Andrew Cannon > Herbert Smith Freehills LLP > London, England > Lawyer Profile

Herbert Smith Freehills LLP represents states, international organisations, and major corporations across the gamut of public international law issues, including Law of the Sea, state immunity, state recognition, international trade, and human rights. The sizeable team also represents both investors and states in investor-state disputes, in relation to treaties, investment codes and investment contracts. Co-leading the department, Andrew Cannon‘s experience includes acting in ad hoc and institutional arbitrations across multiple jurisdictions (under the rules of both major arbitral institutions and governing laws); and Christian Leathley, an August 2023 returnee to London from the firm’s New York office, who has longstanding experience in international commercial and investment arbitrations, particularly in relation to Central and South America. The team additionally includes Hannah Ambrose, whose public international law practice covers boundaries, investment treaty claims, state immunity, and international organisations’ immunity; Louise Barber, who is experienced in investment treaty arbitrations, Law of the Sea issues, maritime boundary disputes, treaty interpretation, and international human rights law; and Joel Halliday, who has particular experience in energy and mining-related international arbitrations involving Asia.

‘Entrusted with the most complex and high-value disputes‘, Herbert Smith Freehills LLP is ‘a go-to firm for international arbitration’. Covering commercial, investor-state and state-to-state arbitrations, the London practice acts under the rules of all major arbitration institutions, as well as in ad hoc arbitrations. The London international arbitration group is led by ‘world-class advocate’ Craig Tevendale. Global co-head of the international arbitration practice Andrew Cannon, who also leads the firm’s India disputes offering, acts in arbitrations across multiple jurisdictions: Chris Parker KC is ‘an able and agile advocate‘. Christian Leathley, back in London from the firm’s New York office since 2023, specialises in international commercial and investment arbitration and Mike McClure KC , who returned to London from the firm’s Seoul office in 2023, ‘excels in case presentation’. The next line of key practitioners features commercial and investment arbitration specialist Hannah Ambrose, Charlie Morgan, who acts in energy and technology disputes, and Louise Barber, who ‘truly stands out among her peers’. International commercial arbitration and investment treaty arbitration expert Joel Halliday is another name to note, along with Anuradha Agnihotri, who acts in disputes over shareholder and share purchase agreements, as well as construction projects. In April 2024, former global arbitration head Paula Hodges KC left to become an independent arbitrator.