Foley Hoag’s International Litigation and Arbitration Practice Group, which includes more than 30 highly experienced international litigators, is headed by partner Paul Reichler. The firm’s lawyers are trained in both the common and civil law systems, fluent in more than 15 languages, and highly regarded for their skill in both written and oral advocacy.
Based on interviews with the firm’s clients and other international practitioners, Chambers Global called Foley Hoag a “real force in international law disputes” whose clients “choose the firm because of the team’s success in representing States.” In particular: “The lawyers have thorough knowledge, outstanding written and oral advocacy, and are able to serve at all times and in all circumstances.”
Chambers Global has called Paul Reichler “one of the world’s most respected and experienced practitioners of Public International Law” who “belongs to a select group of elite lawyers with extensive experience litigating on behalf of Sovereign States before the International Court of Justice in The Hague, and the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea in Hamburg.” Reichler was further described as “an excellent legal tactician and advocate, and an exceptional team leader.”
Reichler and other members of Foley Hoag's International Litigation and Arbitration Practice Group have also been singled out for praise by Chambers Global, Global Arbitration Review, American Lawyer, Latinvex and the International Who's Who in Commercial Arbitration, among other publications.
PUBLIC INTERNATIONAL LAW
The law firm of Foley Hoag has a distinguished record representing States in international litigation and arbitration against other States. For the past thirty years, our lawyers have successfully represented States in disputes with other States before the International Court of Justice in The Hague, the International Tribunal on the Law of the Sea, the World Trade Organization, and international arbitral tribunals around the world in cases involving, inter alia:
• maritime and land boundary disputes
• cross-border environmental and sustainable development issues
• human rights and humanitarian law and the law of war
• the use of military force and self defense
• international trade and investment
INVESTOR-STATE ARBITRATION
Foley Hoag has an equally distinguished record representing States and their State-owned enterprises in international arbitrations involving claims brought against them by foreign investors under bilateral and multilateral investment treaties, investment contracts and national investment laws. Our lawyers have extensive experience in arbitrations before all major investor/State arbitral fora, including
• International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID)
• ICSID's Additional Facility
• Tribunals established under the UNCITRAL Arbitration Rules
• International Chamber of Commerce (ICC)
• London Court of Arbitration (LCIA)
• AAA International Centre for Dispute Resolution (ICDR)
• Stockholm Chamber of Commerce (SCC)
INTERNATIONAL COMMERCIAL AND CONSTRUCTION ARBITRATION
Foley Hoag represents States, State-owned enterprises, and private companies in international commercial and construction arbitration. Our lawyers have experience handling disputes arising out of international contracts in the infrastructure, energy, mining, telecommunications, and intellectual property fields, as well as the international purchase and sale of goods and services. Our legal teams have represented sovereign and private clients in international commercial and construction arbitrations under the arbitration rules of the ICC, LCIA, ICDR, Stockholm Chamber of Commerce, and numerous specialized arbitral bodies, as well as before ad hoc arbitration tribunals constituted under the UNCITRAL Arbitration Rules.
REPRESENTATION OF SOVERIGN STATES IN NATIONAL COURTS
For over thirty years, Foley Hoag lawyers have defended sovereign States, their State-owned enterprises and government officials in litigation in the U.S. and French national courts, with unparalleled success in obtaining the dismissal of cases against our sovereign clients, their companies, and their public officials. Our experience includes defenses based upon jurisdictional immunity under the U.S. Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act and French principles of sovereign immunity, diplomatic and head-of-state immunities, and the immunity of the governmental property of sovereign States from judicial attachment and execution. Our lawyers have excelled at protecting its sovereign clients’ property, including bank accounts, from attachment or execution by U.S. or French courts. And it has been successful in blocking recognition and enforcement of arbitral awards against its clients.
Foley Hoag lawyers have been equally successful in representing its sovereign clients, including their State-owned companies, in civil and commercial litigation in the U.S. and French courts, and has helped them win multi-million dollar judgments in their favor.
