Nigel is recognised as a leading practitioner in international arbitration, having practised at Freshfields for many years (including 30 years as a partner in the firm’s international arbitration practice). Nigel is based in London, having previously worked with Freshfields in New York and Hong Kong. He is a member of the ICC UK Commission on Arbitration and former Director of the LICA.
He joined Twenty Essex as a full-time arbitrator in May 2021.
His arbitration experience includes numerous ad hoc, ICC, LCIA and UNCITRAL and other arbitrations as counsel as well as ICC, LCIA and DIFC-LCIA arbitrations sitting as arbitrator. He has also represented clients in a wide variety of UK High Court commercial litigation cases.
Nigel is an experienced solicitor-advocate (Higher Rights, Civil) and was appointed KC in 2016 in recognition of his advocacy skills.
Nigel has been consistently recognised as a leading practitioner in publications such as Chambers & Partners and The Legal 500, described as being ‘of the highest class’ when working as counsel in arbitration proceedings, and also noted for ‘all-round litigation skills’.
Privacy notice
Illustrative experience
His practice at Freshfields, included representing:
- an international telecoms operator in multiple proceedings in Nigeria in respect of a several $US billion shareholder dispute involving UNCITRAL Rules arbitration proceedings seated in Lagos, with related Court proceedings in Nigeria and the Netherlands;
- CT-Mobile in its high-profile shareholder dispute concerning a 25% stake in the Russian telecoms company Megafon (then valued at in excess of $US 2.5 billion). The case involved arbitration and related civil and criminal proceedings in Sweden, Russia, the Netherlands, the Bahamas, the BVI, Bermuda and elsewhere; and multiple applications for urgent interim court orders, including freezing orders, search and seizure orders, disclosure orders and receivership orders;
- a leading Indian industrial company in a shareholder dispute with a partner in the telecoms sector referred to LCIA Rules arbitration in London;
- a high net worth individual in LCIA Rules arbitration proceedings arising out of an investment in Ukraine;
- a technology provider in a joint venture dispute in the financial services industry referred to LCIA Rules arbitration in London;
- a multinational pharmaceuticals company in ICC Rules arbitration proceedings involving a licensing dispute with an Asian distributor;
- a European gas importer in a series of pricing disputes under long term gas supply contracts referred to ICC Rules and UNCITRAL Rules arbitration in Switzerland and the Netherlands respectively;
- a multi-national chemicals producer in a dispute under a New York law- governed long term supply contract with a European counterpart, referred to ICC Rules arbitration in London;
- an international mining company in a dispute with the Government of Argentina, relating to the application of an export withholding taxes on the shipment of copper concentrates;
- a UK industrial company and a US consumer products company in separate ICC Rules arbitration proceedings involving an Indian partner and distributor respectively;
- a major international food and drink conglomerate in disputes arising out of an Indian joint venture, including ICC proceedings and related Indian actions;
- a Bermuda insurance carrier in several disputes referred to Bermuda Form ad hoc arbitration proceedings in London;
- a Russian businessman in a long-running ICC Rules arbitration arising out of a SPA transaction in the European banking sector;
- a member of a European banking consortium in a post-acquisition dispute in the financial services sector referred to ICC Rules arbitration in Paris;
- an Israeli bank in a dispute arising out of a financial services transaction in Ukraine referred to LCIA Rules arbitration;
- a US-owned private equity house in a post-acquisition dispute in the aerospace sector referred to expert determination;
- a US-headquartered private equity buyer in a pre-completion dispute with a European seller of a marketing sector business in anticipation of a LCIA Rules arbitration;
- a large UK retailer in a cross-border M&A dispute with a private equity consortium referred to ICC Rules arbitration;
- a leading pharma sector client in two (unrelated) license agreement disputes governed by ICC Rules arbitration in London and Geneva venues respectively;
- a private equity-owned portfolio company in a post-disposal dispute with an African Tax authority;
- court-appointed Receivers in a multi-jurisdictional fraud case in the financial services sector involving proceedings in England, Cyprus, the BVI and other off shore jurisdictions.
Recent arbitral appointments
- Sole arbitrator in ICC arbitration (Expedited Procedure Provisions) concerning the supply of equipment and services in the nuclear industry.
- Co-arbitrator in LCIA arbitration concerning asset recovery investment, including issues of insolvency, parallel proceedings and witness protection.
- Presiding arbitrator in ICC arbitration (Vienna seat) concerning post-M&A warranty claims, including issues arising out of related criminal investigations / parallel proceedings in other jurisdictions.
- Co-arbitrator in LCIA arbitration concerning claims for commission in the oil services sector, including issues arising out of related criminal investigations / parallel proceedings in other jurisdictions.
- Sole arbitrator in LCIA arbitration concerning claims arising out of the conduct of an investment treaty arbitration.
- Co-arbitrator in DIAC arbitration (Dubai seat) concerning the supply of goods in the steel industry.
- Chair in LCIA arbitration arising out of claims under a services agreement in the natural gas industry in South Asia.
- Presiding arbitrator in ICC arbitration involving claims and counterclaims under a share sale and purchase agreement in the African banking sector.
- Party-nominated arbitrator in DIAC arbitration (DIFC seat) in a dispute in the Middle East oil and gas sector.
