International Arbitration

PDF
Share
- Email
- Twitter
- LinkedIn

Pillsbury provides international perspective to resolve disputes in global markets and extensive experience in handling ADR matters and disputes before arbitral forums in proceedings throughout the world.

Pillsbury’s International Arbitration team is made up of lawyers with decades of experience adjudicating disputes administered by international arbitral institutions worldwide. Team members have appeared before arbitral tribunals for governments, investors, developers, equipment manufacturers, construction companies and others. We have handled disputes involving energy and power projects, construction and infrastructure, defense industry procurements, intellectual property, environmental issues, supplier-distributor issues, international trade, real estate, life sciences, ﬁnancing transactions, mergers and acquisitions, and all sorts of commercial matters. The proceedings have been conducted in venues as diverse as Asia, the Middle East, Europe, North America, South America and Africa.

Our lawyers have appeared before all major arbitration forums, including the ICC, LCIA, Stockholm Chamber of Commerce, HKIAC, DIAC, DIFC, Swiss Chamber of Commerce, ICDR, ICSID, SIAC, JCAA and AAA, in all major arbitration centers, and we have conducted arbitrations under UNCITRAL Rules and on an ad hoc basis. Our lawyers have significant experience in resolving investor-state disputes and a wide variety of claims both internationally and in the United States through arbitration and other forms of ADR. Our lawyers are frequently asked to serve as party-appointed arbitrators, as chairs of tribunals and as mediators. Pillsbury arbitration lawyers also advise clients on the use of arbitration and alternative dispute resolution clauses in agreements and are active in ADR organizations.

In addition to matters governed by New York and Delaware law and the laws of other U.S. states, our lawyers have successfully represented clients in arbitrations involving the laws of many other jurisdictions, both common law and civil law, including the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Tunisia, Finland, Sweden, Switzerland, Kazakhstan, Canada, Argentina, British Virgin Islands, Russia, France, Spain, Peru, Ghana, Hong Kong and Japan.

Representative Experience

Served as Government of Mexico (Secretaría de Economía) counsel in 15 international investment disputes brought under NAFTA and bilateral investment treaties and administered under ICSID or UNCITRAL rules.
Successfully defended a major Japanese manufacturer and several of its U.S. subsidiaries in an ICC arbitration involving claims in excess of $7 billion stemming from the claimed failure of certain critical components manufactured and supplied by our clients to the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station (“SONGS”). Our clients were found to be the “prevailing party” and were awarded fees and costs in excess of $58 million.
Represented a Canadian company and its sister U.S.-based company in a $200 million ICC arbitration proceeding regarding equipment supplied to a process facility in northern Quebec, Canada.

Investor-State Disputes
- Served as counsel for the Government of Argentina in connection with the annulment of an ICSID award relating to a contract procured by corruption.
- Represented multinational engineering and project management company in UNCITRAL arbitrations in connection with claims exceeding $2.4 billion in alleged damages related to a refinery expansion megaproject in Colombia.
- Served as counsel for a Turkish banking consortium that provided $90 million in construction guarantees on a project that was the subject of an ICSID proceeding.
- Represented two major energy companies in a US$2 billion arbitration with a North African government over the renegotiation under an economic rebalancing clause in a long-term energy supply contract.
- Served as the party-appointed arbitrator in Tulip Real Estate Investment and Development Netherlands B.V. v. Republic of Turkey, an ICSID dispute.

International Disputes Resolution
- Asia
  - Served as lead counsel in an ICC arbitration concerning the design and installation of process machinery at a facility in Central China.
  - Represented major Japan-based manufacturing company in a cross-licensing dispute in an ICC arbitration in Switzerland concerning nuclear technology licensing agreements with claims that exceeded $500 million.
  - Represented Korean investment bank before an ICDR international arbitration tribunal in a complex contract dispute concerning ownership and development of the AIG Building in New York.
  - Represented large Japanese homebuilder in an arbitration of a complex construction dispute involving landslide repair and civil engineering work at a large, high-end residential and golf course project constructed on seismically active land.
  - Represented Tokyo Stock Exchange Division 1 corporation in a breach of contract dispute against an Indian company in an arbitration proceeding before the JCAA.
  - Served as Finnish company’s counsel in an ICC arbitration in Singapore, prosecuting and defending claims arising from the design, procurement and construction of a panelboard facility in central China.
  - Represented U.S. joint venture partner in an arbitration in China against a Chinese (government-owned) partner arose from the breach of long-term supply and purchase agreements at a coal-ﬁred ﬂuidized bed co-generation project in Hunan Province.
  - Acted in ICDR arbitration involving a Chinese solar panel manufacturer regarding a Canadian company subsidiary’s failure to pay for industrial solar panels.
  - Represented Pakistani contractor in ICC arbitration proceedings regarding the reconstruction of a major airport in Afghanistan.
  - Represented Japanese company in an arbitration involving patent rights for a car stereo electronic security system owned by a U.S. citizen.
  - Represented $5.7 billion integrated resort development owner in Singapore International Arbitration Centre proceedings regarding unauthorized reuse of proprietary designs in conjunction with a proposed competing 8.8 million-square-foot development elsewhere in Asia.
- Europe
  - Represented UK-based company in an ICDR arbitration under an OEM agreement involving data storage shelves deployed in enterprise-level storage applications for ﬁnancial services, health care and telecom companies.
  - Represented the U.S. subsidiary of a European company in an international arbitration dispute regarding state-of-the-art paper-processing equipment.
  - Served as equipment supplier’s co-lead counsel in an ICC arbitration and defended claims arising from the construction of a paper mill in western Canada.
  - Served as lead counsel in an ICC arbitration concerning paper machine equipment design, procurement and installation at a facility in Michigan.
  - Represented Finnish company, as lead counsel, in a Geneva Chamber of Commerce and Industry arbitration involving alleged defects in design and/or manufacture of process equipment for a mill in Georgia.
  - Served as French company’s lead counsel in an ICC arbitration involving alleged design and/or manufacturing defects in diesel engines installed onboard a ﬂeet of ocean-going ﬁshing trawlers.
  - Served as co-lead counsel to a Finnish company in an ICC arbitration with collateral proceedings and prosecuted delay and force majeure claims concerning barge-based power station construction in the Dominican Republic.
- Latin America
  - Represented Petróleos de Venezuela S.A. and subsidiary BITOR in Canadian utility-initiated contract litigations and arbitration seeking CDN$2.2 billion in damages. This case was recognized among top 50 contract disputes by The American Lawyer.
  - Represented Venezuelan engineering ﬁrm in an ICC arbitration regarding the construction of a petroleum byproducts handling facility being built in Venezuela.
  - Represented EPC contractor in an ICDR arbitration with an owner after the catastrophic failure of the internal lining in over 100 miles of a Chilean water pipeline.
  - Represented Brazilian electric utility in an international arbitration against a U.S. vendor arising from defects on major nuclear power plant equipment.
  - Served as arbitrator in an ICC proceeding involving a construction project in. U.S.-based contractor and a joint venture company dispute involved construction of a petrochemical facility in Mexico. The case was arbitrated in Mexico.
  - Represented Mexican party in a National Grain and Feed Association Rules arbitration concerning a dispute related to the supply of corn.
  - Represented major U.S. supplier in an international arbitration involving a Latin American utility over alleged design and construction defects on an electric power facility.
  - Served as lead counsel to a Brazilian company in an AAA arbitration regarding claims arising from the Brazilian company/American telecommunications equipment supplier distributorship arrangement in Brazil.
  - Represented international telecommunications conglomerate in a JAMS international arbitration proceeding regarding a failed joint venture endeavor in South America.
- Middle East and Africa
  - Represented Abu Dhabi government agency in a multimillion-dollar construction contract dispute before a contractually appointed international dispute adjudication board.
  - Served as counsel for a Turkish trading company in a case involving claims for breach of a long-term distribution agreement.
  - Represented London client in an arbitration case arising out of claims involving construction of a large industrial facility in Africa.
  - Defended biopesticide company in an arbitration with a licensee/distributor in the United Arab Emirates.
  - Advised Japanese contractor regarding claims brought by an employer for alleged defective construction of LNG berths on a major LNG development in Qatar.
- United States
  - Served as Canadian pipeline company’s lead counsel in an AAA arbitration arising from a contractor’s claims regarding Louisiana pipeline construction related to a strategic petroleum reserve.
  - Represented life sciences company in an arbitration to establish rights of ownership and control of Jonas Salk’s AIDS vaccine.
  - Represented pharmaceutical company in a conﬁdential ICC arbitration to determine ownership, trade secrets and enforcement rights regarding biotechnology materials and related patents.
  - Represented hospital in a multimillion-dollar arbitration involving breach of contract claims and related torts. The outcome resulted in a substantial award for our client, which was later challenged and then aﬃrmed in federal court.
  - Represented energy company in construction-related arbitration with a contractor over claims arising from the modernization of one of the company's power plants.
  - Represented independent power producer in an AAA arbitration with a state agency over fees due under contracts for generation of electric power.
  - Defended American Indian tribe facing potential damages liability of approximately $20 million in a commercial arbitration involving a gaming machine vendor and a ﬁnancing company.
  - Served as counsel to a U.S.-based international telecommunications carrier in a case involving claims for failure to perform communication services.
  - Successfully resolved through multi-week arbitration subcontractor claims for delay, disruption and extra work asserted against the general contractor for construction of the Philadelphia Phillies stadium.
  - Represented client in an ICDR arbitration in which the opponent accused our client of fraud and misrepresentation in a stock transaction. The arbitration was dismissed.
  - Achieved arbitration win for our client regarding employee credit for the cancer drug Velcade. The case held that employees should have been included as inventors on two NIH-owned patents licensed to Millennium Pharmaceuticals.
  - Represented hotel owner against a contractor in an AAA arbitration over a remodel and obtained an award for substantially all of the owner’s delay and defective work claims.
  - Represented client in a JAMS arbitration trial of disputes arising out of the termination of contractual relationship between a third-party disability insurance administrator and a major insurer.
  - Represented the subsidiary of a national bank in arbitration with one of its agricultural borrowers regarding a defaulted series of loans and allegations of fraud and tortious interference.

Practice Area Highlights

Recognized by The Legal 500 U.S. for our International Arbitration practice (2024).
Recognized by the Global Arbitration Review 100 – 17th edition guide, as one of the leading international arbitration practices (2024).
Recognized by The Legal 500 UK for our International Arbitration practice (2023 – 2025).

Best Lawyers Best Law Firms National Tier 1 ranking (2024 – 2025); National Tier 3 (2023).

Resources

International Arbitration

Pillsbury provides international perspective to resolve disputes in global markets and extensive experience in handling ADR matters and disputes before arbitral forums in proceedings throughout the world.

Representative Experience

Practice Area Highlights

Resources

Brochure

2024 MOST FEARED FIRMS

Case Study

Case Study

Case Study

Doing Business in Saudi Arabia

Washington Arbitration Week 2024

Foreign Lawyers Roundtable and Networking Forum

IBA Annual Conference

International Arbitration

Pillsbury provides international perspective to resolve disputes in global markets and extensive experience in handling ADR matters and disputes before arbitral forums in proceedings throughout the world.

Representative Experience

Practice Area Highlights

Resources

Brochure

2024 MOST FEARED FIRMS

Case Study

Case Study

Case Study

Related Insights