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

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Agenda

Networking & Registration
09.00

Chairperson's Opening Remarks
09:20

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

Baiju Vasani, Arbitrator and Barrister
Twenty Essex

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

Around the World: Latest Disputes’ Developments From:
10:20

  • Africa
  • LATAM
  • Asia
  • Middle East

Tuvan Yalim, Partner
Kabine Law

Dr. Abayomi Okubote, Executive Director
Africa Arbitration Academy

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
Dechert

Yves Klein, Partner
Monfrini Bitton Klein (Switzerland)

Fabio Trevisan , Partner
BSP (Luxembourg)

Intra-EU investment treaty arbitration – where do we stand? A global review.
12:30

  • Updates from key enforcement jurisdictions: England, United States, Germany, Belgium, Switzerland
  • Interrelationship with State aid investigations
  • Anti-intra-EU arbitration injunctions

Sylvia Tonova, Partner
Jones Day (UK)

Anya George, Partner
Schellenberg Wittmer Ltd (Switzerland)

Trevor Withane, Partner
Ironbridge Legal (Australia)

Networking & Lunch Break
13:20

Enforcement of Non-Commercial Judgements and Awards
14:20

  • 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

Linda M. Plumpton, Partner
Torys

Networking & Refreshment Break
15:20

Discussing Issues in Adjudicative Immunity
15:50

  • 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)

Simon Bushell, Senior Partner
Seladore Legal

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

Samantha J. Rowe, Partner
Debevoise & Plimpton (UK)

Maria Fogdestam Agius, Partner
Westerberg & Partners

Networking Drinks Reception - Hosted by JS Held & Twenty Essex
17:30

        

Networking & Registration
09:00

Chairperson's Welcome Back Remarks
09:20

Nikos Asimakopoulos, Director - Disputes
Alaco (UK)

Naomi Briercliffe, Partner
Squire Patton Boggs

Emmanuel Kaspereit, Partner
Archipel (France)

Keynote Address
09:30

Thomas Eymond-Laritaz, Founder & CEO
Highgate

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

Steven Finizio, Partner
Wilmer Hale

Andrea Menaker, Partner
White & Case

James Castello, Partner
King & Spalding

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

Jagdish J. Menezes, Of Counsel
Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan LLP

Richard Clarke, Partner
Kobre & Kim (Dubai)

Sebastian Neave, Managing Director
JS Held

Sovereign Arbitrations Arising Out of Russia Ukraine Conflict
12:30

  • 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

Professor Antonios Tzanakopoulos, Professor of Public International Law
University of Oxford

Networking & Lunch Break
13:20

The Other Side: Exploring the State’s Perspective
14:20

  • 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

Analia Gonzalez, Partner
Baker Hostetler

Networking & Refreshment Break
15:20

Monetising Awards and Judgements Involving States
15:50

  • Money Issues Regarding Enforcement
  • Navigating Bilateral Agreements during Enforcement
  • Role of Experts in Monetising Awards

Peter Griffin, Director
Slaney Advisors

Steven Rajavinothan, Head of ATE & Associate Director, Contingent & Litigation Risk
VALE Insurance

Javier Garcia Olmedo, Senior Counsel
BSP (Luxembourg)

Yasmin Mohammad, Director
Fortress Investment Group (France)

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

Chairperson's Closing Remarks
17:30

09.00
Networking & Registration
09:20
Chairperson's Opening Remarks
Jon Felce - Partner - Cooke, Young & Keidan (UK)
Baiju Vasani - Arbitrator and Barrister - Twenty Essex
09:30
Keynote Address - Intelligence in Global Relations
Sir John Scarlett - Former Chief of the British Secret Intelligence Service - Chairman of SC Strategy - SC Strategy
10:20
Around the World: Latest Disputes’ Developments From:
  • Africa
  • LATAM
  • Asia
  • Middle East
Tuvan Yalim - Partner - Kabine Law
Dr. Abayomi Okubote - Executive Director - Africa Arbitration Academy
11:10
Networking & Refreshment Break
11:40
Criminal Proceedings and Arbitration Involving Sovereigns
  • 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 - Dechert
Yves Klein - Partner - Monfrini Bitton Klein (Switzerland)
Fabio Trevisan - Partner - BSP (Luxembourg)
12:30
Intra-EU investment treaty arbitration – where do we stand? A global review.
  • Updates from key enforcement jurisdictions: England, United States, Germany, Belgium, Switzerland
  • Interrelationship with State aid investigations
  • Anti-intra-EU arbitration injunctions
Sylvia Tonova - Partner - Jones Day (UK)
Anya George - Partner - Schellenberg Wittmer Ltd (Switzerland)
Trevor Withane - Partner - Ironbridge Legal (Australia)
13:20
Networking & Lunch Break
14:20
Enforcement of Non-Commercial Judgements and Awards
  • 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
Linda M. Plumpton - Partner - Torys
15:20
Networking & Refreshment Break
15:50
Discussing Issues in Adjudicative Immunity
  • 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)
Simon Bushell - Senior Partner - Seladore Legal
16:40
Whose Entity Is It Anyway? States and State-Owned Entities and Assets
  • RAK Investment Authority v Azima
  • Competition to Seize Assets in Recovery
  • Auctioning State Assets and PDVSA Delaware
Jean-Sébastien Bazille - Partner - Gide Loyrette Nouel
Samantha J. Rowe - Partner - Debevoise & Plimpton (UK)
Maria Fogdestam Agius - Partner - Westerberg & Partners
17:30
Networking Drinks Reception - Hosted by JS Held & Twenty Essex

        

09:00
Networking & Registration
09:20
Chairperson's Welcome Back Remarks
Nikos Asimakopoulos - Director - Disputes - Alaco (UK)
Naomi Briercliffe - Partner - Squire Patton Boggs
Emmanuel Kaspereit - Partner - Archipel (France)
09:30
Keynote Address
Thomas Eymond-Laritaz - Founder & CEO - Highgate
10:20
Looking to the future of Investor-State Dispute Settlement
  • Status of the UNCITRAL Working Group III Discussions
  • The Future of the Energy Charter Treaty
  • Investment treaty arbitration from a South-South perspective
Steven Finizio - Partner - Wilmer Hale
Andrea Menaker - Partner - White & Case
James Castello - Partner - King & Spalding
11:10
Networking & Refreshment Break
11:40
Plundering the State’s Coffers – Recent Successful (and Unsuccessful) Attempts at Enforcement
  • Obtaining Injunctions Against States
  • Commercial use exception
  • Latest developments in the Congo, Nigeria, Yukos, and PDVSA
Lútsen de Vries - Partner - Staunch Law
Jagdish J. Menezes - Of Counsel - Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan LLP
Richard Clarke - Partner - Kobre & Kim (Dubai)
Sebastian Neave - Managing Director - JS Held
12:30
Sovereign Arbitrations Arising Out of Russia Ukraine Conflict
  • 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
Professor Antonios Tzanakopoulos - Professor of Public International Law - University of Oxford
13:20
Networking & Lunch Break
14:20
The Other Side: Exploring the State’s Perspective
  • 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
Analia Gonzalez - Partner - Baker Hostetler
15:20
Networking & Refreshment Break
15:50
Monetising Awards and Judgements Involving States
  • Money Issues Regarding Enforcement
  • Navigating Bilateral Agreements during Enforcement
  • Role of Experts in Monetising Awards
Peter Griffin - Director - Slaney Advisors
Steven Rajavinothan - Head of ATE & Associate Director, Contingent & Litigation Risk - VALE Insurance
Javier Garcia Olmedo - Senior Counsel - BSP (Luxembourg)
Yasmin Mohammad - Director - Fortress Investment Group (France)
16:40
Obtaining Evidence in Sovereign & States Disputes
  • 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
17:30
Chairperson's Closing Remarks

Event Partners

Lead Partner

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