Lord Collins of Mapesbury
‘Very effective case management as chair of a tribunal, extremely thorough and hard-working, decisive and concise. He has impeccable judgement and analytical skills, all the more so in matters involving foreign law issues’ Legal 500 2024
‘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 is world-class and in-demand in big commercial and investment cases.’ Legal 500 2022
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.
Career
Justice of the UK Supreme Court 2009-2011
Lord of Appeal, House of Lords, 2009
Lord Justice of Appeal, Court of Appeal, 2007-2009
High Court Judge, Chancery Division and Commercial Court
(First solicitor to be appointed) 2000-2007
Appointed Queen’s Counsel 1997
(1 of first 2 solicitors to be appointed)
Partner in Herbert Smith & Co (later Herbert Smith), solicitors (including Head of Litigation and Arbitration section) 1973-2000
Non-permanent member of the Hong Kong Court of Final Appeal 2012-
Deputy Chairman (2013-2014) and Chairman (since 2014), Takeover Appeal Board-
Academic Positions
2011- | Professor of Law, University College London
1975- | Fellow, Wolfson College, Cambridge (Director of European law research programme, 1975-1980); Emeritus Fellow, 2008; Honorary Fellow, 2010
1989- | Elected Associate (1989-1993) and Member (since 1993), Institut de droit international: Reports on Forum Non Conveniens and Anti-suit Injunctions (with G Droz) (2004) and Provisional Measures (2017)
1991; 1998; 2007; 2024 | Hague Academy of International Law: (1) Provisional and Protective Measures in International Litigation, 1991; (2) General Course on Private International Law, 1998; (3) Revolution and Restitution: Foreign States in National Courts, 2007 (opening lecture for new Hague Academy building); (4) Use and Abuse of Comity in Private International Law, July 2024 (forthcoming inaugural lecture)
1994 | Awarded LL.D., Cambridge University (for distinction by original contribution to the advancement of the science or study of law)
1994 | Elected Fellow of the British Academy
Visiting Positions
1982-2012 | Visiting Professor, Queen Mary College, University of London
2011 | Visiting Fellow, Victoria University, Wellington, New Zealand
2012/2013 | Visiting Professor, Columbia University School of Law
2012/2019 | Visiting/Adjunct Professor, New York University School of Law
Member
Board of Editors, International and Comparative Law Quarterly (1988-2009)
Editorial Committee, British Year Book of International Law (since 1991, and Chair since 2010)
Advisory Council, British Institute of International and Comparative Law, and Vice-President, 2011-present
Editorial Board, Oxford International Arbitration Series
Arbitrations
Lawrence has been a full-time international arbitrator since 2011 in investor-state and international commercial arbitrations. He regularly sits as Presiding, co-arbitrator and sole arbitrator in ICSID, ICC, LCIA, PCA, Cairo Centre, ad hoc UNCITRAL arbitrations. Most recent cases include seats in Washington DC, London, Florida, The Hague, Geneva, Paris, Zurich, Singapore, Mumbai, Cairo.