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As an associate in the firm’s dispute resolution practice group, William Lowery’s practice covers a range of complex international disputes, including arbitrations and cross-border litigation. He has represented clients in ad hoc proceedings and arbitrations governed by the rules of the American Arbitration Association (AAA), International Chamber of Commerce (ICC), the London Court of International Arbitration (LCIA), the London Maritime Arbitrators Association (LMAA) and the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL). Mr. Lowery advises on matters concerning a number of industries, with specific experience in the energy and natural resources sectors.
Mr. Lowery also has experience advising clients on the impact and related compliance requirements of sanctions and trade controls imposed by the European Union and the United States.
- Representing an investment company in an LCIA arbitration under the terms of a shareholders’ agreement with a value in dispute exceeding $80 million. The dispute relates to the operations of an oil terminal connected to the CPC pipeline.
- Representing a logistics company for the defense sector in ad hoc arbitration proceedings arising from a multinational entity's failure to pay invoices.
- Representing a major gas utility company in a LNG price-review arbitration under the UNCITRAL rules with a value in dispute of approximately US$800 million.
- Representing the oil trading affiliate of a major international oil and gas company in a multiparty arbitration (seated in Stockholm and under the UNCITRAL rules) concerning the component variables of a complex quality bank calculation, including the successful challenge of a party-nominated arbitrator due to conflict of interest.
- Advising a state-owned oil company in a pricing dispute valued in excess of US$16 billion under a long-term crude oil supply contract, including the preparation of a request for arbitration for potential proceedings under the LCIA rules.
- Representing a consortium of foreign contractors in an ICC conciliation (potentially leading to ICC arbitration proceedings seated in Geneva) against a North African state oil company in relation to the proper construction of a production sharing contract and the impact of changes to tax legislation.
- Representing a power purchasing company in an expert determination related to the interpretation of outage planning provisions within the grid code for Northern Ireland.
- Representing an independent oil and gas company in Commercial Court proceedings on a dispute arising from misrepresentations made by a party to the agreement.
- Representing an energy trading and distribution company in an arbitration related to LPG supplies under the LMAA rules.
- Advising a company on a dispute related to obligations under a joint operating agreement concerning an offshore block located in Eastern Africa and the enforceability of any potential arbitration award against its parent company.
- Advising European and Asian clients on the impact and application of EU and US sanctions and export controls in relation to activities concerning Burma (Myanmar), Iran, Libya and Syria, including the availability of force majeure.
Memberships and Affiliations
- American Bar Association
- New York State Bar Association
- Energy Bar Association
Previous Experience
- Associate in the energy disputes practice at an international law firm.
- Stagiaire at the Paris office of an international law firm.
- Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of International Commercial Law
October 29, 2020, Covington Alert
This month, the UK Supreme Court issued a decision of fundamental importance to the field of international arbitration, undertaking to answer a simple, but timelessly vexing, question: what law governs the validity and scope of an arbitration agreement, where the law that governs the parties’ contract differs from the law of the seat of arbitration? Is it the ...
October 1, 2019, Law360
Law360 covered William Phillips, David Pinsky, Joshua Picker, Marney Cheek, and William Lowery’s representation of Naftogaz, Ukraine's state-owned oil and gas company, in its pursuit of documents from Gazprom's Dallas-based oil and gas reserves auditor as the company pursues litigation in the Netherlands to enforce a $2.56 billion arbitral award against the ...
June 14, 2019
LONDON—The American Lawyer and Legal Week have named Covington its Transatlantic Arbitration Team of the Year. The award focuses on a single case that involved significant lawyering on both sides of the Atlantic and that demonstrated excellence in legal expertise and innovation, project management skills, and teamwork. The publications recognized Covington for ...
April 23, 2019, Commercial Dispute Resolution
Commercial Dispute Resolution mentioned Covington as legal counsel to Naftogaz, Ukraine’s state-owned oil and gas company, advising the company in its victory over the Russian government that illegally expropriated the oil company’s assets in Crimea. David Pinsky described it as “an important day” for the oil company, explaining: “Russia targeted Naftogaz’s ...
March 1, 2019
WASHINGTON—Covington secured a major victory on behalf of Ukraine’s state-owned oil and gas company, NJSC Naftogaz of Ukraine, in an international arbitration against the Russian Federation. A tribunal sitting at the Permanent Court of Arbitration, in The Hague, concluded that Russia unlawfully expropriated Naftogaz’s assets in Crimea, in violation of Russia’s ...
November 19, 2015, Inside Energy & Environment
The International Energy Agency (IEA)’s latest monthly market report, published on November 13, 2015, revealed that the already “massive cushion” of oil stockpiles has inflated further to reach a record level of almost 3 billion barrels. Following the announcement, oil prices reportedly dropped to a two-month low. The IEA described this stockpile as “an ...
October 13, 2015, Inside Energy & Environment
Cairn Energy’s investment arbitration proceedings against India recently demonstrated the importance of default arbitrator nomination procedures in international arbitration. Cairn Energy’s dispute with India In March 2015, Cairn UK Holdings Limited received a draft assessment order from Indian tax authorities, requiring payment equivalent to US$1.6 billion, ...
Covington’s arbitration app
July 23, 2015, Global Arbitration Review
A piece on our new arbitration app quoting Marney Cheek and Jeremy Wilson and mentioning William Lowery’s and Catherine Karia’s roles in developing the app.
June 22, 2015, Inside Energy & Environment
In our three-part series published last week, we outlined the possibility of the UK Government closing the Renewables Obligation (“RO”) scheme to new onshore wind generating stations in 2016, a year earlier than expected. On 18 June 2015, the UK Department for Energy & Climate Change (“DECC”) formally announced the UK Government’s intention to close...… Continue ...
June 18, 2015, Inside Energy & Environment
In early June 2015, the UK Department for Energy & Climate Change (“DECC”) was expected to announce plans to close the existing subsidy scheme for onshore wind, the Renewables Obligation (“RO”), to new generating capacity a year earlier than expected. This announcement has been delayed amid concerns that it could spark potential legal challenges from...… ...
June 17, 2015, Inside Energy & Environment
In early June 2015, the UK Department for Energy & Climate Change (“DECC”) was expected to announce plans to close the existing subsidy scheme for onshore wind, the Renewables Obligation (“RO”), to new generating capacity a year earlier than expected. This announcement has been delayed amid concerns that it could spark potential legal challenges from...… ...
June 16, 2015, Inside Energy & Environment
In early June 2015, the UK Department for Energy & Climate Change (“DECC”) was expected to announce plans to close the existing subsidy scheme for onshore wind, the Renewables Obligation (“RO”), to new generating capacity a year earlier than expected. This announcement has been delayed amid concerns that it could spark potential legal challenges from...… ...
February 19, 2015, Inside Energy & Environment
Given the fall in oil prices, many participants in the oil sector have been forced to re-evaluate their investments.[1] A drop in oil prices not only impacts the oil industry; it can also have a significant effect on gas and LNG prices around the world. Many long-term gas and LNG sales agreements continue to peg...… Continue Reading
February 19, 2015, InsideEnergy& Environment Blog
October 24, 2014, Inside Energy & Environment
Oil prices have plunged in the last few months. For example, Brent futures traded at over $110 per barrel in June, and fell below $85 last week. This is a fall of over 20%, and the market price for crude oil is now at its lowest level since 2010. Oil prices impact activities in the...… Continue Reading
Pricing Provisions And The Gazprom-Naftogaz Dispute
July 11, 2014, Law360
Jeremy Wilson and William Lowery have authored this article on the allegations that Naftogaz has failed to pay $4.5 billion for gas that Gazprom has already delivered to Naftogaz. "On June 16, 2014, Gazprom announced that it had commenced arbitration proceedings against Naftogaz under the Stockholm Chamber of Commerce rules alleging that Naftogaz has failed to ...
June 20, 2014, Inside Energy & Environment
On Monday, June 16, 2014, Gazprom and Naftogaz each announced that they were commencing arbitration proceedings under the SCC Rules (seated in Stockholm, Sweden). The arbitration arises under Contract No. KP dated January 19, 2009 (the “Contract”), a 10 year, long-term gas sales agreement between Gazprom and Naftogaz for volumes ranging from 40 to 52...… ...
Pricing Complexity and Predictable Disputes – A primer on modern long-term gas supply contracts
June 20, 2014, Inside Energy & Environment
On Monday, June 16, 2014, Gazprom announced that it commenced arbitration proceedings against Naftogaz under the SCC Rules (seated in Stockholm, Sweden) alleging that Naftogaz has failed to pay US$4.5 billion for gas that Gazprom has already delivered to Naftogaz. Naftogaz also announced that it had commenced a claim under the SCC Rules, seeking the...… Continue ...