Sovereign & States Disputes and Enforcement Summit 2024

Daniele Geronzi co-heads the Dispute Resolution department. He has over 20 years’ experience in advising leading national and international financial institutions and corporations on complex commercial, financial, corporate and insolvency litigations. He represents clients in both ordinary courts and in national and international institutional and ad hoc arbitrations. Daniele has gained considerable experience in financial and cross-border litigation, with a focus on derivative transactions, where he has advised clients on several leading cases, as well as on securities litigation before Courts and Agencies (Consob and Banca d’Italia). He is an expert in energy litigation, providing assistance to clients on ordinary, provisional and arbitration proceedings covering a wide range of matters, including disputes on SPA, EPC and O&M contracts and underlying guarantees. He is an expert in aviation law, assisting leading multinational aircraft lessors in their business relationships, litigations and trade with major Italian airlines. Daniele is also particularly active in bankruptcy and restructuring law issues, providing assistance to banks, investment funds and multinational companies in major bankruptcy, composition with creditors and extraordinary administration procedures. He successfully co-assisted a well-known multinational tobacco company in the first class action brought by smokers in Italy.  Before joining Legance, Daniele worked for a leading international law firm, in both their London and Rome offices. He headed the litigation and insolvency department in Rome. He was admitted to the Italian Bar in 2001 and is a Supreme Court barrister since 2014.

For nearly 20 years, Baiju has focused exclusively on international arbitration matters.

He has served as counsel and arbitrator (sole, wing, and chair) in international arbitrations involving ICSID, ICC, LCIA, ICDR, SIAC, HKIAC, UNCITRAL Rules, bilateral investment treaties (BITs), the Energy Charter Treaty, NAFTA, DR-CAFTA, and public international law. He has also advised states on the negotiation and drafting of investment treaties, and investors on the (re)structuring of their investments for maximum treaty protection consonant with tax and corporate governance strategies.

Samantha J. Rowe is a partner in Debevoise & Pimpton’s International Dispute Resolution Group. Ms. Rowe has represented private clients and States across multiple jurisdictions in arbitrations and litigations governed by various substantive laws and conducted under the rules of the ICC, LCIA, ICSID, UNCITRAL and SIAC. She is a solicitor (England & Wales) and admitted to the New York bar.

Ms. Rowe has been named to The Lawyer’s Hot 100 list, and was named a Rising Star for International Arbitration by Law360, and a UK Rising Star, and a Rising Star in the Commercial Arbitration practice category at the Euromoney Legal Media Group Europe Rising Stars Awards. Ms. Rowe was included in the inaugural The Legal 500’s International Arbitration Powerlist, and she is listed by Who’s Who Legal (2023) as a leading lawyer and thought leader. Chambers UK (2023) and The Legal 500 UK (2023) recommend her for International Arbitration.

Trevor Withane is one of Australia’s leading disputes and insolvency lawyers, who has been consistently recognised as such in Legal 500 and Doyle’s Guide.

A former UK lawyer, Trevor started his legal career at global elite firm, Allen & Overy, followed by a stint at Mishcon de Reya in fraud defence before being called to the English Bar, where he was involved in several commercial and fraud related cases.

Having relocated to Australia, Trevor founded Ironbridge Legal where his practice focuses on acting for corporates, directors, high-net-worth individuals and liquidators in complex, often bet-the-farm, disputes – in court and in arbitral proceedings. Trevor also advises clients in relation to recognition and enforcement of overseas judgments, arbitral awards and insolvency proceedings in Australia.

Ironbridge Legal is a truly specialist, conflict free and intellectually rigorous disputes and insolvency law firm, with offices in Sydney and Melbourne. The firm represents clients in all courts in Australia, regardless of state.

Maureen Ward is a leading fraud and asset recovery lawyer working extensively in the area of litigation related to fraud and financial crime.

Maureen is co-head of the fraud law group and represents stakeholders from multiple industries in complex domestic and international cross-border litigation, internal investigations and multi-jurisdictional disputes. She frequently provides swift legal and strategic advice after the discovery of a fraud including by attending at court to seek urgent tracing and freezing orders. Maureen is an Officer of the International Bar Association Asset Recovery Committee.

Nikos Asimakopoulos joined Alaco in 2008.  He focuses on dispute-related assignments on behalf of law firms and their clients, working internationally. 

He has developed specific expertise in the extractive industries, particularly in Russia, Central Asia and sub-Saharan Africa.  Nikos holds a BSc and an MSc in Economics from the universities of York and Bath, respectively.  He speaks Greek and Russian.

Barbara is a partner in the International Arbitration Department of BonelliErede. She has extensive experience in inter-state arbitration and international commercial arbitration. She regularly assists clients in disputes concerning M&A and post-M&A disputes, construction projects, commercial contracts and the gas industry.

Before joining BonelliErede, Barbara worked for several years as a Legal Adviser at the Iran-United States Claims Tribunal in The Hague.

Barbara has been listed by Who’s Who Legal as a Future Leader in International Arbitration and as a National Leader for Italy – Arbitration and is described as “a favourite of peers and clients who report that she delivers ‘competence and specialist knowledge’ and has ‘an impressive reputation in the space’”.

Barbara is fluent in Italian, English and Spanish. She graduated summa cum laude from the “Roma Tre” University and has a PhD in International and European Law from the University of Teramo.

Solomon Ebere is a New York attorney and French avocat whose practice encompasses advising on international dispute resolution, international law and general commercial matters. Solomon advises multinational corporations as well as sovereign States and private clients. He has considerable experience in investor-state arbitration, litigation and mediation with a particular focus on emerging markets. Solomon has practiced in London, New York, Paris and Geneva at leading international arbitration practices, and has represented clients under most major arbitral rules systems. His recent experience includes acting for sovereign States and private clients in multiple ICSID and commercial arbitrations across sub-Saharan Africa, the Middle East and Eastern Europe. Solomon is also the Director of Communications at the Africa Arbitration Academy, a critically-acclaimed advanced training programme provided to young African practitioners.

Dr. Alia Al-Gazzar is a Senior Associate at the International Arbitration Group of Zulficar & Partners Law Firm (Z&P) and an Adjunct Professor of Public International Law, and International Investment & Arbitration Law at the School of Global Affairs and Public Policy (GAPP), the American University in Cairo (AUC).

Dr. Alia Al-Gazzar holds a Ph.D. Degree in International Law (International Investment & Arbitration Law) from the Graduate Institute for International and Development Studies (IHEID), in Geneva, Switzerland, an LL.M. in International Dispute Settle from the Geneva Master in International Dispute Settlement (MIDS) in Geneva, Switzerland, and an LL.M. in International Maritime Law from the International Maritime Law Institute (IMO-IMLI), Malta.

Dr. Al-Gazzar Alia maintains broad experience in international dispute settlement with emphasis on investor-state, interstate, commercial, and maritime disputes. In her capacity as a Senior Associate at Z&P Law Firm, Dr. Al-Gazzar provides legal advice in relation to and prosecutes mass and complex investor-state, interstate, and commercial arbitration disputes under the auspices of various ad hoc and institutional arbitration rules, such as ICSID, ICC, UNCITRAL, CRCICA and SCC, and the rules of the Arab Investment Court (AIC).

Before joining Zulficar & Partners Law Firm, Dr. Al-Gazzar acted as legal consultant and trained in top-tier international arbitration boutiques in Paris, Geneva, Dubai, and Egypt, where she handled investor-state, interstate and commercial arbitration disputes involving parties from the Middle East.

Dr. Al-Gazzar regularly speaks in renowned conferences and publishes on various topics in the fields of international investment law, international arbitration and alternative dispute settlement, including a chapter on ‘Experiences from Arabic Islamic Legal Systems in Guerrillla Tactics in International Arbitration’ in Günther & Wilske (eds.), Guerrilla Tactics in International Arbitration (Kluwer Law International, 2013), an article on ‘The Quest for Protecting Investments under Occupation: The Inception of the Notion of De Facto Host-State in Investment Treaty Arbitration’ at Dhaka Law Review (Feb 20, 2020), and various wiki notes in Jus Mundi Database.  

Dr. Al-Gazzar is a member of the Campaign for Greener Arbitrations (MENA Sub-Committee) and a Managing Editor of the Arab Yearbook of Private & Public International Law (BRILL).

Laure-Hélène Gaicio-Fievez is a partner at BSP and focuses on complex real estate, commercial, corporate and financial disputes.

Laure-Hélène has extensive experience in all forms of international and domestic dispute resolution including litigation and arbitration, as well as enforcing and obtaining freezing injunctions in international arbitration, enforcements of ICSID awards, and more generally in the recovery of assets.

In addition, she has experience in real estate and commercial contracts, drafting and negotiating a number of complex agreements.

Alberto Fortún has represented private investors against public authorities, particularly in Africa and Latin America.

He is recognized nationally and internationally as a promoter of arbitration in Spain, and is an expert in resolving commercial disputes relating to energy projects, joint ventures, engineering and construction. He has participated in over 100 arbitrations and alternative dispute resolutions (including mediation, adjudication and dispute resolution boards).
He is a fellow and an approved trainer of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators. He has acted as arbitrator at the LCIA, the Court of Arbitration of Madrid and the European Arbitration Association. He is a listed arbitrator in the ICDR roster of the AAA, in the Hispanic-Moroccan Court and the Dubai International Arbitration Center. He is a member of the LCIA, AIPN, ABA (International Law Section, international litigation and arbitration committees) and an affiliate member of the Inter–American Affairs Committee of the New York City Bar.

Recognised by The Legal 500 as a “rising star” “headed for the very top”, Jon specialises in high-value, complex international commercial disputes with particular expertise in civil fraud, enforcement and asset recovery (including both commercial and sovereign debt), and he has obtained a number of ground-breaking orders in this regard. The Legal 500 has called Jon a “bright young gun with a shrewd mind and a calm approach” and states there is “complete trust and faith in Jon’s advice and his expertise”. It recognises him as a Next Generation Partner in Civil Fraud and Banking Litigation, and Who’s Who Legal identifies Jon as a future leader for commercial litigation. Jon has an international practice with clients including sovereigns, financial institutions, corporate clients, high-net-worth individuals and insolvency practitioners, and has acted on a number of complex and high value Russian/CIS cases.

Fabio Trevisan is a partner and head of BSP’s Dispute Resolution practice. His practice focuses on a wide spectrum of complex commercial, corporate and financial litigation and arbitration.

He has played a role in a number of high-profile cases, with over two decades of experience in managing and conducting litigation for his clients in almost all sectors.

Fabio has experience in all forms of dispute resolution including litigation, mediation and arbitration as well as general banking, corporate and commercial dispute resolution. He has extensive experience of applications for enforcing and obtaining freezing injunctions in international arbitration, enforcements of ICSID awards, and more generally in the recovery of assets.

Fabio has further developed a reputation in real estate matters and commercial contracts.

Thanks to his native origins and having an extensive experience in representing Italian clients, Fabio is also the founder and Head of BSP’s Italian desk.

Tomas is the Founder of Vail Dispute Resolution, an independent disputes practice advising on investor-state arbitration and international commercial arbitration under the ICSID, LCIA, ICC, SCC, NAI and UNCITRAL rules.

With over a decade of experience in the world’s top arbitration practices, Tomas is recognised by Chambers and Legal 500, and by Who’s Who Legal as among the “most highly regarded” arbitration practitioners in EMEA.

He is currently acting as lead counsel in an ICSID arbitration against Belarus and in other investment treaty disputes under bilateral and multilateral investment treaties, including under the Energy Charter Treaty. Tomas is also acting as lead counsel in several commercial arbitrations, and has experience representing clients in commercial arbitrations involving sovereigns and state-owned entities.

Tomas regularly sits as arbitrator and is listed in the arbitration panels of the LCIA, ICC, SCC and SIAC, among others. He is fluent in English, Russian and French.

Andreas’ practice focuses on cross border litigation. He specialises in various fields of commercial and corporate litigation and regularly appears before the district courts and Supreme Court in Cyprus representing prominent local and international clients, mostly in complex disputes with an international dimension. Andreas has vast experience in corporate fraud and asset recovery, shareholders’ disputes, recognition and enforcement proceedings as well as in corporate insolvency and restructuring. He also has significant expertise in obtaining and defending interim injunctive relief in support of proceedings in Cyprus and elsewhere.

Andreas is consistently ranked and recognised as a leading practitioner in the dispute resolution arena by the leading international directories such as Chambers and Partners, Legal 500 and Who’s Who Legal. Andreas has been described as one who “fulfils all the clients’ needs in a competent and professional manner”, as a lawyer who was “perfect and performed beyond expectations”, “dynamic & methodical”, “accurate in the execution of his work”, “a strategic thinker” and having “great commercial awareness”.

Andreas is a fellow of the International Academy of Financial Crime Litigators and as of 2023, an officer of the Asset Recovery Committee of the International Bar Association (IBA).

Andreas is a Barrister of the Middle Temple, and a member of, amongst others, the Cyprus Bar Association, the International Bar Association and the Honourable Society of Middle Temple. Andreas has authored numerous articles for publications on various topics relating to international cross-border litigation and arbitration and is a lecturer at the law department of Frederick University in Cyprus. In the past, Andreas has worked for Berwin Leighton Paisner LLP in London.

Wemimo is the Founder and Principal Counsel of the firm. Wemimo is a leading Senior Advocate of Nigeria as well as a former Attorney General of Ogun State. Since his call to the Nigerian bar in 1983, he has practised as a lawyer and over the years, he has distinguished himself in the legal profession as an intelligent and experienced lawyer who achieved excellence through dedication and integrity.  Wemimo has successfully argued several cases in all courts of record in Nigeria including landmark cases pursued at the Court of Appeal and Supreme Court. Wemimo is well known for his sound advocacy skills and the ability to proffer practical and innovative solutions to complex legal matters. Notably, a Supreme Court judge, Honourable Justice Esho J.S.C (as he then was) commended a brief solely written by Wemimo when he was only four (4) years at the bar as "brilliant". Wemimo is also an established Arbitration lawyer who currently acts for the Nigerian Government in several international commercial Arbitrations.

James Ramsden KC is a Partner and co-founder of Astraea Group, a special situations legal and professional services firm, providing partner-led strategic counsel to help its clients navigate high-stakes threats and exploit opportunities, in an increasingly complex and unpredictable world. 

James has an expansive international practice in commercial dispute resolution and cross-border enforcement, serving a diverse clientele of UHNW, corporate, governmental and regulatory clients.

As Partner in Astraea Group, James has forged an exceptional practice in complex cross-border asset tracing claims.  In recognition of that expertise, in 2022 Astraea Group was appointed global counsel in the longstanding $500m ECT Arbitration enforcement proceedings brought against the Republic of Kazakhstan. 

James has been recognised by Chambers UK and Chambers Global as a leading Silk in commercial dispute resolution and civil fraud, described as “an absolute star” and “a totally dedicated and stellar leader.” He is a committed and versatile advocate who is known for leading cohesive and effective teams in complex and often time-constrained assignments.