DEPARTMENT PROFILE

Debevoise & Plimpton LLP

Public International Law

2 ranked lawyers

Band 2

London (Firms)

UK 2022 View ranking table

chambers review

department information

Ranked Lawyers

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What the team is known for

Strong international team covering a range of PIL issues including investment treaty claims, maritime law, sanctions and international human rights matters. Experienced acting for NGOs, governments, companies, prominent individuals and charities. Often conducts advocacy before domestic and foreign courts as well as international arbitral tribunal and also prepares submissions to the UN and the ECtHR. Regularly acts in Energy Charter Treaty and ad hoc arbitrations, as well as those brought under ICSID and UNCITRAL rules.

Strengths

"The team is dedicated to quality and excellence across their work," says a client, adding: "Collaboration with the public international law practice at Debevoise & Plimpton has been a true pleasure."

Work highlights

Advised a Shell subsidiary and one of its Nigerian operators on a major piece of litigation concerning an oil spill which occurred in 2011 off the Nigerian coastline. The claimants allege that liability for the accident is founded on various international maritime conventions, including the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea, the International Management Code of the Safe Operation of Ships for Pollution Prevention, and the International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers.

Notable practitioners

Aimee-Jane Lee draws significant praise for her PIL practice. She has experience acting on behalf of sovereign states with regard to a range of issues, including the International Law of the Sea, as well as representing clients in investor-state arbitrations.
"She is very strong and runs cases with perfect footwork."

Peter Goldsmith QC is an esteemed practitioner with exceptional credentials in investor-state arbitration and PIL. He is sought out by multinational corporations, sovereign states and non-profit organisations to advise on complex matters of international law related to human rights, sanctions and state responsibilities in jurisdictions around the world.
"He has a ferocious legal mind and is very erudite." "A very senior advocate who is very experienced and high calibre."

Department Information

This content is provided by Debevoise & Plimpton LLP.

Overview

Debevoise’s European team includes one of the world’s leading public international law practices.

In Europe, the profile, volume and wide range of mandates undertaken by the public international law team, comprised of specialists in London and Paris, make it one of the most prominent practices in the world. The group advises sovereigns, multinationals, corporates, high-profile individuals, leading political figures and international organizations.

The team is unique in the market, made up of lawyers with backgrounds geared directly towards resolving complex public international law disputes. The team has wide prior experience at the most senior levels of business, government, the diplomatic service and international organizations. The team is led by Lord Goldsmith QC, former UK Attorney General, and includes two former government Foreign Office legal advisers and former law clerks in the International Court of Justice. Senior members regularly lecture on public international law, and are approached to speak and comment on evolving political-legal crises.

The team also includes a deep bench of experienced practitioners who have successfully acted in cases before the ICJ, the International Criminal Court, the ECHR, ICTY, ICTR and SCSL, and extensively before arbitral tribunals around the world.

The perspectives gained through these experiences enable the team to assist in the highest-level diplomatic and political negotiations.