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    Global Problem Solving from Covington: Deal with Complex Problems Anywhere in the World

    • Apr 08, 2021

William Lowery

Special Counsel

Washington +1 202 662 5748

  • About
  • Representative Matters
  • Credentials
  • About

    As special counsel in the firm’s dispute resolution practice group, William Lowery’s practice covers a range of complex international disputes, including arbitration and cross-border litigation. He has represented clients in ad hoc proceedings and arbitrations governed by the rules of the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC), the International Centre for Dispute Resolution (ICDR), the London Court of International Arbitration (LCIA), the London Maritime Arbitrators Association (LMAA), and the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL).

    He also represented clients in court litigation related to the recognition and enforcement of arbitration awards and foreign court judgments, as well as discovery under 28 U.S.C § 1782.

    William has represented and advised clients in a number of industries, with particular experience in the energy and natural resources sectors. He has significant experience of disputes arising under production sharing contracts, joint-operating agreements, and other license related agreements; oil and gas services contracts (both onshore and offshore); gas storage contracts; pipeline transportation agreements; long-term supply agreements for a variety of energy-related commodities (including oil, gas, LNG, LPG, coal, U3O8, and LEU); and various electricity-market related contracts and regulatory issues. William has also regularly represented and advised clients in prices reviews under gas supply agreements and LNG sale and purchase agreements.

    Areas of Expertise

  • Practices and Industries
  • Representative Matters
    • Advising a European gas buyer in consecutive price review negotiations against a North African seller under the terms of two long-term gas supply contracts, related to issues arising from the Covid-19 pandemic, with a cumulative value in dispute in excess of $500 million.
    • Representing Ukraine’s state-owned oil and gas company, Naftogaz, in an investment treaty arbitration (UNCITRAL) against the Russian Federation arising from Russia’s expropriation of Naftogaz’s assets in Crimea.
    • Representing a North American mining company in an ICDR arbitration arising from cost plus construction, project management, and construction management agreements in connection with the construction of a mining project in Chile and Argentina.
    • Representing a provider of government services in U.S. court proceedings related to the recognition and enforcement of a foreign court judgment.
    • Representing Naftogaz in U.S. discovery proceedings in support of efforts to collect a $2.56 billion arbitral award against Gazprom.
    • Representing a nuclear fuel supplier in ICC arbitration proceedings against a Japanese utility company related to breach of a long-term supply agreement.
    • Representing a nuclear fuel supplier in ICDR arbitration proceedings against a U.S. utility company related to breach of a long-term supply agreement.
    • Advising a consortium of Asian buyers in a price review with an Asian seller under two LNG SPAs, with a value in dispute exceeding $800 million.
    • Representing a major gas utility company in a LNG price-review arbitration under the UNCITRAL rules with a value in dispute of approximately $800 million.
    • Representing a logistics company for the defense sector in ad hoc arbitration proceedings arising from a multinational entity's failure to pay invoices.

    • 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 related to the operation of an oil terminal connected to the CPC pipeline.
    • Representing an operator of semi-submersible oil platforms and drillships in an LCIA arbitration against a shipbuilder arising from delay under a construction contract for a drillship.
    • Representing an independent oil and gas company in court proceedings against a drilling contractor related to the interpretation of a charter party agreement and delays with respect to the commencement date.
    • Advising a state-owned oil company in a pricing dispute valued in excess of $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 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.
    • 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 energy trading and distribution company in an arbitration related to LPG supplies under the LMAA rules.

    Areas of Expertise

  • Credentials
    Education
    • George Mason University School of Law, J.D., 2010
    • Calvin College, B.A., 2006
        • Political Science and Philosophy
    Bar Admissions
    • District of Columbia
    • New York
    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

    Areas of Expertise

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