Sir Christopher Greenwood, GBE, CMG, KC

Sir Christopher read law at Magdalene College, Cambridge, where he was awarded a BA (Law) (First Class Hons) in 1976, LLB (International Law) (First Class Hons) in 1977, and became an MA in 1981.  As an undergraduate, he was elected President of the Cambridge Union in 1976.   Elected a Fellow of Magdalene College in 1978, he taught law there and at the Cambridge University Law Faculty for nearly twenty years.  He was appointed Professor of International Law at the London School of Economics in 1996, where he remained until becoming a Judge of the International Court of Justice in 2009.  He returned to Magdalene College as Master in October 2020.

Sir Christopher was called to the Bar by Middle Temple in 1978 and appointed Queen’s Counsel in 1999.  He became a Bencher of Middle Temple in 2003 and was Reader in 2020.  He was a member of Lamb Building from 1984 to 1995 and of Essex Court Chambers from 1995 to 2009.  During his years as a barrister he regularly appeared as counsel before the International Court of Justice, the European Court of Human Rights, the English courts, arbitral and other tribunals.

On 6 November 2008, Sir Christopher was elected a judge at the International Court of Justice, where he served from February 2009 to February 2018, when he joined the Arbitrators at 24 Lincoln’s Inn Fields as an arbitrator specializing in public international law, including investor-State disputes.  He has extensive experience as an arbitrator both in inter-State and investor-State cases.  He sits as a Member of the Iran-United States Claims Tribunal and is a Member of the ICSID Panel of Arbitrators.  He has acted as President of twenty arbitration tribunals or ICSID ad hoc committees, as well as sitting as a Member of several other tribunals.

Sir Christopher was appointed Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George (CMG) in 2002 and knighted in 2009 for services to international law.   In 2018 he was created GBE (Knight Grand Cross) for his services to international justice.

A more detailed curriculum vitae is available upon request.

Sir Jack Beatson

After retiring from the Bench, Sir Jack returned to Chambers and now accepts appointments as arbitrator or mediator; and as an expert on English Law. Examples of his appointments include chairing an arbitration with a claim of US$ 1.5 billion relating to a gas pricing dispute (ICC); co-arbitrator in an ad-hoc arbitration with a claim of over $1 billion under a telecoms licensing agreement; co-arbitrator in an UNCITRAL arbitration administered by the LCIA regarding unfair prejudice pursuant to sections 994 and 996 of the Companies Act 2006; presiding arbitrator in an LMAA arbitration relating to a shipbuilding contract for the construction and sale of a crude tanker; presiding arbitrator in an ICC arbitration concerning the alleged failure to deliver the minimum quantity and quality of iron-ore pellet feed under a Sale and Purchase Agreement.

Sir Jack Beatson FBA studied law at Brasenose College Oxford and obtained first class degrees (BA and BCL). Called to the bar (Inner Temple) in 1973, he became a bencher in 1994 and was appointed Queen’s Counsel in 1998. In 2000 he was awarded a higher doctorate (DCL) by the University of Oxford for distinction by original contribution to the advancement of the study of law.

He was until February 2018 a member of the Court of Appeal of England and Wales. Between 2003 and 2012, he was a Judge of the High Court, primarily sitting in the Commercial Court and the Administrative Court. He had previously combined academic and public roles with a mixed commercial and public law practice at what is now Essex Court Chambers (which he joined in 1983). He was the Rouse Ball Professor of English Law at Cambridge University and a Fellow of St John’s College, Cambridge between1994 and 2003, a member of what is now the United Kingdom’s Competition Commission between 1995 and 2001, a Law Commissioner for England and Wales between 1989 and 1994, and before that had been a Fellow of Merton College Oxford and a Lecturer in the Faculty of Law at the University of Oxford.

His commercial litigation and arbitration practice included shipping, insurance, banking and finance, sales and energy law, and issues of construction and jurisdiction. His public law practice included economic regulation, trade union law and judicial review of decisions about the terms and conditions of public employees such as police officers. He led the Law Commission’s work on contract and commercial law, civil evidence, damages, administrative law, and financial services. At the Competition Commission the inquiries he served on included those into London Airports, the supply and pricing of milk, Northern Ireland electricity, and the provision of services such as chemotherapy at the homes of seriously ill patients. His arbitration experience included acting as counsel in an ICC arbitration about a claim for some £500 million under a contract of sale.

In the Court of Appeal and Commercial Court, Sir Jack’s judgments in the field of international arbitration included AmTrust Europe Ltd v Trust Risk Group SpA [2015] 2 Lloyd’s Rep. 154 (scope of arbitration clause in insurance contracts framework agreements), Yegiazaryan v Smagin [2016] EWCA Civ 1290 (challenge to arbitrators’ jurisdiction), and Republic of Serbia v Imagesat International NV [2010] 1 Lloyd’s Rep 324 (arbitrability, public international law, state succession, estoppel).

Sir Jack was one of the founding editors of Arbitration International, serving between 1985 and 1989 when he had to resign on joining the Law Commission. He has authored and edited leading legal texts including Anson’s Law of Contract (27th – 31st eds.), Chitty on Contract, co-editor (25th – 28th eds.), Good Faith and Fault in Contract Law (author & joint editor OUP 1995).

A more detailed CV is available upon request.

Lord Collins of Mapesbury

‘ Lawrence is world-class and in-demand in big commercial and investment cases. ’ Legal 500 2022

‘ Lawrence is one of the great arbitrators operating today. He is erudite but also practical, courteous but firm in handling procedure, and gets the right answer. ’ Legal 500 2023

Lawrence Collins (Lord Collins of Mapesbury) has been a full-time international arbitrator since 2011 in investor-state and international commercial arbitrations, after a long career in international litigation and arbitration, and following 11 years as a judge dealing with many cases in those fields.  He has sat as Presiding, co-arbitrator and sole arbitrator in ICSID, ICC, LCIA, PCA, Cairo Centre, ad hoc UNCITRAL arbitrations.  His cases include seats in Washington DC, London, Florida, The Hague, Geneva, Paris, Zurich, Singapore, Mumbai, Cairo.  Member, list of potential arbitrators under the Trade and Co-operation Agreement between the EU and the UK.

Jonathan Gilman KC

Jonathan Gilman’s former practice has had a particular emphasis on insurance, reinsurance, shipping cases, and arbitration. He formerly appeared regularly as Counsel in cases in the Commercial and other Courts including the House of Lords and in arbitrations.  He is now a full time arbitrator who regularly acts as umpire or arbitrator in LMAA, LCIA and other arbitrations in London.

He also acts as expert witness on English law in foreign proceedings particularly on questions of English marine insurance law and practice in cargo and hull insurance cases and on various other aspects of commercial and arbitration law.

He has given lectures on insurance law topics on a number of occasions for the London Shipping Law Centre and for BILA, amongst others, and has maintained a substantial commitment, which is ongoing to the task of editing Arnould on Marine Insurance alongside his practice, as editor of the last six editions and continues to update in line with current developments.

Sir Bernard Eder

Bernard Eder (dob 1952) practised as a barrister for almost 35 years between 1976-2010 specialising in commercial litigation and international arbitration covering a wide range of commercial disputes including shipping, international trade, insurance/reinsurance, banking, construction (including shipbuilding), commodities and energy law. He was appointed Queen’s Counsel in 1990, Recorder in 1996 and a Justice of the High Court of England and Wales (QBD) in 2011.

During his practice at the English Bar, he acted as Counsel in over 100 reported cases (including in the Commercial Court, the Court of Appeal, the House of Lords and the Privy Council) and over 200 international arbitrations including many on the Bermuda Form. He also acted as Counsel in numerous foreign jurisdictions (including Singapore, Gibraltar and various Courts in the Caribbean) as well as arbitrator under the aegis of various institutions including the ICC, the LCIA and the LMAA and on an ad hoc basis.

As a High Court Judge, he sat mainly in the Commercial Court in London presiding over a number of high-profile trials. He also sat from time to time in the general Queen’s Bench Division, the Administrative Court and Court of Appeal (Criminal Division) as well as on circuit at various Crown Courts across England presiding over criminal trials. He retired from the Bench on 1 April 2015 and returned to Chambers as an arbitrator/mediator. On 7 May 2015, he was appointed an International Judge of the Singapore International Commercial Court. In June 2016, he was appointed an Acting Judge of the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court sitting in the Commercial Court, British Virgin Islands. He regularly delivers lectures/speeches in the UK and in other parts of the world.

Examples of his appointments as arbitrator together with a list his most notable reported cases as Counsel, Judgments, most recent speeches and other appointments/activities are attached.

He now accepts appointments as arbitrator or mediator; and as an expert on English Law.

He is a member of ARIAS UK, ARIAS Asia, ICC, LCIA, LMAA (supporting member), FHKIArb, FCIArb, SIAC (Panel Member), SCMA and was elected to the Baltic Exchange in March 2020.

Please use the download option to view a list of his most notable reported cases as Counsel, Judgments, most recent speeches and appointments.

Stewart Boyd CBE KC

Between 1968 and 2017 Stewart practiced as Counsel in the English courts up to and including the House of Lords (now the Supreme Court), in other courts of the UK Commonwealth, in the European Court of Justice, and in many arbitrations in England and overseas (including Bermuda, France, the Netherlands, Sweden, Switzerland, Singapore, the United States and Hong Kong).  He now no longer practices as Counsel, but continues to accept appointments as an arbitrator in international commercial disputes and as Expert Witness on English law.

A more detailed CV is available for download.

Ian Hunter KC

Concentrating for a number of years on sitting as an arbitrator he is highly experienced in all forms of commercial arbitration. He is engaged full-time in institutional and ad hoc arbitration. Much of his work involves cases governed by foreign law as well as English law. In recent years he has decided disputes governed by the law of New York, Massachusetts, California, Singapore, Hong Kong, Indonesia, India, Iran, South Korea, the UEA, Algeria and Switzerland.

He is fluent in French and enjoys sitting in disputes governed by French law, French-inspired law and civil law. He regularly sits as sole arbitrator and chairman of a three member panels, as well as sitting as a co-arbitrator.  His appointments have included ICC, LCIA, SCC and ARIAS US arbitrations as well as many ad hoc arbitrations. He has sat in many different locations including London, New York, Boston, Philadelphia, Houston, Hong Kong, Singapore, Melbourne, Mumbai, Jakarta, Paris and Geneva.

During his period as a practising advocate he was involved in commercial litigation of all kinds with particular specialities in shipping disputes and insurance and reinsurance claims.  Ian practised in England and Wales after being called to bar in 1967 and later as an SC in New South Wales, Australia.

Lord Saville of Newdigate

Educated at Rye Grammar School and Brasenose College, Oxford. Studied law and obtained first class degrees (BA and BCL). Awarded the Oxford Vinerian Scholarship in 1960. Called to the Bar (Middle Temple) in 1962 and became a Bencher of that Inn in 1983. Joined the Chambers of R A McCrindle QC and practised commercial law. Appointed Queen’s Counsel in 1975. Appeared as counsel in the UK, Hong Kong and Singapore Courts, as well as in many arbitrations.

Appointed a Judge of the High Court in 1985. Was the judge in charge of the Commercial Court for some years, before being appointed to the Court of Appeal in
1994. Much of the work in the Commercial Court involved arbitration matters. Chaired the Trade and Industry Departmental Committee responsible for preparing and promoting new arbitration legislation, which resulted in the English Arbitration Act 1996.

Became a Lord of Appeal in Ordinary (a Law Lord) in 1997. In 2009 the Law Lords became Justices of the new Supreme Court. Retired from that Court in September 2010.

In 1998 was appointed to chair a tribunal of inquiry into Bloody Sunday, an event in 1972 where in Londonderry, Northern Ireland, British troops fired on civilians. The report of this inquiry was published in 2010 and is available on the Internet, as is further information concerning the inquiry and its subject matter.

Michael Collins KC

Michael Collins was called to the Bar of England and Wales in 1971.  Appointed Queen’s Counsel in 1988, he practised commercial law from Essex Court Chambers in London, England, for 30 years, until moving to the United States of America in 2002.  He served as a Recorder of the Crown Court between 1994 – 2001.  From 2002 – 2006 he spent 4 years as a Special Legal Consultant with the international arbitration practice of Fulbright & Jaworski LLP, based in Washington DC.  Since 2006 he has been associated with Hanscom & Collins PA, in Rockland, Maine, from where he practises as an international arbitrator and mediator, primarily based out of  his homes in Florida and Maine, while also retaining his association with his Chambers in London, England.

Mr. Collins’ principal areas of specialisation at the English Bar included international and domestic arbitration, shipping (including shipbuilding disputes, ship sale and purchase, bill of lading and charterparty disputes, cargo claims, and limitation actions), insurance (marine & non-marine) and reinsurance, oil & gas, banking, construction, information technology, aviation and a wide variety of other contractual and tortious disputes of a technical or commercial nature.

In addition to his frequent appearances in the English trial and appellate courts, Mr. Collins has appeared as an advocate in the appellate courts of Hong Kong, Singapore and Bermuda, and in the trial courts in Singapore, arguing insurance, shipping, arbitration and other matters.  Cases in those courts include:  Insurance Co. of the State of Pennsylvania v. Grand Union Insurance Co. & Lowndes Lambert Construction Ltd. [1990] 1 LLR 208 (Hong Kong Court of Appeal – insurance/reinsurance); Lombard Insurance Co. Ltd. v. Kin Yuen Co. Pte. Ltd. (the “Pab”) (1995) (Singapore Court of Appeal – marine insurance); Associated Electric and Gas Insurance Services Ltd. v. European Reinsurance Co. of Zurich (2001) (Bermuda Court of Appeal – privacy/confidentiality in commercial arbitration).

Mr. Collins has 40 years’ experience of acting as a counsel in international and domestic arbitrations.  Cases in which he acted as counsel include a major shipping arbitration concerning the long-term supply, shipment and delivery of LNG into the United States and the producability and valuation of unextracted gas reserves; two separate LCIA arbitrations concerning (i) operation of the credit card business; and (ii) the sale and distribution of digital satellite television services to the Middle East; and a dispute concerning the transportation of crude oil through a common pipeline, and the operation of a quality bank related to such transportation.

Mr. Collins has acted as chair or as a tribunal member in numerous ICC, LCIA, LMAA, SIAC, AAA (ICDR), ARIAS, UNCITRAL, ICSID and other institutional and ad hoc arbitrations over the past 35 years, regularly sitting in jurisdictions such as London, Paris, Stockholm, Singapore, Hong Kong, Dubai, Bermuda, Canada and the United States.

Mr. Collins is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators; a member of the Advisory Board of the Institute for Transnational Arbitration and a member of the American Arbitration Association ICDR International Arbitration Panel.  He is also a CEDR-accredited mediator and has acted as a mediator in a variety of insurance, reinsurance and technical disputes in London, Sydney, Bermuda, New York and Washington D.C.

Lord Thomas of Cwmgiedd

Lord (John) Thomas, who retired in 2017 as Lord Chief Justice of England and Wales, is an international arbitrator and President of the Qatar International Court. He practiced for 24 years as a barrister at the Commercial Bar, 12 as a QC, and was a Judge of the Commercial Court from 1996-2003. He has given important appellate judgments in arbitration cases including the 2021 decision in Betamax v State Trading Corporation (public policy in the enforcement/setting aside of awards), Sucafina v Rottenberg (partial awards) and Emmott v Wilson (confidentiality).

Before joining the bench and during his 24 year career as a barrister his practice focused on international commercial disputes, finance, banking, insurance and reinsurance, shipping, shipbuilding, professional negligence and regulation.