Sylvia heads our international arbitration practice in London.
Specialising in commercial and treaty arbitrations, particularly in emerging markets in Latin America and Africa, Sylvia has advocated before ICSID, UNCITRAL, ICC, LCIA and AAA tribunals in English and Spanish. She has particular expertise in the energy, natural resources and telecoms sectors, and advises corporate and government clients.
Sylvia has acted in major disputes in a variety of jurisdictions, including Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Ghana, India, Iran, Kenya, Peru, Uganda, Venezuela and Yemen.
Outside the hearing room, she advises clients on how best to mitigate risk, settle or avoid disputes altogether.
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- Securing a $100m ICSID award for Vestey in an arbitration against the Government of Venezuela relating to the expropriation of its cattle farming business.
- Representing Anglo American in its bilateral investment treaty arbitration against the Government of Venezuela relating to the expropriation of certain mining and processing assets and other unfair treatment by the Venezuelan state.
- Representing for Deutsche Telekom in its arbitration against the Government of India arising under a bilateral investment treaty in respect of the expropriation of its investment in a satellite-terrestrial hybrid communications business.
- Acting for Tullow Group in an ICSID arbitration against the Government of Uganda arising from the taxation of its operations, having settled a related case arising from its production sharing agreements.
- Acting for an east African government in two parallel arbitrations in the defence sector involving highly political claims of corruption.
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Education
- Cambridge University, UK (law LLB, first-class honours)
- Awarded the Clive Parry Scholarship for Public International Law
Professional memberships
- BIICL, IAI, ICC and LCIA
- Founder and co-chair of the global steering committee of the Equal Representation in Arbitration Pledge
- Board member of the Arbitration Institute of the Stockholm Chamber of Commerce (SCC)
- Governing Board member of the International Council for Commercial Arbitration (ICCA)
- Editorial board of the Global Arbitration Review
- CEDR Accredited Mediator
Additional responsibilities
- Speaker at conferences organised by the ABA, AIJA, AIPN, BIICL, CDR, CRCICA, Doughty Street Chambers, IBA, ICC, ICSID, ITA, Kings College, LCIA, Queen Mary and YAS
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