Public International Law

Cleary Gottlieb is currently representing or has represented no fewer than 13 sovereigns or sovereign instrumentalities from around the world -- including Argentina, Russia, the Dominican Republic, Nicaragua, Ecuador, Mexico, Belgium, Gibraltar, the Republic of the Congo, Slovenia, Japan, Indonesia and Iraq -- as well as several of the world’s leading multinational corporations and financial institutions in international litigation and arbitration matters involving public international law. Our team has frequently been involved in state-to-state disputes and disputes involving international organizations. For example, we represented Japan in the Southern Bluefin Tuna Case brought by Australia and New Zealand under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, and have represented the Bank for International Settlements in various litigation and arbitration matters. We have also represented respondent states in proceedings brought before the European Court of Human Rights.

The firm also has significant experience in investor-state arbitration, both as investors’ and states’ counsel. We represent claimants all over the world and in a wide variety of sectors, including telecommunications, energy, oil and gas, gaming and shipping, to name a few. The team’s partners represent clients before arbitral panels constituted under the aegis of the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID), the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC), the Stockholm Chamber of Commerce (SCC), and the London Court of International Arbitration (LCIA), among others.

View more information and practice highlights on our Public International Law practice.