Commercial Arbitration & International Commercial Disputes

Akin is widely acknowledged to have one of the world’s leading practices in the international arbitration of disputes arising out of oil & gas, power, large-scale infrastructure, engineering and construction projects, joint ventures and cross-border investments.

Our clients in commercial arbitration matters have included private equity and investment funds, governmental bodies, and companies in the oil & gas, power, manufacturing, automobile, aerospace, technology, telecommunications, mining and construction sectors.

We provide a full range of services to our clients, from advising on and drafting dispute resolution clauses, compliance with pre-arbitral steps, arbitration proceedings, to arbitration-related court proceedings, including pre-arbitration asset preservation measures, applications to national courts to set aside arbitral awards and recognition and enforcement actions.

Many of our lawyers are multilingual, enabling us to conduct arbitral proceedings in different languages, including English, French, Chinese and many others.

Akin’s international arbitration practice receives high rankings in Chambers and The Legal 500, and our lawyers are regularly singled out for praise and recognition.

Representative Matters

Acting for a Russian shareholder in its disputes with an English joint venture partner over one of the 10 largest oil & gas companies in the world. The dispute took place in three separate English law arbitrations under UNCITRAL rules in Stockholm, Sweden.
Acting for a Saudi Arabian entity against Spanish engineering and construction companies for their performance of several engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) projects in oil & gas processing in Saudi Arabia (ICC rules, Swiss law, Geneva forum).
Acting for a U.S. headquartered global construction and project management company in connection with a multibillion dollar arbitration (ICC, London) concerning a transport infrastructure project in the Middle East.
Acting for a publicly listed conglomerate in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region in multiple ICC arbitration and Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) Court proceedings relating to a failed investment (claim values in excess of $1 billion).
Representing a German EPC company in a €100-million ICC arbitration against its Polish boiler subcontractor for work on a 833 megawatt, lignite-fired power plant in Belchatow, Poland; the case involves more than 20 heads of claim and counterclaim, with the main issue in dispute being the extent of pass-through liability for the €89 million in delay liquidated damages that were assessed by the owner of the plant under the main EPC contract.
Acting for a major conglomerate in Malaysia in two Hong Kong arbitrations (one under UNCITRAL rules and another under HKIAC rules) against a People’s Republic of China (PRC) company arising from joint venture agreement governed by PRC law to set up car production facilities in China. The amount in dispute is in excess of $100 million. Successfully obtained various awards in favor of our clients. Assisting clients on recognition and enforcement of various awards in the PRC acting for a publicly listed conglomerate in the MENA region in multiple ICC arbitration and DIFC Court proceedings relating to a failed investment (claim values in excess of $1 billion).
Pursuing the claims and defenses of a Houston-based technology company in a $180-million ICC arbitration against a Korean industrial manufacturer and Hyundai affiliate to which had been licensed proprietary technology for manufacturing polysilicon (a key ingredient in solar panels and semiconductors) in exchange for license fees and reimbursement of its out-of-pocket expenses.
Acting for a Middle Eastern chemical company in a $120-million London-seated LCIA arbitration against a U.S. oil & gas company concerning the failure to supply required volumes under a gas sale and purchase agreement, alleged force majeure and complex technical questions of reservoir engineering.
Acting for a major Chinese online game company in an ICC arbitration seated in Singapore, against a Korean online game company in a $2-billion dispute arising from a software licensing agreement governed by Singapore law, including related court proceedings before the Singapore International Commercial Court to set aside various awards.
Successfully defending claims of up to $19 billion in a London seat UNCITRAL arbitration arising under a New York law-governed agreement; this case involved lawyers from our New York, London and Geneva offices operating seamlessly together as a single team.
Acting for the trustee of $500 million of bonds issued by the Brazilian owner of an FPSO. The case involves multiple sets of proceedings in Brazil, an LCIA arbitration in London and proceedings in the High Court.
Acting for the provisional liquidators of a South African maritime supply business on a London-seated London Maritime Arbitrators Association (LMAA) arbitration, which raises issues of cross-border recognition of the liquidators, and complex issues of contractual interpretation (English and South African law) and the application of statutory maritime liens.
Acting for a pension fund on an arbitration pursuant to the ICC Rules (seated in Mexico City) relating to a breach-of-warranty claim arising out of a major alternative energy infrastructure investment.
Acting for a Russian oil major in relation to a $1.2-billion LCIA arbitration arising from the sale of a 50 percent stake in substantial oil & gas assets in Kazakhstan; Global Arbitration Review (GAR) reported the successful settlement of the case in August 2015.
Acting for the administrators of a FTSE100 oil & gas company, in relation to a $100-million Joint Operating Agreement (JOA) arbitration in Nigeria concerning disputed ownership of liftings of oil.
Acting for a multinational company in relation to a reputationally sensitive dispute (SIAC, Singapore) with their former CEO.
Acting for the claimant in international construction arbitration seated in Dubai under the DIFC-LCIA rules. The dispute concerns the Dubai International Airport and whether a joint venture agreement between the claimant and BK Gulf was properly determined and, if so, what the profit/loss share ought to be; this is an important arbitration award that will resolve long-awaited questions of wider public importance, under the Law of the United Arab Emirates, concerning whether prior court approval is needed before a party can determine a contract, and on the assessment of consequential loss. The matter value exceeds $100 million.
Acting for the claimant in a Dubai-seated arbitration with a three-person tribunal in respect of final account, contractual audit, extensions of time, prolongation and defects claims concerning a project in Dubai. The matter value exceeds $120 million.
Acting for an emerging markets private equity house in an ICC arbitration in London concerning alleged breaches of a non-compete agreement, in particular, confidentiality and non-disparagement clauses, arising from a multimillion dollar joint venture in Turkey.
Acting for a major East Asian renewable energy company in defending a $40-million LCIA arbitration claim in London brought by a Scandinavian counterparty in relation to an agreement concerning the sale of materials to be used in solar power generation.
Acting on the claims of a Middle Eastern chemical company in a $120-million London-seated LCIA arbitration against a U.S. oil & gas company concerning the failure to supply required volumes under a gas sale and purchase agreement, alleged force majeure and complex technical questions of reservoir engineering.
Acting for a Finnish oil company in $250-million UNCITRAL arbitration proceedings in London concerning a raft of disputes concerning a process plant joint venture.
Acting for an independent oil company in a “bet the company” LCIA arbitration in London in a confidential contractual dispute; we also represented the company in a related challenge to the arbitration award in the English Court, which was successfully dismissed.
Acting for an Israeli chemicals company in a $100-million LCIA arbitration in London concerning a gas sale and purchase agreement with a U.S. energy company.

Representative Matters

Acting for a Russian shareholder in its disputes with an English joint venture partner over one of the 10 largest oil & gas companies in the world. The dispute took place in three separate English law arbitrations under UNCITRAL rules in Stockholm, Sweden.
Acting for a Saudi Arabian entity against Spanish engineering and construction companies for their performance of several engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) projects in oil & gas processing in Saudi Arabia (ICC rules, Swiss law, Geneva forum).
Acting for a U.S. headquartered global construction and project management company in connection with a multibillion dollar arbitration (ICC, London) concerning a transport infrastructure project in the Middle East.
Acting for a publicly listed conglomerate in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region in multiple ICC arbitration and Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) Court proceedings relating to a failed investment (claim values in excess of $1 billion).
Representing a German EPC company in a €100-million ICC arbitration against its Polish boiler subcontractor for work on a 833 megawatt, lignite-fired power plant in Belchatow, Poland; the case involves more than 20 heads of claim and counterclaim, with the main issue in dispute being the extent of pass-through liability for the €89 million in delay liquidated damages that were assessed by the owner of the plant under the main EPC contract.
Acting for a major conglomerate in Malaysia in two Hong Kong arbitrations (one under UNCITRAL rules and another under HKIAC rules) against a People’s Republic of China (PRC) company arising from joint venture agreement governed by PRC law to set up car production facilities in China. The amount in dispute is in excess of $100 million. Successfully obtained various awards in favor of our clients. Assisting clients on recognition and enforcement of various awards in the PRC acting for a publicly listed conglomerate in the MENA region in multiple ICC arbitration and DIFC Court proceedings relating to a failed investment (claim values in excess of $1 billion).
Pursuing the claims and defenses of a Houston-based technology company in a $180-million ICC arbitration against a Korean industrial manufacturer and Hyundai affiliate to which had been licensed proprietary technology for manufacturing polysilicon (a key ingredient in solar panels and semiconductors) in exchange for license fees and reimbursement of its out-of-pocket expenses.
Acting for a Middle Eastern chemical company in a $120-million London-seated LCIA arbitration against a U.S. oil & gas company concerning the failure to supply required volumes under a gas sale and purchase agreement, alleged force majeure and complex technical questions of reservoir engineering.
Acting for a major Chinese online game company in an ICC arbitration seated in Singapore, against a Korean online game company in a $2-billion dispute arising from a software licensing agreement governed by Singapore law, including related court proceedings before the Singapore International Commercial Court to set aside various awards.
Successfully defending claims of up to $19 billion in a London seat UNCITRAL arbitration arising under a New York law-governed agreement; this case involved lawyers from our New York, London and Geneva offices operating seamlessly together as a single team.
Acting for the trustee of $500 million of bonds issued by the Brazilian owner of an FPSO. The case involves multiple sets of proceedings in Brazil, an LCIA arbitration in London and proceedings in the High Court.
Acting for the provisional liquidators of a South African maritime supply business on a London-seated London Maritime Arbitrators Association (LMAA) arbitration, which raises issues of cross-border recognition of the liquidators, and complex issues of contractual interpretation (English and South African law) and the application of statutory maritime liens.
Acting for a pension fund on an arbitration pursuant to the ICC Rules (seated in Mexico City) relating to a breach-of-warranty claim arising out of a major alternative energy infrastructure investment.
Acting for a Russian oil major in relation to a $1.2-billion LCIA arbitration arising from the sale of a 50 percent stake in substantial oil & gas assets in Kazakhstan; Global Arbitration Review (GAR) reported the successful settlement of the case in August 2015.
Acting for the administrators of a FTSE100 oil & gas company, in relation to a $100-million Joint Operating Agreement (JOA) arbitration in Nigeria concerning disputed ownership of liftings of oil.
Acting for a multinational company in relation to a reputationally sensitive dispute (SIAC, Singapore) with their former CEO.
Acting for the claimant in international construction arbitration seated in Dubai under the DIFC-LCIA rules. The dispute concerns the Dubai International Airport and whether a joint venture agreement between the claimant and BK Gulf was properly determined and, if so, what the profit/loss share ought to be; this is an important arbitration award that will resolve long-awaited questions of wider public importance, under the Law of the United Arab Emirates, concerning whether prior court approval is needed before a party can determine a contract, and on the assessment of consequential loss. The matter value exceeds $100 million.
Acting for the claimant in a Dubai-seated arbitration with a three-person tribunal in respect of final account, contractual audit, extensions of time, prolongation and defects claims concerning a project in Dubai. The matter value exceeds $120 million.
Acting for an emerging markets private equity house in an ICC arbitration in London concerning alleged breaches of a non-compete agreement, in particular, confidentiality and non-disparagement clauses, arising from a multimillion dollar joint venture in Turkey.
Acting for a major East Asian renewable energy company in defending a $40-million LCIA arbitration claim in London brought by a Scandinavian counterparty in relation to an agreement concerning the sale of materials to be used in solar power generation.
Acting on the claims of a Middle Eastern chemical company in a $120-million London-seated LCIA arbitration against a U.S. oil & gas company concerning the failure to supply required volumes under a gas sale and purchase agreement, alleged force majeure and complex technical questions of reservoir engineering.
Acting for a Finnish oil company in $250-million UNCITRAL arbitration proceedings in London concerning a raft of disputes concerning a process plant joint venture.
Acting for an independent oil company in a “bet the company” LCIA arbitration in London in a confidential contractual dispute; we also represented the company in a related challenge to the arbitration award in the English Court, which was successfully dismissed.
Acting for an Israeli chemicals company in a $100-million LCIA arbitration in London concerning a gas sale and purchase agreement with a U.S. energy company.