John V H Pierce

Practice Areas

John V.H. Pierce, Global Co-Chair of the International Arbitration Practice, represents a global client base from a wide variety of industries and business sectors in high-stakes, complex international arbitration, and litigation matters in venues around the world.

Mr. Pierce is a widely recognized expert in international dispute resolution, with more than 20 years of experience representing clients in institutional and ad hoc arbitrations seated in both common and civil law jurisdictions. Mr. Pierce has been involved as lead counsel or arbitrator in arbitrations pending before all major arbitral institutions and he has extensive experience with international arbitral procedure and advocacy.

He regularly guides clients through disputes, under a wide variety of procedural and substantive laws, involving joint venture and shareholder matters, post-M&A issues, IP rights, financial services, energy and chemical supply contracts, as well as commercial and corporate matters. He also advises clients on the international enforcement of arbitration awards and judgments, and on the protection of foreign investments. In addition to his counsel work, Mr. Pierce regularly serves as an arbitrator in international disputes.

Mr. Pierce is consistently recognized by clients and competitors as a leading authority in the field of international arbitration and dispute resolution. In various editions of the Chambers Global and Chambers USA guides, Mr. Pierce has been described by clients and peers as “an exceptional advocate,” a “formidable” and “very tough opponent,” “outstanding,” “very smart, strategic and knows how to handle a client,” “really excellent,” “and a “top-notch” and “very knowledgeable” practitioner with “a great ability to understand and execute complex business objectives.”

Mr. Pierce is also recognized as a Thought Leader in the field of international arbitration by Who's Who Legal, which describes him as able to "deftly appl[y] the law to complex issues in order to craft the best possible arguments" and notes that he "navigates multiple jurisdictions with ease." He is described by peers and clients in GAR's International Who's Who of Commercial Arbitration as a "versatile" lawyer with an "outstanding legal mind and critical thinking skills" who "'performs brilliantly' in venues throughout the world."

In 2020, Mr. Pierce was named the recipient of the International Law Office (ILO) 2020 Client Choice Award for Arbitration in the United States. According to Client Choice’s research, clients praised Mr. Pierce as “an outstanding lawyer” and a “practical and strategic thinker,” “who is adept at legal writing and leading a large team.” Clients specifically praised Mr. Pierce’s “excellent advocacy skills before tribunals” and noted that his “professional preparation of each submission and the hearing itself are phenomenal.”

He was elected to the American Law Institute in 2020. He is a member of the ICC Commission on Arbitration, a member of the Executive Committee of the New York International Arbitration Center, a founding member of the International Arbitration Club of New York, and a member of the Council on Foreign Relations.

Prior to private practice, Mr. Pierce served as a law clerk to the Honorable M. Margaret McKeown on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. He was selected as a Jean Monnet fellow at the École Polytechnique in Palaiseau, France (1992-1993) and as a Young Leader of the American Council on Germany (2009-2010).