People | Practice Area

Julia Zagonek
Julia Zagonek  Associate
+44(0)20 7111 2405
julia.zagonek@sjberwin.com

Julia Zagonek is an Associate in the Litigation Department and in the
International Arbitration Group of SJ Berwin LLP. Julia advises a wide range of
clients on contentions matters and is part in the firm’s Russian client practice.

Julia read History of Art at the Courtauld Institute, University of London
and subsequently gained her legal professional qualification at the College
of Law, London. Julia trained with SJ Berwin LLP, acquiring broad
experience within the Private Equity, Tax, Banking and Corporate Finance
departments as well as commercial litigation and mediation practices.

Julia has had experience in several aspects of commercial litigation and
international arbitration. She had worked for a broad spectrum of
international clients, both high net worth individuals and multi-national
corporate entities advising on jurisdictional and conflict of laws issues.

Julia has been involved in complex commercial litigation matters, including a
dispute for an amount in excess of US$150 million which raised the issues of
unjust enrichment, construction of agreements and the principles of quantum
meruit; and a dispute concerning unlawful expropriation of confidential
information, leading to a number of applications to the English High Court for
injunctions and to restrict access to the court documents.

Julia’s experience in international arbitration covers acting for international
clients in arbitration proceedings under the rules of ICC, LCIA, AAA and
UNCITRAL. Recent matters include two ICC arbitrations: one concerning a
dispute between a commercial entity and a sovereign state, where the issues of
State succession, enforceability of contract terms and authority to bind a State
are being explored; and the other concerning bank guarantees, raising issues
of assignment of financial instruments, jurisdiction of the arbitral tribunal,
choice of substantive law and fraud.

Julia is a Member of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators.

Julia has contributed to several articles on international arbitration and
litigation and has co-authored the Russian Federation chapter of C.
Liebscher & A. Fremuth-Wolf (eds.), Arbitration Law and Practice in Central
and Eastern Europe, published by Juris Publishing in June 2006.

Julia is the co-founder and a Director of a networking organisation in London for
Russian-speaking professionals called "Russians in the City".

Julia is bilingual in English and Russian and has a good working knowledge of French.