LONDON-Global Arbitration Review has named Covington & Burling to its list of the world’s top 30 international arbitration practices.
In announcing the GAR 30 list, the publication notes Covington’s victory for Ukraine in an arbitration brought under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea. The tribunal upheld its jurisdiction over that claim, which concerns Russia’s detention of Ukrainian naval vessels and servicemen in the Black Sea in 2018.
There was further success on behalf of the Ukrainian company Naftogaz, for whom the Covington team secured an award in 2019 holding Russia liable for expropriating its assets in Crimea. A hearing on Naftogaz’s US$10 billion damages claim took place in February 2022 as Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, with the final award pending.
Covington lawyers also performed oral advocacy for Ukraine in an ICJ claim filed against Russia just days after war broke out. The team helped to secure interim measures from the court directing Russia to halt its military operations. The firm is acting for Ukraine pro bono in the case, which is brought under a convention against genocide.
Away from Russia-related work, Covington is representing subsidiaries of US bottle maker Owens-Illinois in a resubmitted ICSID claim against Venezuela concerning the expropriation of two production plants, acts for US investors in an ICSID claim against Georgia, and the US construction group Vulcan in a NAFTA claim against Mexico over a limestone quarry.
Finally, in the world of commercial arbitration, GAR notes Covington's win for Eli Lilly in 2019, helping it to defeat a US$1.8 billion claim by a French biotech company that alleged it had misused trade secrets and confidential information.
“We are pleased to be named to this prestigious list,” said Marney Cheek and Jeremy Wilson, co-chairs of Covington’s international arbitration practice. “The accolade underscores terrific work by our team who have been involved in some of the most high profile geopolitical and commercial disputes of the past several decades."
GAR 30 ranks firms primarily on the number of arbitral hearings conducted over a two-year period. Firms receive additional credit for working on higher-value disputes, and for activities that reflect a strong reputation, such as arbitrator appointments received by firm members.
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