With ‘wonderful expertise in public international law’, A&O Shearman is routinely mandated by sovereigns and corporations to assist with major bilateral and multilateral investment treaty-related disputes. The team also advises states and international organisations, including international financial institutions, on international treaties and conventions, sanctions regimes, sovereign immunity, state succession, and use of force. Other key areas are international anti-terrorism conventions, boundary disputes, international humanitarian law, trade, and WTO issues. Group head Mark Levy KC is a specialist in commercial and investment treaty arbitration cases, as well as WTO matters; ’very thorough and intelligent lawyer’ Matthew Hodgson has notable experience in disputes over joint ventures, distribution agreements, post-M&A issues, and natural resources and infrastructure projects; Guled Yusuf is ‘fast becoming a leading lawyer in public international law’; and James Freeman leads the London international arbitration team. Also key to the practice are Andrew Denny, who chairs the firm’s human rights working group; international trade and regulatory law practice head Matthew Townsend; and public international law expert Katrina Limond. Sarah Garvey departed the firm in October 2023.
Testimonials
Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.
‘The team has a great attitude towards clients - they are trustworthy, and their decisions are quick and reasonable.’
‘This team has wonderful expertise in public international law and provides appropriate assistance with ISDS cases.’
Key clients
- Republic of Djibouti
- Kingdom of Bahrain
Work highlights
- Representing the Republic of Djibouti before the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS) in advisory proceedings concerning the obligations of states in respect of climate change.
- Acting for the Kingdom of Bahrain in an investment treaty claim brought at ICSID by Naftiran Intertrade Co, a trading subsidiary of the National Iranian Oil Company.