Practice Areas | International Arbitration

When clients trade across borders disputes can occur anywhere in the world. National courts act locally, but International Arbitration works globally; and so does our specialist team.

SJ Berwin's litigation lawyers have a reputation as "a group of tactically astute and tenacious practitioners with a no nonsense approach....". International dispute resolution has always been at the heart of our practice. Legal Business recently recognised this, including SJ Berwin in its list of top international litigation firms.

In our International Arbitration Group we have drawn together an array of skills and experience especially attuned to the shifting demands of International Arbitration.

No business welcomes litigation, and being forced to litigate in an unfamiliar foreign court system can make matters worse. International Arbitration responds to this by offering a flexible means to resolve disputes on neutral ground, under agreed rules and with issues being resolved by a suitably qualified individual or panel of arbitrators. The outcome will be an "Award" recognised and enforced as a court judgment in any major nation.

In our team we have a wealth of experience in resolving disputes (both advocating for clients and sitting as arbitrators) throughout the world's leading arbitration institutions and in "ad hoc" international commercial arbitrations. We act for both commercial concerns, governments and government agencies.

All of our lawyers are also trained as mediators.

International Coverage
The free movement of capital globally and the proliferation of infra-structure projects in developing economies around the world mean that disputes in arbitration may be subject to different national laws and require a wide range of technical and linguistic skills.

Our group's expertise extends beyond the U.K. and Western Europe with particular emphasis on Russia and the former C.I.S. countries as well as India, China, Latin America and the Middle East.

As one would expect in this diverse group we have individuals within it who are fluent in several languages including Russian, German, French, Spanish, Chinese and Arabic.

Industry Skills and Legal Specialisms
Within the group (and drawing on SJ Berwin's other specialist groups) we have wide industry experience in:

•    Financial Services and Banking
•    Telecommunications
•    Satellites
•    Construction and Project Finance
•    Information Technology
•    Pharmaceuticals
•    Energy
•    Film and Media

In addition to our core practice in international commercial disputes we have specialists and experience in:

•    Intellectual Property
•    EU and Competition Law
•    Investment Treaty Arbitration
•    Fisheries
•    International Boundary Disputes
•    Trade and Customs cases

Examples of our work include Arbitrations involving disputes concerning:

•    The Blue Stream Pipeline Project
•    Construction of the world's largest satellite
•    Trade Mark Infringement associated with a leading international brand
•    Televising of the All Africa games
•    The telecommunications monopoly of a Central European State
•    The ownership of an internationally acclaimed art collection
•    Takeover of a Brewery
•    Film Rights
•    A downstream petroleum joint venture in Turkey

Click here to view the Special Counsel Team.