Ian Meredith’s practice focuses on international disputes across a range of sectors encompassing both commercial and public international law issues. He is a CEDR Accredited Mediator, a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, and a prominent member of the firm’s International Arbitration group. His practice embraces alternative dispute resolution, international arbitration and both domestic and multi-jurisdictional litigation.
Alternative Dispute Resolution
Ian has represented a large number of clients engaged in disputes, which have been settled after the application of alternative dispute techniques including mediation, mini-trial and Med-Arb. He is a strong supporter of ADR.
International Arbitration
Ian's practice is focused upon International Arbitration, both as counsel and arbitrator, and encompassing both commercial and investment arbitration and encompassing public international law issues. He has arbitrated disputes under the HKIAC, ICC, LCIA, ICDR, UNCITRAL, LMAA, SCC, SIAC and ICSID rules amongst others as well as acting in relation to a number of ad hoc arbitrations and arbitrations proceeding under the rules of various trade bodies. Recent cases have been seated in London, Geneva, New York, Paris, Stockholm, Vienna, Panama, Tokyo, Zurich and various cities in the US.
Ian has been involved in the arbitration of several disputes flowing from investment within and relating to Russia and various countries of the CIS. He has been involved in a number of high value arbitrations conducted under the Bermuda Form Insurance Policy, one of which led to the leading case on arbitrators’ conflicts of interest, Halliburton Company v. Chubb Bermuda Insurance Ltd (formerly known as Ace Bermuda Insurance Ltd), in which the UK Supreme Court gave judgment in November 2020. Other disputes have related to mining, metals trading, specialty chemicals, oil & gas exploration, oil pollution, telecommunications, power generation (in renewable energy), border security, mega yachts, insurance coverage and a wide range of other industrial sectors.
He has represented clients engaged in disputes in a number of countries, including Russia, Ukraine, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Austria, Poland, Romania, Albania, Greece, Cyprus, Malta, Italy, Sri Lanka, Spain, Germany, the Netherlands, France, Switzerland, Bermuda, Brazil, Chile, Panama, the Dominican Republic, Mexico, Venezuela, South Africa, Algeria, Egypt, Rwanda, Central African Republic, Kenya, Eritrea, the UAE, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Japan, China, Hong Kong, South Korea, Taipei, Australia, New Zealand, Canada and a number of states of the US.
Ian also advises on political risk issues in the context of investments across a range of sectors, including Natural Resources. He is increasingly involved in the structuring of investments to provide scope to invoke Multilateral and/or Bilateral Investment Treaty protections and in Investor State arbitration.
Domestic and International Litigation
Ian has project managed significant disputes involving sums exceeding US$6billion across a range of jurisdictions including Russia, Brazil, Venezuela, Egypt, Italy, Spain, France, BVI, Cayman, Bermuda, Japan, Switzerland, Malta and various states in the US and in Canada. Those disputes have extended across a diverse range of business sectors including power generation, combustion equipment, mining, metals, oil & gas, telecoms, industrial coatings, border security, beverages, finance and investment and sport.
Individual disputes have concerned post-acquisition issues (including completion account and warranty claims), boardroom disputes (including minority shareholder actions), professional negligence (malpractice) claims, commercial trading, trade finance and Bank defence. He has taken disputes through appellate courts and has several reported cases. He is currently acting for the French State in connection with court and arbitrations in connection with the loss of the M/T Prestige which previously went to the Court of Appeal and is currently before the Court of Appeal in two further court actions. He acted for the appellant in the appeal to the UK Supreme Court in the case of Halliburton v Chubb in which the judgment was handed down in November 2020, and which concerned, inter alia, arbitrator's duties of disclosure and the circumstances in which the court should remove an arbitrator under s.24 Arbitration Act 1996.
Ian has arbitrated disputes under the HKIAC, ICC, LCIA, ICDR, UNCITRAL, LMAA, SCC, SIAC and ICSID rules amongst others as well as acting in relation to a number of ad hoc arbitrations and arbitrations proceeding under the rules of various trade bodies as well as several Bermuda Form insurance coverage disputes as arbitrator and as counsel. His clients include sovereign states, individuals and corporates. He has been involved in the arbitration of several disputes flowing from investment within and relating to Russia and various countries of the CIS, India, Iraq and new member and candidate countries of the EU. Other disputes have related to mining, metals trading, specialty chemicals, oil & gas exploration, oil pollution, power generation (in renewable energy), telecommunications, border security, mega yachts, insurance coverage and a wide range of other industrial and commercial sectors.
- Recognised by The Legal 500 United Kingdom edition as a Recommended Lawyer for Insurance litigation: for policyholders and International arbitration in London, 2024
- Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (Fellow)
- CEDR Accredited Mediator
- China Trade Law Report (Editorial Board)
- Arbitration World (Editor)
- LCIA European Users’ Council (Member)
- IBA (Member)
- Association Suisse de L’Arbitrage (ASA) (Member)
- ICC Task Force on “Trusts and Arbitration” (Member - both original Task Force and 2015 reformed Task Force)
- ICC Task Force on “Corruption in Arbitration”
- “Halliburton v. Chubb” webinar, 8 December 2020
- “How to Prep for Investor-State Disputes Related to COVID-19” with Robert Houston
- “Challenges to the Legitimacy of International Arbitration”, Legal Business International Arbitration Summit, November 2018
- Guest speaker at “Latin Lawyer – GAR Live 2nd Annual Arbitration Summit”, April 2018
- “Innovations in Arbitral Practice - the good, the bad and the ugly”, Legal Business International Arbitration Summit, November 2017
- Harrisburg International Arbitration Webinar, November 2012
- "Attorney-Client Privileges in International Disputes", ICC Russia / ABA Conference, Moscow, September 2012
- "Making an Informed Choice of Law Decision in Cross-Border Transactions", ICC Russia / ABA Conference, Moscow, September 2011
- "International Arbitration in Emerging Markets", Association of General Counsel, Texas, May 2011
- "Drafting Effective Arbitration Clauses for Cross-Border Deals", North Charlotte Bar Association, Charlotte, February 2011
- “Managing Political Risk,” Joint Securities & Investment Institute / K&L Gates Seminar, London April 2007
- “Anti-suit Injunctions – Are they on borrowed time?”, International Bar Association Annual Conference 2006 – Arbitration Committee ‘Hot Topics’, Chicago, September 2006
- “Leading Arbitrators of the World Symposium,“ Juris Conference, Panelist, Vienna, 10 April 2006
- “Bias Ruling Offers Guidance On Disqualifying Arbitrators,” Law360, 2 April 2024
- “Notes on the Cultural Dimension of International Commercial Arbitration,” SAR, March 2016
- “Tools Available to a Tribunal in a Commercial Arbitration to Investigate Suspicions of Corruption”, World Arbitration & Mediation Review, vol. 10, No. 2, pp.275-293 (with Jonathan Graham)
- “Non-Damages Remedies in International Arbitration”, LexisPSL practice note, last updated 2016 (with Hendrik Puschmann)
- “Notes on the Cultural Dimension of International Commercial Arbitration”, vol. 5, Issue 1, pp. 29-35 (with Hendrik Puschmann)
- “Cultural Misunderstandings and Why They Continue to Matter in International Arbitration”, LawyerIssue, 25 January 2016 (with Hendrik Puschmann)
- “Emergency Arbitration Procedures: A Comparative Analysis, International Arbitration Law Review, Int.A.L.R., Issue 5 Thomson Reuters (Professional) UK Limited and Contributors, 2012 (with Raja Bose)
- "Rating Arbitrators: Time for Change", Commercial Dispute Resolution, November-December 2012
- "Emergency Arbitrators", Sweet & Maxwell, November 2012
- "Ukraine: Is it easier to avoid enforcement of judgments of CIS countries that are signatories to the ECHR?", Littleton Chambers CIS Bulletin, December 2011 (Author)
- "Witness preparation in International Arbitration", Mealey's International Arbitration Report, September 2011 (Co-Author)
- "Partial enforcement of international arbitration awards", Arbitration International, August 2010 (Co-Author)
- "Singapore Court of Appeal takes tough line on 'no dispute' agreement", Global Arbitration Review, September 2009 (Author)
- "The Brave New World of Disputes", Law.com, April 2009 (Co-Author)
- "European Court of Justice rules that Anti-Suit Injunctions are Contrary to EU Law", Arbitration Alert, February 2009 (Co-Author)
- "Prospects for Investment Treaty Claims Arising out of the Financial Crisis", Arbitration World, January 2009 (Co-Author)
- “Drafting an effective international arbitration agreement,” PLC Cross Border Arbitration Handbook, 2008/2009
- "Anti-suit Injunctions in Support of Arbitration Agreements are Contrary to EU law, According to the Opinion of Advocate General Kokott delivered 4 September 2008", Arbitration Alert, September 2008 (Co-Author)
- “High Growth Spells Risk,” The Metropolitan Corporate Council, August 2008, (Interview)
- "International Arbitration: A tool to manage risk when dealing in high-growth/high-risk materials", The Metropolitan Corporate Counsel, August 2008 (Author)
- “The ICC’s arbitral referee procedure: How valuable is it?” PLC Cross Border Quarterly, January - March 2008 (Co-Author)
- “The anti-suit injunction: On borrowed time?,” PLC Cross Border Quarterly, November 2007 (Co-Author)
- “Disputes in developing countries,” National Law Journal, September 2007 (Co Author)
- “Investor protection in China,” PLC Cross Border Quarterly, July - September 2006 (Co-Author)
- “Getting to Yes Abroad: Arbitration as a tool in effective commercial and political risk management,” American Bar Association, May 2007 (Co-Author)
- “Investment Treaties, taking advantage of the Protections on offer,” PLC Cross Border Quarterly, July - September 2006 (Co-Author)
- “Show and Tell,” The Lawyer, July 2006 (Co-Author)
- “Do alternative fee arrangements have a place in international arbitration?” Arbitration, February 2006 (Co-Author)
- “Securing Protection for Foreign Investments,” The International Trade Law Newsletter, November 2005 (Co-Author)
- Quoted, "ICSID publishes new rules," Commercial Dispute Resolution, 30 March 2022
I have a high regard for Ian Meredith, he is a very good lawyer, sensible (an underrated quality), and hard working.
