Floriane Lavaud

Practice Areas

Floriane Lavaud is a partner in the disputes team at Withers. Floriane is a trusted adviser on the prevention and resolution of high-profile international disputes and conflicts. With 20 years of experience, she advises sovereign states, international organizations, and global investors on public international law, treaty drafting and negotiations, international arbitration, and strategic investments. She has acted before the International Court of Justice, the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea, and other leading international fora.

Her work in public international law encompasses the law of the sea, maritime boundary delimitation, defense, international humanitarian law, and international human rights law. She has worked closely with the United Nations and Security Council actors on strengthening legal frameworks for peace and security, and is the co-author of Empowering the UN Security Council: Reforms to Address Modern Threats (Oxford University Press), which offers an in-depth analysis of proposals to enhance the Council’s effectiveness. The book features contributions from UN diplomats, legal practitioners, academics, and a Nobel Peace Prize Laureate.

Her expertise in defense is further reflected in her role as an Associate Fellow of the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS), a leading global authority on defense and international affairs. In this capacity, she contributes to discussions on the application of international law to modern security threats, conflict prevention, and the legal dimensions of armed conflict and maritime disputes.

Floriane also advises sovereign wealth funds, private equity funds, and hedge funds on strategic investments that intersect with international law, diplomacy, and foreign policy. Her work often involves advising on projects in complex political environments, particularly in the Middle East, and managing exposure to legal and geopolitical risk.

She is deeply committed to pro bono advocacy. Her recent work includes representing the Rohingya before the International Criminal Court and the Tigrayan people before the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights, in collaboration with Legal Action Worldwide. She has also partnered with the Clooney Foundation for Justice on a number of high-profile cases involving the detention of unlawfully imprisoned journalists.

Floriane is recognized by Chambers Global for her “strong knowledge of public international law” and for being “very practical and strategic in responding to her clients’ needs.” Chambers USA notes that her “emotional IQ is off the charts,” while The Legal 500 US describes her as “a legal surgeon” who is “impeccable and greatly motivated.” Who’s Who Legal calls her “phenomenal,” “one of the most polished lawyers in the field,” and “a shining star in the field of international arbitration.”

She previously clerked for the Hon. Douglas P. Woodlock of the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts and began her legal career at Total, where she advised on legal matters in the oil and gas sector as part of its Exploration & Production division.

Floriane serves as Board Member and Co-Chair of the International Arbitration Committee of the American Branch of the International Law Association (ABILA). She has also held leadership roles with ArbitralWomen, the ICC Young Arbitrators Forum, and International Law Weekend. She regularly speaks and teaches on topics related to international law and dispute resolution.

Her recent publications include the U.S. chapter of the IBA Arbitration Country Guide and an article on evidentiary challenges in armed conflict, published in the ICSID Review – Foreign Investment Law Journal.