Sarah Vasani

Career

Sarah Vasani is globally-renowned international arbitrator and the founder of Vasani International Arbitration (“VIA”), a London-based chambers from which she serves as a full-time independent arbitrator. In that regard, Sarah sits exclusively as arbitrator and no longer accepts instructions as counsel.

Prior to launching VIA in August 2025, Sarah spent over 20 years in international law firms across two continents, including 10 as partner. In that capacity, she led large teams of lawyers in dozens of international arbitration disputes worth several billions of dollars in aggregate. Specifically, she was Co-Head of the International Arbitration at CMS Cameron McKenna Nabarro Olswang LLP, where she led the firm’s high-stakes disputes practice with responsibility for the firm’s lawyers in the UK, Central and Eastern Europe, the Middle East, Türkiye, Singapore, and parts of Latin America. Her earlier roles included five years as Head of Investor-State Dispute Resolution at Addleshaw Goddard LLP in London, and nearly a decade at King & Spalding LLP, where she worked across the Houston, Washington D.C., and London offices.

Sarah has acted as both lead advocate and arbitrator in dozens of high-value international arbitrations across a range of arbitral institutions including ICSID, UNCITRAL, LCIA, ICC, SIAC, ICDR, SCC, HKIAC, and DIAC, and under various common and civil governing laws, BITs, IIAs, including the ECT, OIC, and the ASEAN treaties. She is dual-qualified in England & Wales and the U.S. (Texas and Washington D.C.), and a Solicitor-Advocate of the Higher Courts of England & Wales.

Publications

Sarah has spoken and published extensively on topics relating to international arbitration and cross-border disputes, including resolving energy disputes, improving efficiency in international arbitration, climate change disputes and the transition to net zero, arbitration with states and state-owned entities, arbitral award enforcement, corruption, and diversity in international arbitration.

Languages Spoken

English (native) Spanish (fluent)

Industry Sector Expertise

Sarah’s sectoral expertise spans aviation, banking, energy, mining, oil and gas, renewables, shipping and infrastructure, with substantial experience in large-scale projects across Africa, the Middle East, Central Asia, the Indian Subcontinent, and Latin America.

Expert in these Jurisdictions

Bar Admissions

Solicitor-Advocate of the Higher Courts of England and Wales (Civil Division) (2016)

Solicitor of the Senior Courts of England and Wales (2013)

Washington D.C. (2008)

Texas (2006)

Professional Memberships

ICC International Court of Arbitration, Court Member for the United States of America

LCIA Equality, Diversity & Inclusion Task Force, EDI Champion & Steering Committee Member

International Bar Association (“IBA”): (1) IBA Arbitration Committee Task Force on the Revision of the 2016 Report on the Reception of the IBA Soft Law Products, Subgroup on the IBA Guidelines on Conflict of Interest in International Arbitration, Drafting Group Member; and (2) IBA Arbitration Committee Task Force on the Nationality of the Arbitrator as a Proxy for Independence and Impartiality, Investment Arbitration Subgroup, Committee Member

Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (“CIArb”)

2025 CIArb Professional Practice Guidelines on Third-Party Funding in International Commercial Arbitration, Task Force Member and Drafting Committee

Institute for Transnational Arbitration, Executive Committee Member and Co-Chair of the Strategic Planning Committee (2025 – present)

London International Disputes Week (LIDW), Finance and Sponsorship Committee

International Arbitration Charity Ball Committee

ArbitralWomen

Education