Public International Law

Samuel Wordsworth KC is widely recognised as one of the leading authorities in public international law. He handles a broad spectrum of cases, proving an expert in both bilateral investment treaties and inter-state disputes. He is highly regarded by sources for his advocacy skills and has acted in multiple high-profile ICJ cases.

Vaughan Lowe KC is a leader in the PIL field who is renowned for his fierce intellect. He regularly appears in front of international tribunals and possesses expertise in boundary disputes and investment treaty work. He has taught at leading universities in the UK and USA, including Cambridge and Duke. He also takes appointments as arbitrator and was appointed to the ICSID Panel of Arbitrators in 2017.

Alison Macdonald KC has extensive experience operating across criminal, commercial and international law, acting as both adviser and advocate. She regularly represents states in ICSID arbitrations, and has considerable experience in the Law of the Sea and international criminal law.

Ben Juratowitch KC practised for many years as a leading international law solicitor before being called to the Bar. He has acted in a number of the highest disputes between sovereign states. Market sources praise his skills as an advocate before international courts and arbitrator tribunals. He is the first choice of barrister for several states and multinational corporations.

Dapo Akande is widely considered a thought leader in the field of PIL. He has appeared before the International Court of Justice and the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea, among other global forums. He is the Chichele Professor of Public International Law at the University of Oxford and an elected member of the United Nations International Law Commission.

Malcolm Shaw KC has a strong academic background and is well respected for the brilliant advice he gives to governments and international organisations. He acts in an interesting spread of cases in the English courts and before international tribunals. He has also appeared before the ECtHR and the ECJ. He advises on a variety of matters including territorial disputes, the Law of the Sea, state succession and state immunity.

Sean Aughey is a highly rated barrister who regularly handles state-to-state disputes, investor-state arbitration and domestic litigation involving PIL aspects. He has further experience acting in human rights-related cases.

Dan Sarooshi KC is a skilled advocate who has the academic knowledge and practical experience to make him a very popular choice in the PIL sphere. He has an excellent record of representing governments, international organisations and FTSE 100 companies in these matters. He is also a professor of public international law at Oxford University.

Jessica Wells has a strong level of experience in PIL, both as an adviser and as an advocate. She also has a strong commercial disputes practice and is an expert on conflict of law issues. She has been instructed by the UK and a range of other governments in work dealing with state immunity, the arms trade, investment treaties and maritime boundary disputes.

Naomi Hart has established a strong PIL practice. She regularly advises and acts for states and corporate entities on matters relating to maritime boundaries, investor-state disputes and human rights.

Graham Dunning KC is a barrister with strength across a range of PIL matters. He handles BIT claims and state immunity disputes as well as arbitration award enforcement cases. He has additional expertise covering UN and EU sanctions.

Matthieu Gregoire is a PIL specialist barrister with recognised expertise in BIT cases, in which he has represented both investors and defendant states. He is experienced in arbitrations before the PCA, the ICC and other bodies.

Paul Key KC is a respected barrister who has considerable experience acting in bilateral investment treaty arbitrations, and in related injunction and enforcement actions before the High Court in London. He has represented energy and natural resources companies and has also defended states in these cases.

Peter Webster is a very experienced public international law practitioner with an extensive knowledge of diplomatic and state immunity matters, as well as complex investment arbitrations. He regularly appears in domestic courts, arbitral tribunals and state-to-state claims.

Mubarak Waseem is commended as an up-and-coming PIL expert. He acts for state and state-controlled entities in investor-state disputes and on matters of state immunity.

Amy Sander garners praise from clients for her handling of politically sensitive cases and the project management skills she applies to them. She advises governments and multinationals, and is an expert in BITs and territorial disputes. She has appeared before the ICJ and has advised the UK, Kenya, Bolivia, Russia and South-East Asian countries on PIL matters.