
Sovereign & States Disputes and Enforcement Summit 2025
Uniquely bringing the Sovereign Disputes and FIRE communities together
to address the latest in Sovereign & States Disputes and Enforcement.
In-person
29th & 30th January 2025 | The Law Society, 113 Chancery Lane, London
Agenda
Networking & Registration
09.00
Chairperson's Opening Remarks
09:20

Jon Felce, Partner
Cooke, Young & Keidan (UK)

Naomi Briercliffe, Partner
Squire Patton Boggs
Keynote Address - Intelligence in Global Relations
09:30

Sir John Scarlett, Former Chief of the British Secret Intelligence Service - Chairman of SC Strategy
SC Strategy
Intra-EU investment treaty arbitration – where do we stand? A global review.
10:20
- Updates from key enforcement jurisdictions: England, United States, Germany, Belgium, Switzerland
- Interrelationship with State aid investigations
- Anti-intra-EU arbitration injunctions

Sylvia Tonova, Partner, Co-Head of International Arbitration and ISDS
Pinsent Masons

Anya George, Partner
Schellenberg Wittmer Ltd (Switzerland)
Trevor Withane, Partner
Ironbridge Legal (Australia)

Dr. Barbara Maucher, Partner
Noerr
Networking & Refreshment Break
11:10
Criminal Proceedings and Arbitration Involving Sovereigns
11:40
- Addressing arbitration claims based on criminal allegations
- Managing evidence issues where there are parallel criminal investigations
- Interim injunctions in arbitrations involving States related to criminal proceedings / Interpol notices / extradition applications

Hector Sbert, Partner
ECIJA (Spain)

Arif Ali, Partner
AHALI Disputes

Yves Klein, Partner
Monfrini Bitton Klein (Switzerland)

Fabio Trevisan , Partner
BSP (Luxembourg)

Emilie Gonin, Barrister
Brick Court Chambers
Around the World: Latest Disputes’ Developments From:
12:40
- Africa
- LATAM
- Asia
- Middle East

Niyati Gandhi, Partner
Shardul Amarchand Mangaldas

Selim Can Bilgin, Partner
Kabine Law

Alejandro Garcia, Partner
Stewarts
Networking & Lunch Break
13:30
Enforcement of Non-Commercial Judgments and Awards
14:30
- Charging Orders against Nigeria
- Domestic US Judgements Against Cuba
- Rights of Companies in Sovereign States Judgements

Steven Perles, Founder
Perles Law Firm

Piers Plumptre, Partner
Gibson Dunn
Networking & Refreshment Break
15:20
Enforcing Compliance from Sovereigns with International Rulings
15:50
- The position in relation to ICSID awards: Border Timbers v Zimbabwe
- Mozambique Nyusi Case
- Infrastructure Services v Spain

Thomas Eymond-Laritaz, Founder & CEO
Highgate
Cathalijne van der Plas, Partner
JahaeRaymakers (The Netherlands)

Hannah van Roessel, Managing Director and Chief Investment Officer – EMEA
Omni Bridgeway
Robert Kovacs, Partner
Withers
Whose Entity Is It Anyway? States and State-Owned Entities and Assets
16:40
- RAK Investment Authority v Azima
- Competition to Seize Assets in Recovery
- Auctioning State Assets and PDVSA Delaware

Jean-Sébastien Bazille, Partner
Gide Loyrette Nouel

Maria Fogdestam Agius, Partner
Westerberg & Partners

Sarah Monnerville Smith, Partner
Eversheds Sutherland

Shannon Rose Selden, Partner
Debevoise & Plimpton
Closing Remarks
17:30
Networking Drinks Reception - Hosted by JS Held & Twenty Essex
17:40
Networking & Registration
09:00
Chairperson's Welcome Back Remarks
09:20

Nikos Asimakopoulos, Director - Disputes
Alaco (UK)

Emmanuel Kaspereit, Partner
Archipel (France)

Sudhanshu Swaroop KC, Barrister
Twenty Essex
Keynote Address
09:30

Jay Newman, Novelist & Former Hedge Fund Portfolio Manager
Looking to the future of Investor-State Dispute Settlement
10:20
- Status of the UNCITRAL Working Group III Discussions
- The Future of the Energy Charter Treaty
- Investment treaty arbitration from a South-South perspective

Andrea Menaker, Partner
White & Case

James Castello, Independent Arbitrator
Arbitration Chambers

Charlie Caher, Partner
WilmerHale
Networking & Refreshment Break
11:10
Plundering the State’s Coffers – Recent Successful (and Unsuccessful) Attempts at Enforcement
11:40
- Obtaining Injunctions Against States
- Commercial use exception
- Latest developments in the Congo, Nigeria, Yukos, and PDVSA

Lútsen de Vries, Partner
Staunch Law

Sebastian Neave, Managing Director
JS Held

Rob Bedford, Partner
Astraea

Paul Hughes, Lawyer
Kobre & Kim

Amy Lashinsky, CEO and Co-Founder
Alaco
Sovereign Arbitrations Arising Out of Russia Ukraine Conflict
12:40
- Update on and issues in cases being brought by:
- Ukrainian investors against Russia
- Non-Ukrainian foreign investors against Russia
- Russian investors against Ukraine
- Russian investors against other States
- Battle of the anti- and anti-anti-suit injunctions
- Potential hurdles to enforcement

Professor Martins Paparinskis, Professor of Public International Law
University College London

Anne Hoffmann, Independent Arbitrator
Hoffmann Arbitration

Catriona Paterson, Partner
Omnia Strategy LLP
Laurence Ponty, Partner
Archipel (Switzerland)
Networking & Lunch Break
13:30
The Other Side: Exploring the State’s Perspective
14:30
- Redistribution of Monies Recovered
- Efforts by States to Recover Embezzled Assets Abroad
- The State as Counterclaimants Abroad

Elena Fedorova, Lawyer - Of Counsel
Bonifassi Avocats (France)

The Honourable Thabo Chakaka Nyirenda, Attorney General
The Republic of Malawi

Nicoleta Timofti, Partner
Squire Patton Boggs

Joel Dahlquist, International Arbitration Advisor
Arnold & Porter
Networking & Refreshment Break
15:20
Monetising Litigation, Awards and Judgments Involving States
15:50
- Money Issues Regarding Enforcement
- Navigating Bilateral Agreements during Enforcement
- Role of Experts in Monetising Awards

Peter Griffin, Director
GBS Disputes
Steven Rajavinothan, Head of ATE & Associate Director, Contingent & Litigation Risk
VALE Insurance

Yasmin Mohammad, Director
Fortress Investment Group (France)

Fabio Trevisan , Partner
BSP (Luxembourg)
Obtaining Evidence in Sovereign & States Disputes
16:40
- Navigating the Provision of Sensitive State Documents
- Identifying Privileged Information and Material
- Meeting Standards for Evidence Qualification

Emma Ruane, Partner
Peters & Peters

Michael-James Currie, Director
Primerio

Jagdish J. Menezes, Of Counsel
Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan LLP
Chairperson's Closing Remarks
17:30
Jon Felce - Partner - Cooke, Young & Keidan (UK)
Naomi Briercliffe - Partner - Squire Patton Boggs
Sir John Scarlett - Former Chief of the British Secret Intelligence Service - Chairman of SC Strategy - SC Strategy
- Updates from key enforcement jurisdictions: England, United States, Germany, Belgium, Switzerland
- Interrelationship with State aid investigations
- Anti-intra-EU arbitration injunctions
Anya George - Partner - Schellenberg Wittmer Ltd (Switzerland)
Trevor Withane - Partner - Ironbridge Legal (Australia)
Dr. Barbara Maucher - Partner - Noerr
- Addressing arbitration claims based on criminal allegations
- Managing evidence issues where there are parallel criminal investigations
- Interim injunctions in arbitrations involving States related to criminal proceedings / Interpol notices / extradition applications
Arif Ali - Partner - AHALI Disputes
Yves Klein - Partner - Monfrini Bitton Klein (Switzerland)
Fabio Trevisan - Partner - BSP (Luxembourg)
Emilie Gonin - Barrister - Brick Court Chambers
- Africa
- LATAM
- Asia
- Middle East
Selim Can Bilgin - Partner - Kabine Law
Alejandro Garcia - Partner - Stewarts
- Charging Orders against Nigeria
- Domestic US Judgements Against Cuba
- Rights of Companies in Sovereign States Judgements
Piers Plumptre - Partner - Gibson Dunn
- The position in relation to ICSID awards: Border Timbers v Zimbabwe
- Mozambique Nyusi Case
- Infrastructure Services v Spain
Cathalijne van der Plas - Partner - JahaeRaymakers (The Netherlands)
Hannah van Roessel - Managing Director and Chief Investment Officer – EMEA - Omni Bridgeway
Robert Kovacs - Partner - Withers
- RAK Investment Authority v Azima
- Competition to Seize Assets in Recovery
- Auctioning State Assets and PDVSA Delaware
Maria Fogdestam Agius - Partner - Westerberg & Partners
Sarah Monnerville Smith - Partner - Eversheds Sutherland
Shannon Rose Selden - Partner - Debevoise & Plimpton
Nikos Asimakopoulos - Director - Disputes - Alaco (UK)
Emmanuel Kaspereit - Partner - Archipel (France)
Sudhanshu Swaroop KC - Barrister - Twenty Essex
- Status of the UNCITRAL Working Group III Discussions
- The Future of the Energy Charter Treaty
- Investment treaty arbitration from a South-South perspective
James Castello - Independent Arbitrator - Arbitration Chambers
Charlie Caher - Partner - WilmerHale
- Obtaining Injunctions Against States
- Commercial use exception
- Latest developments in the Congo, Nigeria, Yukos, and PDVSA
Sebastian Neave - Managing Director - JS Held
Rob Bedford - Partner - Astraea
Paul Hughes - Lawyer - Kobre & Kim
Amy Lashinsky - CEO and Co-Founder - Alaco
- Update on and issues in cases being brought by:
- Ukrainian investors against Russia
- Non-Ukrainian foreign investors against Russia
- Russian investors against Ukraine
- Russian investors against other States
- Battle of the anti- and anti-anti-suit injunctions
- Potential hurdles to enforcement
Anne Hoffmann - Independent Arbitrator - Hoffmann Arbitration
Catriona Paterson - Partner - Omnia Strategy LLP
Laurence Ponty - Partner - Archipel (Switzerland)
- Redistribution of Monies Recovered
- Efforts by States to Recover Embezzled Assets Abroad
- The State as Counterclaimants Abroad
The Honourable Thabo Chakaka Nyirenda - Attorney General - The Republic of Malawi
Nicoleta Timofti - Partner - Squire Patton Boggs
Joel Dahlquist - International Arbitration Advisor - Arnold & Porter
- Money Issues Regarding Enforcement
- Navigating Bilateral Agreements during Enforcement
- Role of Experts in Monetising Awards
Steven Rajavinothan - Head of ATE & Associate Director, Contingent & Litigation Risk - VALE Insurance
Yasmin Mohammad - Director - Fortress Investment Group (France)
Fabio Trevisan - Partner - BSP (Luxembourg)
- Navigating the Provision of Sensitive State Documents
- Identifying Privileged Information and Material
- Meeting Standards for Evidence Qualification
Michael-James Currie - Director - Primerio
Jagdish J. Menezes - Of Counsel - Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan LLP

Contact Us
Speaker Queries
For Speaker Queries enquiries please contact Danushka on +44 (0)20 3580 5891 or email danushka@thoughtleaders4.com
Partnerships
For Partnerships enquiries please contact Ben Jobson on +44 (0)20 3059 9525 or email ben.jobson@thoughtleaders4.com