Svetlana Portman is an associate in the London office and a member of the International Dispute Resolution Group. Her practice focuses on international arbitration and public international law.

Ms. Portman represents private clients and states across multiple jurisdictions in investor-state and international commercial arbitrations governed by various substantive laws and conducted under the auspices of the major arbitral rules, including ICSID, LCIA, ICC and UNCITRAL. She is familiar with disputes across a broad range of industries and sectors, with a particular focus on energy and natural resources disputes.

Prior to joining Debevoise in 2017, Ms. Portman worked at a leading international arbitration firm in London, where she primarily focused on construction and engineering disputes, and interned for the Hon. Judge Evan J. Wallach of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit in Washington, D.C. She also has experience working in the litigation departments of leading Israeli law firms and representing a broad array of international clients in litigation proceedings.

Ms. Portman obtained an LL.B. from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem Faculty of Law and an LL.M. from Duke University School of Law, where she received the Robert Moskowitz and Jeannette Stern Scholarship and was awarded the Justin Miller Award for Leadership and Community Participation.

Ms. Portman is admitted as a Solicitor of the Senior Courts of England & Wales and to the bars of New York State and Israel. As a solicitor-advocate, Mr. Portman has full rights of audience before all civil courts of England & Wales. She speaks English, Hebrew, Spanish and Russian.

Education

  • Duke University School of Law, LL.M.
  • Hebrew University of Jerusalem, LL.B.

Bar Admissions

  • New York
  • Solicitor, England & Wales
  • Israel