Professor Alan Vaughan Lowe KC

Vaughan Lowe is a practising Barrister at Essex Court Chambers, mainly in the field of international law, with cases in the International Court of Justice, the ECJ, the ECHR, the ITLOS, the Iran-US Claims Tribunal, ad hoc Arbitral Tribunals and courts in England and Hong Kong, among others. He has also sat as an arbitrator in many investment arbitrations under the auspices of ICSID, the Permanent Court of Arbitration and other bodies, and on the tribunals addressing the boundaries between Trinidad and Barbados, and between Croatia and Slovenia. He sat as an ad hoc judge on the European Court of Human Rights and is the UK-nominated judge on the European Nuclear Energy Tribunal. He is Emeritus Chichele Professor of Public International Law and an Emeritus Fellow of All Souls College in the University of Oxford.

Among his more notable cases as counsel are: in the ICJ, the Antarctic Whaling case (for Japan), the Romania v Ukraine, Peru v Chile and Nicaragua v Colombia maritime boundary cases (for Romania, Peru, Nicaragua), the Palestinian Wall case (for Palestine), the Avena (Interpretation) case (for the USA), the Kosovo case (for Cyprus), the Timor-Leste v Australia case concerning certain documents (for Timor-Leste), and the Bolivia v Chile case concerning the obligation to negotiate access to the Pacific Ocean (for Bolivia); in the ITLOS, the Mox and Land Reclamation cases (for Ireland, Singapore); the Kishenganga and Southern Bluefin Tuna (for Pakistan, Japan) cases in ad hoc tribunals; and R v Jones and Milling (UK) and FG Hemisphere v Democratic Republic of the Congo (Hong Kong). He advises extensively on international law matters, including questions concerning maritime boundaries and offshore petroleum concessions, the Law of the Sea, investment protection, State immunity, territorial title, the structuring and organization of dispute settlement procedures, peace settlements and various aspects of independence and statehood negotiations.

Steven Berry KC

Steven Berry specialises in advocacy in substantial commercial cases in the English courts and domestic and international arbitral tribunals, including ICC, LCIA, LMAA and SIAC, especially in the related fields of insurance and reinsurance, shipping, international banking, commodities and arbitration.

He also acts as arbitrator in suitable cases.

Stephen Houseman KC

Stephen has been recognised in the main legal directories for his profile in several practice areas: Commercial Dispute Resolution / Litigation; International Arbitration; Energy & Utilities; Insurance & Reinsurance. He was shortlisted for Commercial Litigation Junior of the Year at the Chambers Bar Awards in October 2012. He has attracted praise for his “exemplary judgement in complex litigation” as well as “technical excellence … on complex points of law and contractual elucidation”. He is known for being “very bright”, “talented” and “strategically superb”, an all-rounder who “focuses on the real issues, handles the client well and has a good sense of humour”.  Stephen regularly sits as an arbitrator in commercial disputes.

Stephen sits as a part-time Deputy Judge of the High Court in London, Queen’s Bench Division and Chancery Division (Business List), having been appointed for a four year term, since extended to six years, in November 2019. He also acts as arbitrator in commercial disputes and has provided expert evidence, including oral testimony, on English law in various foreign jurisdictions.

Samuel Wordsworth KC

Sam Wordsworth specialises in public international law and international arbitration. He is regularly instructed by Governments in international cases and has appeared before numerous international tribunals including the International Court of Justice and Tribunals constituted with respect to the Law of the Sea. He is a Visiting Professor teaching investment arbitration at Kings College, London and is regularly instructed as counsel in investment treaty disputes. He is currently nominated as arbitrator in two ongoing ICSID cases.

Notable cases as counsel include: before the ICJ, the Ukraine v Russia case concerning alleged financing of terrorism and racial discrimination (for Russia); the Bolivia v Chile case concerning the obligation to negotiate access to the Pacific Ocean (for Chile) and the Chile v Bolivia case concerning the Silala river (for Chile); the Peru v Chile and Costa Rica v Nicaragua maritime boundary cases (for Chile, for Costa Rica); the cases concerning Certain Activities and the Road (for Costa Rica); the Kosovo case (for the UK); the Diallo case (for Guinea); before the ITLOS and ad hoc tribunals, the Ukraine v Russia case concerning Coastal State rights in the Black Sea (for Russia); the Mox plant case (for the UK), the Chagos Islands case Mauritius v UK (for the UK), the Kishenganga case (for Pakistan); before the Iran-US Claims Tribunal, Case A15 concerning Iranian property in the USA (for Iran); the European Court of Human Rights, Al-Skeini v UK, Al-Jedda v UK (for the UK), the Nada and Al Dulimi cases (for the UK); before the UK Supreme Court Serdar Mohammed (concerning legality of UK detention operations in Afghanistan), Belhaj (concerning alleged complicity of the UK in torture). He advises regularly on international law matters, including questions concerning treaty interpretation, international watercourses, maritime boundaries, the Law of the Sea, investment protection, State immunity, sanctions, dispute settlement procedures.

Roderick Cordara KC SC

Roderick Cordara has been a barrister in private practice since 1975, and acts as adviser and advocate in connection with worldwide commercial litigation and arbitration. He can appear in the Courts of the United Kingdom, the European Court of Justice, the Singapore International Commercial Court, and the State and Federal Courts of Australia. He has taken part as arbitrator or as counsel in arbitration cases in Europe, Asia, and Africa. He is a senior counsel (‘Silk’) in both the UK and Australia with UK Citizenship (sole Citizenship).

Roderick alongside his barrister practice accepts arbitral appointments under all arbitral rules and has substantial experience sitting as Sole, Chair or Co-arbitrator internationally.

A full CV can be provided on request.

Ricky Diwan KC

Ricky is referred to as “extremely bright” by leading directories and it is with that wealth of knowledge that he began accepting arbitrator appointments in 2017. He is a member of ICCA, LCIA, HKIAC and SIAC Panel of Arbitrators, as well as the UK ICC Committee.  He is presently appointed as arbitrator in arbitrations under the ICC Rules, LCIA Rules and SIAC Rules (acting in the capacity of sole arbitrator, presiding arbitrator and co-arbitrator).  He has considerable experience of arguing and conducting international arbitrations under both common law (English law, Hong Kong law Indian law, New York law, Singapore law) and civil law (Angolan law, French law, Iranian law, Kuwait law, Libyan law, Polish law, Russian law, Sudanese law and Turkish law).  The subject matter of the cases in which he has acted and sat as arbitrator is necessarily diverse. He co-authored the ICCA International Handbook on Commercial Arbitration for England & Wales (2015) with the late V V Veeder KC. He also co-drafted the Mauritian International Arbitration Act 2008, advised on the LCIA-MIAC arbitration rules and sits on the advisory board of the Mauritian International Arbitration Centre. He also lectures in international arbitration at King’s College, London, and regularly speaks at international arbitration events.

Ricky’s extensive Counsel practice covers a multitude of experience of international commercial arbitration and international investment arbitration. Having regularly appeared as counsel in international arbitrations seated throughout the world.  He has been instructed in arbitrations under a wide variety of international arbitration rules including HKIAC, ICC, ICSID, LCIA, SCC, SIAC, UNCITRAL and VIAC.  Prior to being called to the UK bar in 1998, he was admitted to the New York Bar and practiced as a qualified attorney-at-law at a leading New York law firm between 1995 and 1997.

His international arbitration practice is complimented by his vast experience of international arbitration related applications before the English Court raising issues of (inter alia) jurisdiction (including under investment treaties), due process and excess of power.  He has appeared at all levels of the English Court on arbitration related cases as well as before leading institutions (including an ICSID Annulment Committee constituted by ICSID).  His cases have given rise to important reported judgments and decisions. This includes: Griffin v Poland [2018] 1 Lloyd’s Rep 410, where he acted for the investor in successfully setting aside an investment award on jurisdictional grounds, being the first investor state award to be set aside by the English High Court (for which he was nominated for an award by GAR in 2019); Raymond Eyre and Montrose Development v Sri Lanka (ICSID Case No. ARB/16/25, 2020), where he acted for the State in a hotel development dispute and successfully had the claim dismissed on jurisdictional grounds and then successfully resisted an application for annulment before an ICSID Annulment Committee; Kabab-Ji v Kout Food Group [2021] UKSC 48 (Judgment of 27 October 2021), where he recently appeared before the United Kingdom Supreme Court in successfully resisting recognition and enforcement of ICC arbitral award in a landmark decision on jurisdiction under Article V(1)(a) of the New York Convention.

Ricky is highly recommended in leading legal directories for international arbitration in which he has been described as “a very strong advocate”, an advocate who “glues the attention of the court”, “exceptionally sharp and extremely pleasant to work with”, “widely recognized and recommended figure in the market” and that “his understated but powerful performance at hearings is advocacy at its best”. He is regularly nominated for directory awards and most recently one of three nominees for international arbitration silk of the year at the Chambers Bar Awards; and shortlisted for the GAR Awards for his successful setting aside of an investment arbitral award.

Richard Millett KC

Richard Millett KC has a broad commercial practice covering a variety of different specialist areas, with an emphasis on advocacy in court and in arbitration and other tribunals. He specialises in banking and financial markets, hedge fund and private equity disputes, insurance and reinsurance, insolvency, energy, and media and entertainment. He regularly appears in the Chancery Division, Commercial Court, the Court of Appeal and numerous arbitrations, both in London and overseas.

Richard has developed a particularly strong reputation for Offshore work, with Chambers & Partners researchers saying he “expertly handles the most complicated of commercial disputes” and clients describing him as a “hugely successful advocate” who “thinks quickly on his feet and presents clearly in court.”

He has appeared frequently in the BVI, Anguilla, the Cayman Islands, Bermuda, Nevis, The Seychelles and the Isle of Man over the years and is a permanently called member of the Bars of the British Virgin Islands and of Anguilla. He frequently gives expert evidence as to English law, BVI law and Cayman law in litigation in the US.

He appears as lead Counsel in international arbitrations of all kinds and regularly sits as an arbitrator on ICC and LCIA arbitrations and as an ad hoc tribunal.
He has been consistently recognised as a leading Silk by both Legal 500 and Chambers & Partners across a number of practice areas and the recent market views reflect positive client comments such as: ‘incredibly enthusiastic and positive’; ‘very bright and fast-moving’, ‘a firstclass intellect and provides tenacious and effective advocacy’, ‘always first on our list’ and ‘bright, lateral thinking and client-friendly’.

He sits regularly as an arbitrator on substantial international arbitrations. In April 2013 he was appointed a Deputy Judge of the High Court, Chancery Division. In 2014 he was appointed to the panel of Senior Decision Makers by the Guernsey Financial Services Commission.

Richard was shortlisted for International Arbitration Silk of the Year in The Legal 500 UK Awards 2017.

Philippa Hopkins KC

Philippa has a broad and varied commercial dispute resolution practice. She acts and advises both in court proceedings and in arbitration, and has appeared before a wide variety of courts (including the Court of Appeal) and arbitration tribunals. Philippa is equally happy acting alone or as part of a team, and appears regularly both as a junior on very substantial cases and as sole counsel. She has extensive experience of heavy and complex cases in the Commercial Court and in arbitration, and of applications for interim relief. Her work is largely international in nature, often involving complex private international law issues. She has a particular interest and expertise in shipping matters.

Recognised annually by the leading legal directories, clients have described Philippa as “an outstanding advocate, who is very sharp and tends to frighten the opposition with her intellect and drive”, “a silk in all but name”, “highly intelligent, very proactive, and cuts straight to the crux of the matter” and “fabulous – at the top of her game”.

As well as her advocacy and advisory work, Philippa sits regularly as an arbitrator.

Philippa took a career break for most of 2012 and 2013, following the birth of her third child, but is now back in full time practice.  Philippa became Queens Counsel in 2018.

Paul Stanley KC

Paul Stanley KC regularly accepts appointments as an arbitrator and has been sitting since 2003.  Paul has experience as Chair, Sole Arbitrator as well as party-appointed under all institutional rules and in ad-hoc arbitrations.

Paul’s Barrister practice spans a wide range of commercial disputes.  He has a particular interest and experience in financial services (including regulatory work), both at the regulatory level and before the Upper Tribunal and on appeal. He often deals with insurance and reinsurance claims, particularly high value pharmaceutical and products-liability claims, including many arbitrations raising a full range of issues concerning the validity and application of insurance and reinsurance contracts, especially (but not only) the Bermuda Form. He also has a particular interest in complex civil fraud cases, for both claimants and defendants, including obtaining and enforcing interim remedies, applications to commit for contempt, and jurisdictional issues, both in England and offshore.  He appears in both courts and before arbitral tribunals at all levels. He has extensive experience of appellate advocacy in the Court of Appeal.

Paul Key KC

Paul Key is recognised as one of the leading silks at the Commercial Bar, specializing in complex, cross-border and high-value disputes.

He wins praise from clients for combining strong analytical skills (“intellect of an Einstein“, “you bring him in when you have a case which needs a lot of the grey matter to be applied to it“, “incredibly bright and hard-working“, “incisive and insightful“, “supremely intelligent“) with powerful advocacy (“astonishingly good advocate“, “the go-to advocate for important cases“, “amazing ability to get the most difficult tribunal on his side“) and a teamwork ethic (“a definite inclusion when compiling a dream team for a case“, “approachable and responsive“, “seamlessly slots into the wider team and provides spot-on insights“, “a team player who is very switched-on, very good with clients, and user-friendly“).

As well as appearing as sole counsel in Courts and in arbitrations, Paul also acts as a member of larger teams in heavyweight disputes, including 14 separate cases in recent years valued at over US$1billion. In addition to acting for and against high net-worth individuals  regularly acts for and against States and State-entities (e.g. China, Iran, Kazakhstan, Nigeria, Russia, Singapore and the USA).

Paul’s litigation work has seen him win complex and very substantial cases for his clients at all levels of the English Court system, including the Supreme Court (“secured a huge victory for us in a very difficult case“, “superb courtroom advocate“, “having an extremely high-profile year“, “his knowledge of English law is phenomenal“, “clear, concise, confident and easy to work with“).

Paul has been widely recognized for his specialism in arbitration, both international commercial arbitration (including ICC, LCIA, UNCITRAL, SCC and ARIAS) and investment treaty arbitration (including ICSID). He has been ranked in the top-tier (band 1) rankings for arbitration for over 10 years and has consistently been identified as one of the leading figures in that field (“a real arbitration expert“, “few can rival his expertise, ability and knowledge in the field of investment arbitration“, “he has established an impressive case portfolio“, “the first port of call for important arbitration disputes“, “an arbitration guru“, “when working on a huge international arbitration, he seamlessly slots into the wider team and provides spot-on insights“). He has appeared as advocate in over 300 major international arbitrations worldwide, as well as appearing regularly before the English Courts (at all levels) and foreign Courts on arbitration matters. In addition to his extensive experience in international commercial arbitration, he is one of the very few English Silks to have real expertise in investment arbitration. He has been lead counsel in a very large number of BIT / investment arbitrations, acting both for and against States.

He is Visiting Professor in international arbitration law at King’s College, London, and has lectured and published widely in this field. He has been a long-standing representative of the UK on the ILA International Commercial Arbitration Committee and is also a delegate for the UNCITRAL Working Group on Arbitration.

His practice spans a vast array of fields in international and domestic law, including very substantial experience in each of the following subject-matter areas: foreign investment; international trade; civil fraud; energy; joint ventures; power and other large scale infrastructure projects; offshore disputes; oil & gas; telecommunications; shipping; agency and distribution (including commercial agency); conflict of laws; and public international law (largely in the investment context).

Prior to taking Silk, Paul won the Chambers & Partners Award for “International Arbitration Junior Barrister of the Year” and was also nominated for this award in commercial dispute resolution. He was recently nominated (as one of three) for Silk of the Year in Projects and Energy.