Department profile
Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer LLP

International Arbitration: The Elite

USA Guide 2026 : USA - Nationwide


Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer LLP

Rankings

About

Provided by Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer LLP

We advise clients on arbitrations under a broad spectrum of civil and common laws as well as public international law. We are experienced in arbitrating under the rules of all major arbitration institutions, as well as having conducted numerous ad hoc arbitrations. Our genuine sector knowledge, commercial awareness and regional sensitivity are unrivalled. We advise clients and conduct arbitrations in a number of languages. Once you have an arbitral award, we can help you to enforce it around the world.

Our long standing experience of acting in investor-state and state-to-state arbitrations and in-depth knowledge of the nuances of these focus areas means we can help you to best meet your objectives. We provide advice on the best possible investment and treaty protection. Conducting our own advocacy means our skilled advocates play a critical role in the strategy of the case from the outset. It also minimises the cost and time involved for our clients in instructing external counsel.

Choosing arbitrators and expert witnesses can be highly significant in achieving a successful outcome and we offer our clients in-depth knowledge of both. Members of the arbitration group regularly sit as arbitrators and this valuable insight into the arbitral process from a different perspective helps us to identify winning strategies.

Chambers Review

Provided by Chambers

International Arbitration: The Elite - USA - Nationwide

Band 3

Band 3


What the Team is Known For

HSF Kramer has a well-respected disputes group which is well placed to advise on complex and high profile investment treaty and international commercial arbitrations under a broad array of institutional rules. It acts for an impressive roster of corporations and sovereign states and brings to bear extensive expertise in Latin America, as well as notable strength in matters concerning Europe, the Middle East and North Africa. The group is experienced in disputes spanning a broad range of sectors, including energy, hospitality, telecommunications, finance and mining.

Herbert Smith Freehills LLP and Kramer Levin Naftalis & Frankel LLP combined on June 1st to form HSF Kramer.

Work Highlights

Provided by Chambers

  • HSF Kramer advised Chevron to defend claims brought by Saudi and Egyptian nationals alleging Chevron and Saudi Aramco breached a lease agreement for an oil-rich plot of land in Saudi Arabia.

Strengths

Provided by Chambers

  • They provide outstanding legal analysis, they're commercially-minded, they're very user-friendly, and they're nice to work with.

    International Arbitration: The Elite respondentUSA
  • They are great. They are very user-friendly, they are very thorough and commercially-minded.

    International Arbitration: The Elite respondentUSA
  • They're as good as it gets when it comes to strategic case management. The team approaches what the client needs with pragmatism and practicality.

    International Arbitration: The Elite respondentUSA

Notable Practitioners

Provided by Chambers

  • Band 1Christian Leathley
    Band 1Christian Leathley

    Christian Leathley

    Christian Leathley is experienced in both commercial and investment treaty arbitrations, with notable experience in Latin America-related matters.
    • One reason I like working with him is that he's very cognizant of what I need and how I need it. Lot of outside counsel give you the work in a 20-page document that you can't do anything with. He's very pragmatic about making sure he prepares what I receive. If you're looking for a very intelligent lawyer that can work globally and think strategically about massive projects, he's your guy.

      International Arbitration: The Elite respondentUSA
  • Band 3Amal Bouchenaki
    Band 3Amal Bouchenaki

    Amal Bouchenaki

    Amal Bouchenaki has expertise in commercial and investment treaty arbitration and is particularly noted for her adept handling of matters related to Africa and Latin America.
    • The rigor in her analysis is impressive.

      International Arbitration: The Elite respondentUSA
    • She was relentless in her pursuit of our case, which was greatly appreciated.

      International Arbitration: The Elite respondentUSA

Ranked Individuals at Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer LLP (3)

USA - Nationwide

Members

Provided by Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer LLP

Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer LLP has rankings in the following guides

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