Cyrus Benson is a U.S. and English qualified partner in the London office of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher and serves as co-chair of the firm’s International Arbitration Practice Group. Cyrus represents clients from a wide variety of sectors before commercial and investment treaty tribunals with particular experience in telecoms, oil & gas, mining and infrastructure disputes. He continues to represent a Dutch and a Luxembourg investor in two separate multi-billion dollar arbitration proceedings against the Russian Federation under the Energy Charter Treaty. He is lead advocate for a major international contractor in billion dollar ICC proceedings against a Middle Eastern state arising from an airport project, and spear-headed a team in the successful prosecution of a US$ 2 billion LCIA arbitration for a global mining corporate against a Middle East steel manufacturer. He also continues to represent a Middle Eastern conglomerate in a US$ 500 million ICSID arbitration under the Kuwait/Iraq bilateral investment treaty arising out of an investment in Kurdistan; and a Swedish holding company in a US$ 1.5 billion ICSID arbitration against a North African State for expropriation of a refinery and related businesses. He was a member of the IBA Arbitration Committee Task Force on Ethics for Counsel and served as one of the UK members to the ICC Rules Revision Task Force. He sits regularly as an arbitrator, and writes and lectures on a wide variety of arbitration issues.
England - London • Dispute resolution
Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher
With 'deep international arbitration experience across the board', Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher is best known for large-scale, complex disputes. The London practice is jointly headed by 'superb advocate' Cyrus Benson, who regularly appears before commercial and investment treaty tribunals in telecoms, mining, infrastructure, and oil and gas claims; and 'superb arbitration practitioner' Penny Madden KC, an expert in shareholder, telecoms, energy, international trade, and insurance disputes. The next line of experienced practitioners comprises former UK Lord Chancellor Lord Falconer KC, who focuses on commercial litigation, international arbitration and investigations; Osma Hudda, who maintains a broad disputes practice; and Doug Watson, who conducts arbitrations under a range of rules and arbitral institutions. In late 2022, former President of the European Court of Human Rights, Robert Spano, was recruited, while Piers Plumptre, who 'takes a very commercial and practical approach', was made partner. Former partner Jeffrey Sullivan KC joined Debevoise & Plimpton LLP in July 2023.
Legal 500 Editorial commentary
Testimonials
Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.
‘The practice has a broad range of clients and deep international arbitration experience across the board.’
‘Penny Gibson KC is a superb arbitration practitioner. She does very heavyweight cases that have the most complex facts. An excellent tactician.’
‘Penny Madden - absolutely first rate and always goes the extra mile for the client.'
‘Cyrus Benson is, quite simply, a superb advocate. He is forceful, measured and extremely effective, both in cross-examination and in making submissions. He has an excellent understanding of the law and practice of international arbitration.'
‘Gibson Dunn London has a star in-house advocate in the form of Lord Falconer KC, supported by a first-class team including Piers Plumptre.’
'Lord Falconer KC has a forceful yet charming advocacy style before tribunals.’
‘Piers Plumptre, who has just become a partner, takes a very commercial and practical approach, and has particular expertise in the enforcement of foreign judgments and awards (in particular against states).'
‘Gibson Dunn has some of the very best cases in international arbitration. They are at the very top because they manage cases well, and use and instruct very good people.’
Key clients
- Crescent Petroleum
- Agility Public Warehousing
- Global Telecom Holding
- Corral Morocco Holdings
- Luxtona
- Yukos Capital
- Kimberly-Clark
- Tethyan Copper Company
- International Chrome Holdings
- Dana Gas
Lawyers
Hall of Fame
The lawyers at the very top of the profession, widely known and respected by peers and clients for their longstanding involvement in market-leading work.
Leading individuals
Penny Madden is an English qualified King’s counsel and serves as co-partner in charge of the London office at Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher. She is co-chair of the International Arbitration Practice Group and a member of the firm’s Transnational Litigation Practice Group. She has a wide range of experience in all key aspects of international arbitration with particular expertise in shareholder, telecommunications, SPA, energy, international trade and insurance disputes. She represents clients across the globe in a wide variety of arbitration proceedings, including those before the London Court of International Arbitration (LCIA), International Chamber of Commerce (ICC), United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL), International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID), Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague (PCA) Singapore International Arbitration Centre (SIAC), Hong Kong International Arbitration Centre (HKIAC) and London Maritime Arbitrators Association (LMAA), as well as in ad hoc proceedings. In addition to representing clients as counsel, Penny regularly sits as an arbitrator. Her recent cases include representing two Middle Eastern oil and gas companies in multiple LCIA arbitrations arising out of a multi-billion oil and gas project in Kurdistan and disputed gas pipeline; representing a Middle Eastern oil and gas company in a multi-billion PCA administered arbitration against a state owned Middle East oil and gas company in a gas sales and pipe-line infrastructure project dispute; representing a telecommunications corporate in its US$17 billion dollar UNCITRAL investment treaty arbitration against a North African state for creeping expropriation and breach of the fair and equitable treatment standard; and representing shareholders in a major oil company with respect to multibillion dollar claims for expropriation under the Energy Charter Treaty against the Russian Federation.
Practice head
The lawyer(s) leading their teams.
Penny Madden KC, Cyrus Benson