Withers LLP

Litigation and Arbitration

Partner

Floriane Lavaud is a partner in the litigation and arbitration team at Withers Bergman. Her practice focuses on public international law, international arbitration, and complex litigation, with a particular emphasis on the Middle East. She is admitted to the New York and Paris Bars, in addition to being a solicitor in England & Wales.

With nearly 20 years of experience, Floriane advises and represents sovereign states, state-owned entities, and multinational corporations in a variety of jurisdictions and fora on issues of civil and common law, public international law, and treaty and contract interpretation, including before the International Court of Justice. She also advises sovereign wealth funds, private equity funds and hedge funds, including in connection with investments in the Middle East.

Floriane advises and represents pro bono clients on both domestic law and public international law issues. Most recently, she has worked with Legal Action Worldwide to seek justice for the Rohingya before the International Criminal Court and for the Tigrayan people before the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights. She has also worked with the Clooney Foundation for Justice on a number of high-profile cases seeking the release of unlawfully imprisoned journalists.

In recognition for her Dispute Resolution work in Qatar, Chambers Global has commended Floriane's “strong knowledge of public international law, in addition to being very practical and strategic in responding to her clients’ needs.” In the 2023 edition of the guide, clients note that she is “dynamic and extremely reliable.” Floriane is recommended by Chambers USA 2024, where she has been described as an attorney who “understands the complexities of quantum issues without losing sight of the bigger picture” and whose “emotional IQ is off the charts. Her clients love her, her teams love her and the consultants who work with her love her.” She is also recognized as a “Rising Star” for International Arbitration by The Legal 500 US 2023 and by the Euro Money Legal Media Group 2021-2022, which are awarded to the most promising lawyers in the region. In The Legal 500 US, she is described as “a legal surgeon” and “impeccable and greatly motivated.” Floriane is recommended as a Global Leader for Arbitration by Who’s Who Legal 2022 and was nominated as a Thought Leader in Arbitration in 2023. Previously, she was nominated for five consecutive years as a Future Leader in Arbitration by the guide. According to Who’s Who Legal, her peers describe her as “phenomenal” and as a “shining star in the field of international arbitration” with “perfect knowledge of regulatory law.” Previous editions of the guide have described her as “one of the most polished lawyers in the field” and “one of the best practitioners in her field. She pays attention to detail and is very talented in respect of analyzing and constructing legal arguments.”

From 2009 to 2011, she clerked for the Hon. Douglas P. Woodlock of the United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts. Floriane is among the few civil-law-trained attorneys who served as a federal law clerk and therefore has strong experience in US litigation. During her two-year clerkship, she was involved in a wide variety of civil and criminal cases.

Earlier in her career, Floriane worked at Total, one of the world’s leading international oil and gas companies. As a member of Total’s Exploration & Production legal division, Floriane gained in-depth experience with the oil and gas industry and the agreements specific to this industry.

She serves in a number of leadership positions. In 2022, she was elected to the Board of Directors of ArbitralWomen, an international organization that promotes women and diversity in international arbitration. Floriane also currently serves as Board Member and Co-Chair of the International Arbitration Committee of the American Branch of the International Law Association (ABILA). She also served as Co-Chair of International Law Weekend (ILW) in 2022 and 2023, and as a New York Regional Representative of the ICC Young Arbitrators Forum from 2017 until 2019. Floriane regularly speaks and publishes on international law-related issues.

English, French

ArbitralWomen, Board of Directors (2022-2024) International Arbitration Committee of the American Branch of the International Law Association (ABILA), Board of Directors and Co-Chair International Law Weekend, Co-Chair (2022-2023) USA Sub-Committee of the Equal Representation in Arbitration Pledge (2021-present), Member New York Regional Representative of the ICC Young Arbitrators Forum (2012-2014)

University of Pennsylvania Law School, 2007, LL.M. Université Paris II Panthéon-Assas, 2005, M.A.