Upcoming events

The changing landscape of Investment Treaty arbitration

Live audio webinar

Tuesday 23 June 2015 at 12.45pm – 1.45pm GMT

There has never been a time of greater public engagement in the whole system of Investment Treaties and the Investor State Dispute Settlement (ISDS) provisions contained within them. The ongoing negotiation of both the Trans-Pacific Partnership and the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership has provoked very heated legal and political debate from both sides of the globe. Yet, while the debate rages over the provisions contained within these treaties, arbitral tribunals continue to produce arbitral awards which raise interesting new issues in this ever developing area of international law.

In this webinar, four of our Investment Treaty arbitration specialists will look at the ongoing debate surrounding investment protection and ISDS, focusing on the TTIP and TPP and the current approaches being adopted in their negotiation. They will consider what the future looks like for ISDS if these two treaties form a “blueprint” for the future of investment protection. They will also provide an update on recent developments in the sphere of investment arbitration, including the EU’s developing position on Intra-EU claims, They will also provide an update on recent developments in the sphere of investment arbitration, including the EU’s developing position on Intra-EU claims, provisional measures, arbitrator challenges and the annulment process.

Speakers:

Isabelle Michou, Partner, International Arbitration, Paris (Chair)

Christian Leathley, Partner, International Arbitration, London

Andrew Cannon, Partner, International Arbitration, Paris

Iain Maxwell, Of Counsel, International Arbitration, London

If you would like to register for this event please contact Jane Webber.

What is a webinar?

  • A webinar is an online seminar delivered to your desktop. On the day of the webinar you will be sent a link to login to the live event.
  • The webinar is recorded so you can listen again. If you are unable to listen to the live event, register anyway and you will be able to listen to the recorded version when convenient.
  • CPD points are available for both events. The live event carries one accredited CPD point and the recording one non-accredited point. Further guidance can be found on the attachments tab.
  • Audio is available via your PC. Click here to see if your system supports live audio streaming.
  • The webinar is interactive and we welcome questions from our audience. Email your comments to the speakers on the day using the appropriate tab on the player.
  • Check the attachments tab for a PDF copy of the slides and other relevant material.

… and the benefits to you

  • One off registration – Register once to access any event. This will create your own account on BrightTALK, our webinar service provider. After registering you will gain access to a full programme of relevant events.
  • Easier access to archived webinars – Each practice area channel holds full details of events held during the past year as well as forthcoming webinars.
  • Add events to your calendar – When choosing a webinar there is now an option to add an appointment to your Outlook calendar. You can also manage your email alerts.
  • Keep up-to-date with topics of emerging importance.
  • Hear our experienced speakers from across our global network without leaving your office.

Past events

Live audio webinar

Tuesday 21 October 2014, London, Dubai, Tokyo

9.30 – 10.30am BST
12.30 – 1.30pm GST
5.30 – 6.30pm JST

As the turmoil in Iraq shows no sign of abating, our panel of expert speakers draw from their own experience in advising clients in the oil and gas sector to consider the implications of this instability on international energy contracts, including:

  • Hydrocarbon legislation in Iraq, including the positions of the Government of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRG) and the Federal Government of Iraq (FGI) in relation to power to legislate and contract for petroleum operations;
  • The legal proceedings launched by the FGI against the KRG and third party purchasers of oil exported by the KRG;
  • The implications of the ICC arbitration initiated by the FGI against Turkey under an Inter-Government Agreement;
  • The impact on international energy contracts of a potential declaration of independence by the Kurdistan Region of Iraq; and
  • The implications of export of oil from Iraq by IS (formerly ISIS).

Speakers:

Sanctions Update: Ukraine and Russia

22 September 2014

The international sanctions landscape has continued to develop in response to the situation in Ukraine.

On 12 September, the EU and US both published details of expansions to their existing sanctions against Russia, including in relation to the restrictions on certain Russian companies’ ability to access the EU/US capital markets. Both the EU and US have also designated additional individuals and entities under their respective asset freeze regimes.

This webinar provided

  • An overview of the current sanctions, including the amendments to the EU and US sectoral sanctions
  • An overview of relevant EU institutions and decision-making processes in relation to sanctions
  • An update on any further EU and US developments during the course of this week
  • An opportunity to pose your questions to our expert team.

Speakers:

  • Susannah Cogman, Partner, Compliance and Investigations, London
  • Lode Van Den Hende, Partner, Competition, Regulation and Trade, Brussels
  • Jonathan Cross, Of Counsel, Compliance and Investigations/Securities Litigiation, New York

 

India Insights: the challenge of India-related dispute resolution and the post-election Investment landscape

7 July 2014

It has been a time of change for the investment climate in India – driven in large part by recent and very significant changes in the political climate in India, changing attitude of the Indian courts and an increasing willingness of foreign investors to take on the Indian state.

In this webinar, our speakers drew from their knowledge and experience to discuss their views of some of the opportunities and challenges for investors into India, and in particular the role played by Indian law, the Indian courts and the Indian arbitration system. As always, the stability and efficiency of the Indian legal regime will be critical to converting optimism and interest into investment and economic growth. Our speakers will review the current legal climate in India, recent decisions impacting on the use of courts and arbitration both in India and outside India, and best practice for parties looking to maximise protection for their inbound investment. They also considered the recent spate of investment treaty arbitrations launched against India and what this may mean for the resolution of current and future disputes with the Indian state.

Speakers:

  • Chris Parsons, Chairman, India Practice
  • Nicholas Peacock, Partner, Head of India International Arbitration Practice
  • Kritika Venugopal, Associate
  • Vikas Mahendra, Associate

Cutting through the politics of the Scottish Independence Referendum: The International Law implications of independence

14 July 2014

The Scottish Independence Referendum is set to take place on 18 September 2014. The “Yes” and “No” campaigns hold highly divergent positions on certain key issues, including EU membership and ownership of oil and gas reserves. So what is the law behind the politics? What are the legal ramifications of an independent Scotland from an international law perspective?

In this webinar our speakers cut through the politics and looked at the international law underlying some of the questions raised in the referendum, including:

  • How would Scotland’s maritime boundaries be drawn in the event of independence and how does that impact oil and gas reserves in the North Sea?;
  • Would Scotland automatically be bound by, and benefit from, the UK’s international treaties after independence, and would the remaining UK’s international law rights and obligations be affected?;
  • What impact would independence have on oil and gas sector regulation?; and
  • How can Scotland negotiate continued membership of the EU and what are implications?

Speakers:

  • Matthew Weiniger QC, Partner, International Arbitration and Public International Law
  • Dominic Roughton, Partner, International Arbitration and Public International Law
  • Stephen Murray, Partner, Global Head of Oil and Gas
  • Andrew Cannon, Partner, International Arbitration and Public International Law
  • Iain Maxwell, Of Counsel, International Arbitration and Public International Law

Investment Treaties and the African Continent – Change, Risk and Opportunity

8 April 2014

This webinar focused on Investment Treaties and the African continent.

Our speakers discussed the differing approaches adopted by African jurisdictions towards Investment Treaties and the continent’s history in terms of Investor-State disputes. The speakers looked at sources of foreign direct investment into Africa (such as China) and the impact this has had on the Investment Treaty landscape. Our speakers considered the likely approaches to be adopted by African jurisdictions in future, and the risks and opportunities these present to our clients in the context of an increasingly transparent investor-state dispute settlement system.

Speakers:

  • Matthew Weiniger, Partner, International Arbitration, London
  • Brenda Horrigan, Partner, International Arbitration, Shanghai
  • Simon Chapman, Partner, International Arbitration, Hong Kong

Chaired by:

  • Hannah Ambrose, Arbitration Practice Manager, London

Live audio webinars

Designed to keep Herbert Smith Freehills clients and contacts up-to-date with the business implications of the latest legal developments, our interactive “Soundbite” webinars are delivered in a practical, convenient way – direct to your desktop. You will hear our experienced speakers from across our global network lead you through the latest technical updates, accessing the audio from your computer or telephone, and can view slides and send questions via your computer.

Register once to access any event. This will create your own account on BrightTALK, our webinar service provider. After registering you will gain access to a full programme of relevant events. Each practice area channel holds full details of events held during the past year as well as forthcoming webinars. Details of upcoming webinars are available here.

The webinars also qualify for CPD points.

Some previous webinars on international arbitration topics are listed below. Each of these is available as an archived version and can be downloaded as a podcast. If you are interested in registering for a webinar, or would like to obtain links to the archived versions of webinars, please contact Jane Webber.

Previous webinars on PIL topics have included:

  • African investment disputes – the rise of African arbitration – 29 November 2013
  • Structuring investment and maximising treaty protection – 22 October 2013
  • What value your BIT protection now? – withdrawals, annulments and refusal to enforce – 4 July 2013
  • Enforcing arbitration awards on the fringes of EMEA – 12 July 2013
  • A Beginner’s Guide to BITs: What are they and why do you need them? – 11 April 2013
  • Business and Human Rights: Key Developments Which Could Affect Your Business – 20 March 2013
  • Enforcing against state assets – the landscape post-Gécamines and SerVaas’ – 4 October 2012
  • Eurozone crisis: A Greek exit from the euro – potential contentious issues – 30 May 2012