International Arbitration

Our International Arbitration team is one of the largest of any law firm and spans the globe, comprising a diverse range of specialists, with a sector-led approach that carries with it a huge depth of experience. That means we understand not just the law, but also the unique challenges facing our clients, whatever sector they operate in.

The CMS International Arbitration Group has continued to grow steadily over recent years and has enhanced its profile and reputation to encompass a number of highly regarded individuals, high profile cases conducted by multi-jurisdictional teams and more recently the opening of additional offices. CMS has dedicated arbitration lawyers in over 30 of its 72 worldwide offices (spanning over 40 countries), in total, around 300 lawyers including over 100 partners. While many of these also have a strong focus in national arbitration and litigation proceedings, the firm counts a core team of over 40 partners and counsel (see list above) and over 100 associates who focus on international arbitration based in offices in the UK, Germany, France, Switzerland, CEE, Hong Kong, Singapore and Dubai.

We have extensive experience of representing clients in arbitrations under the rules of the world's leading institutions (ICC, LCIA, CIETAC, ICSID, PCA, WIPO, SIAC, HKIAC, Swiss Rules) and in ad hoc arbitrations.

CMS is organised into local and international sector groups. This enables our arbitration team to draw on and work alongside market-leading experts in consumer products, financial services, hotels & leisure, infrastructure & project finance, lifesciences & healthcare, real estate, and technology, media & communications.  Our international arbitration group includes many practitioners who have a specialist focus on investment disputes. CMS has extensive experience working with both investors and governments to resolve disputes. We know how disputes arise, what the common commercial objectives for investor claimants are, and how to tailor an effective dispute resolution strategy that can often result in dispute avoidance through strategic negotiation before a fully-fledged arbitration arises.

A number of our partners regularly sit as arbitrators and are also actively involved with all the major global arbitration institutions and bodies and in academia.

In addition to the work we perform for clients, our market leading arbitration practice is also demonstrated by the thought leadership projects that we undertake.  By way of example, in 2021 we started the Facing The Future of International Arbitration podcast series, exploring the evolving challenges and innovations of international arbitration. Moreover, we have been progressively releasing updated regional editions of the CMS Expert Guide to International Arbitration, which is a comprehensive, jurisdiction-based reference tool that is reputed as one of the best on the market.