the founder and Chair of the ASIL–New York Chapter and of CPR Africa Arbitration Day–New York.
Mr. Ukabiala previously served as Legal Officer to Judge Julia Sebutinde at the International Court of Justice and as a law clerk to Justice Edward Mansfield at the Supreme Court of Iowa. He also interned for Judge Richard Goldberg at the U.S. Court of International Trade and worked in the Legal Vice Presidency of the World Bank. Mr. Ukabiala received his LL.M. from NYU, his J.D. from Drake University (summa cum laude, Order of the Coif), and his B.A. from George Washington University.