With international arbitration as a core strength, Allen & Overy’s dispute resolution team is also known for its work in commercial litigation in corporate and finance matters, particularly those involving derivatives. The firm’s geographical reach, as well as its strong Greater China practice, enables the team to take on multi-jurisdictional disputes under institutional rules including the LCIA, ICC, HKIAC and ICSID.
Commercial litigation partners Matt Bower and Fai Hung Cheung are highly respected in this space. Matthew Hodgson specialises in international arbitration, particularly active in investment treaty, energy and infrastructure disputes.
Commercial case highlights include work for a state-owned Chinese multinational bank on its security enforcement against the borrowers and the mortgagor, and more generally, its exposure in connection with a HK$3 billion loan; and representing a subsidiary of a Hong Kong-listed company in the financial services sector in a dispute against a Chinese investor for payments due under a total return swap transaction.
In the international arbitration space, the firm is representing BG Exploration and Production India and Reliance Industries in over $5 billion London-seated arbitrations against the Government of India under the UNCITRAL Rules 1976. The claims have arisen under two (Indian law-governed) production sharing contracts in respect of oil and gas fields off the west coast of India.
In white-collar crime, the firm acted for a global specialty chemicals company on alleged corruption in one of its most significant construction projects in China. The allegation concerned the bidding process of multiple packages of the project.
Eugene Chen joined the firm from Hogan Lovells in November 2019 as part of the firm’s expansion of its global white-collar crime practice. Chen focuses on regulatory investigations and enforcement actions across the region.
