Covington & Burling LLP | Practices, Industries & Regions

Covington combines expertise in public policy and international arbitration to provide clients with sophisticated advice for resolving complex investment disputes abroad. We offer clients integrated and efficient solutions to investment disputes in some of the world’s most challenging markets. Our interdisciplinary approach explores policy solutions to pressing investment problems, while at the same time ensuring that a client’s legal rights are preserved if arbitration or litigation becomes necessary. If a diplomatic solution is not possible, we are able to carry forward our knowledge of the client’s business operations and the dispute at hand to provide effective advocacy in international arbitration fora.

Companies who have made significant foreign investments look to us to help craft and execute policy solutions short of litigation . Our group of lawyers, former diplomats and other senior government officials helps clients anticipate and respond to legal and political problems both in established and emerging markets around the world. We have extensive experience with investment matters in Asia, including China, Korea and India; Latin America; the Middle East; Africa; and Europe, especially the European Union, Russia and Eastern Europe.

When a policy solution is not possible, our experienced and internationally-recognized team of international arbitration lawyers stand ready to assist in all aspects of dispute resolution. In matters related to investment disputes, we have appeared on behalf of both investors and foreign governments in a variety of fora, including the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID), the United Nations Compensation Commission, arbitral tribunals established under the rules of the International Chamber of Commerce and the London Court of International Arbitration, as well as ad hoc arbitral tribunals, including those established under UNCITRAL Rules.

Representative Matters

Advised Western investors on protection of their economic rights in connection with politically sensitive investments in Russia and Eastern Europe, including through arbitration.
Worked with a U.S. Ambassador and a foreign Ambassador to resolve a dispute between a private equity firm and an African sovereign.
Resolved a major contractual problem faced by an investment company in an African country.
Representation of investors in a pending ICSID arbitration arising out of the expropriation of their investments in the communications sector in Hungary.
Representation of investors against Venezuela seeking full compensation for the expropriation of investments in Venezuela.
Representation of investors in the mining industry in a range of disputes in Southeast Asia, the CIS, and Latin America.