International Dispute Resolution

Expanding international trade, particularly with countries in Asia and Africa, has led to increased opportunity and risk in the global market place. With increased international trade, however, comes a greater level of complexity and dispute. Managing those disputes requires the commercially focussed and legally robust response that Teacher Stern provides.

We have the expertise and experience to help businesses decide where and how to take action to achieve their commercial objectives with minimum delay and expense.

International businesses increasingly choose to resolve their disputes via arbitration or court proceedings in the UK.  We have broad experience of conducting cross-border disputes at all levels of the English Courts, regularly representing clients in disputes between parties located abroad.  We also conduct arbitrations in London and abroad under LCIA, ICC, LME, Refined Sugar, COMEX, LMAA, ARIAS, GAFTA, SIAC and VIAC Rules as well as participate in numerous ad hoc arbitrations.

However, the complexities of cross-border trade and international laws often dictate that disputes must be litigated in the country in which the dispute arises. Our track record of working closely and cooperatively with lawyers in other jurisdictions around the world enables us to provide the support international businesses require to resolve the disputes satisfactorily.

We conduct arbitrations under LCIA, ICC, LME, Refined Sugar, COMEX, LMAA, ARIAS, GAFTA, SIAC and VIAC Rules as well as participate in numerous ad hoc arbitrations.

We have long and broad experience of resolving disputes across the range of businesses involved in international trade. You will find more information about the breadth of our experience in specialist areas by following the links below.

• Banking & Finance
• Commodities
• Corporate Disputes
• Fraud, Financial Crime & Asset Recovery
• Hotels, Leisure & Retail
• International Dispute Resolution
• Insolvency
• Technology, Media & Telecoms

Representative International Dispute Resolution Work

Examples of our team’s international dispute resolution experience include:

• Advised a client involved in a LME Arbitration relating to the USD $30m loss arising from manipulation of the LME tin market in 2009 by U.K. and U.S. parties. Ancillary proceedings were issued in the High Court and a related FINRA claim was issued in the U.S.
• Advised the plaintiff in a USD $45m multifaceted, cross border conspiracy and loss of opportunity case involving the distribution of oil additives to Iraq. The case went to trial in the Commercial Court and involved the electronic disclosure of more than 1 million documents.
• Advised a client in relation to ICC arbitration proceedings in Paris between Russian and Italian parties relating to a professional dispute for work carried out in Moscow, Paris and Italy.
• Advised Canadian metals billionaire, Herbert Black, in connection with a successful USD $50m action against London Metal Exchange brokers.
• Advised a Fortune 100 company in connection with LCIA arbitration proceedings arising out of a telecommunications satellite construction contract.
• Advised a Fortune 1000 company in connection with Linked ICC arbitrations proceedings concerning the development of a pharmaceutical manufacturing facility in the Middle East.
• Advised a Turkish based client in relation to arbitration proceedings in London concerning exclusive distribution rights agreed with a high profile, international mobile phone company.
• Advised an Eastern European Export Bank in VIAC arbitration defending a performance guarantee claim.
• Advised a notable Russian commodity house in respect of a £20m fraud predicated against it.
• Advised an English commodities company in connection with a USD $15m dispute with a Ghanaian supplier.
• Advised a Chinese base metals refiner in defending a claim made in LCIA arbitration arising out of its ore supply programme.
• Advised a U.S. private equity fund in connection with LCIA arbitration proceedings taken by it to recover value in cross border investment into Ukraine including related interlocutory proceedings in Isle of Man, St Vincent and Cyprus (working with local counsel).
• Advised a client in a USD $300m dispute relating to commodity investments in Africa and South America.
• Advised a Middle Eastern national carrier airline in connection with a dispute with the government of a neighbouring country.
• Advised on a dispute relating to the supply of manganese ore.
• Advised in connection with manipulation cases both at court and in arbitration relating to copper, aluminium, tin and other commodities including cross border litigation in Europe, the US and South East Asia.