Public international law is becoming increasingly important to our
clients (both government and private entities) on a daily basis,
especially in relation to foreign investment, energy security and
energy projects.
Ashurst is one of the few firms in the world with a blend of
genuine expertise and practical experience in public international
law. Ashurst's public international law team works closely with
lawyers from across the firm and advises both government and
private entities in relation to contentious and non-contentious
public international law matters. In particular, our team has
significant experience in the Middle East and Asia. Clients come to
Ashurst for advice in the following areas:
- bilateral investment treaties and international trade disputes;
- sovereign privilege and immunity;
- energy security related issues;
- cross-border infrastructure and pipelines;
- resource ownership agreements and disputes;
- land and maritime boundary disputes;
- establishment of, and disputes concerning, joint development zones;
- questions relating to sovereign debt;
- international environmental law;
- expropriation, confiscation and nationalisation;
- foreign corrupt practices;
- treaty negotiations and accession;
- state responsibility;
- air and water rights;
- human rights (in particular, in relation to corporate social
responsibility and alien tort claims);
- political risk mitigation; and
- economic sanctions.
Members of our team are actively involved in a number of leading
international forums (including the Royal Institute for
International Affairs and the American Society of International
Law). Our lawyers have also lectured on public international law at
Cambridge University's Lauterpacht Centre and the University of
Dundee's Centre for Energy, Petroleum, Mineral Law and Policy as
well as at numerous international conferences.