Beats places like New York, Dubai, Qatar and Singapore
The London Commercial Court (LCC) has cemented its position as the world’s leading centre for complex commercial litigation, with parties from a record 93 countries appearing before it in the past year.
New figures from the Law Society’s International Data Insights Report 2025 show that over 60% of litigants came from outside the UK, underlining London’s global dominance in resolving high-value business disputes.
The court delivered 196 written judgments between October 2023 and September 2024, surpassing international rivals in New York, Dubai, Qatar and Singapore.
Speed is also a defining feature of the court. More than half of contested trials (54%) were completed within just four working days, a higher proportion than in previous years.
Unsurprisingly, London’s status as a hub for arbitration feeds into this caseload — around one in five LCC claims arises from challenges to arbitral awards, according to the report.
The top foreign litigants came from the UAE (68) and the US (66), while the number of Russian parties more than doubled year-on-year, rising from 27 to 60. Other frequent users included Cyprus, the Cayman Islands, Switzerland and Luxembourg.
]]>https://www.legalcheek.com/2025/09/london-remains-go-to-destination-for-dealing-with-commercial-disputes/feed/0London is the world’s top location for international arbitration, research reveals
https://www.legalcheek.com/2025/05/london-is-the-worlds-top-location-for-international-arbitration-research-reveals/
https://www.legalcheek.com/2025/05/london-is-the-worlds-top-location-for-international-arbitration-research-reveals/#respondThu, 01 May 2025 09:02:52 +0000https://www.legalcheek.com/?p=218926Still got it 💅
A global survey of lawyers and arbitrators has found that London remains the top choice of location for international arbitrations, followed by Hong Kong and Singapore, solidifying the capital’s place at the centre of the legal world.
The research, led by US law firm White & Case in collaboration with the School of International Arbitration at Queen Mary University of London, surveyed 2,402 individuals involved in arbitration and conducted 117 in-depth interviews. Respondents were based around the globe, with 47% working in the Asia-Pacific region, 21% in Europe and 10% in North America — other respondents hailed from the Middle East, Latin America and the Caribbean and Africa.
34% of those surveyed named London as their preferred seat for international arbitration, making it the overall top choice, followed by Hong Kong and Singapore, with 31%, Beijing with 20% and Paris with 19%. London was also among the top five preferred seats for respondents in each of the six regions in which respondents were based, revealing its appeal around the globe.
London remains the overall top choice for lawyers and arbitrators around the world
Respondents cited support for arbitration by local courts, neutrality and impartiality of the local legal system and national arbitration law, and a strong enforcement track record as the main factors influencing their preference.
Clare Connellan, international arbitration partner at White & Case, commented on the research findings:
“The sustained appeal of London and Singapore underscores the importance arbitration users place on judicial reliability and proactive legislative support. Both jurisdictions have made significant legislative advances in recent months, demonstrating a clear political commitment to maintaining their positions as pre-eminent global arbitration hubs.”
The report also covered AI innovation in the international arbitration space. 90% of those surveyed said that they expect to use AI tools for research, data analytics, and document review. However, researchers found “strong resistance” to using AI for tasks requiring the exercise of discretion and judgment, with respondents citing concerns over errors and bias as the major obstacle to adopting these tools.
]]>https://www.legalcheek.com/2025/05/london-is-the-worlds-top-location-for-international-arbitration-research-reveals/feed/0Why I became an international disputes lawyer
https://www.legalcheek.com/lc-careers-posts/why-i-became-an-international-disputes-lawyer/
Wed, 04 Nov 2020 11:45:19 +0000https://www.legalcheek.com/?post_type=lc-careers-posts&p=155332Milena Szuniewicz-Wenzel, a partner in Clyde & Co’s international arbitration group, discusses her varied caseload and ways to build client rapport
]]>Milena Szuniewicz-Wenzel, a partner in Clyde & Co’s international arbitration group, discusses her varied caseload and ways to build client rapport
Milena Szuniewicz-Wenzel, partner in Clyde & Co’s international arbitration group
The past 24 months have seen Milena Szuniewicz-Wenzel, a partner in Clyde & Co’s international arbitration group, work on a series of complex cross-jurisdictional disputes on cases ranging from telecoms to oil and gas. The common thread to these disputes, she tells me, is the varied nature of the matters which require a comprehensive understanding of the issues at hand.
When we talk Szuniewicz-Wenzel tells me about a recent telecoms case which not only required a technical understanding of mobile telecoms in developing countries but also a strong grasp of the relevant legal issues at stake. “For example, we had complex issues in relation to sanctions and whether tribunals can issue awards where sanctions are applied,” she explains.
Within the past five years there’s also been a notable rise in oil and gas disputes resulting from the financial crisis, and the oil price crash of 2014. These cases are often multifaceted, not only involving contractual issues but also issues relating to employment, tax and customs, and environmental matters. The length of Szuniewicz-Wenzel’s cases can span up to six years, with many averaging around three to four years in length, “but it depends on the issues and complexity of the case”, she adds.
A key challenge that Szuniewicz-Wenzel relishes is the cross-jurisdictional aspect of the disputes; not only do the cases themselves involve different legal systems, but Szuniewicz-Wenzel often finds herself working with colleagues in Clyde & Co’s offices worldwide, particularly Paris, New York and Singapore, depending on the dispute.
In addition, her clients are from a variety of backgrounds and so cultural differences are apparent. Therefore, a strong understanding of the client is crucial. To achieve this Szuniewicz-Wenzel highlights the importance of good communication and finding the right means to effectively communicate with clients, whether that’s through video-conferencing, the telephone, or in some instances, WhatsApp.
Fluent in English, German and Polish, Szuniewicz-Wenzel says her multicultural background helps in her work. Interestingly, she rarely uses German and Polish in relation to disputes, but it is her knowledge and experience of different cultures that aids her understanding of her clients and their needs.
Szuniewicz-Wenzel’s time spent in the Middle East has also proved valuable in developing a sound understanding of her clients. She spent six months in Dubai during her training contract and a further year in Yemen working on various cases. “The experience was a real eye-opener for me,” she reflects. “It gave me a great opportunity to understand my clients in the Middle East and I’ve been able to use the experience going forward and apply it to arbitrations.”
Since the pandemic hit, the way in which Szuniewicz-Wenzel works with her clients and her team has inevitably changed. But she tells me that communication has actually improved now that Zoom and Microsoft Teams are more widely used.
Szuniewicz-Wenzel originally had a hearing scheduled to take place the week lockdown came into effect in March, however this was postponed and is now going ahead virtually. “I’ve got great hopes for it,” she tells me.
When reflecting on past cases, Szuniewicz-Wenzel recalls not many witnesses being taken by the idea of having to give evidence via video link. She predicts that virtual hearings will become more commonplace in the future. “I think that people will be more open to them which is a big change from the way the world and international arbitration functioned before coronavirus hit”, she forecasts.
Szuniewicz-Wenzel believes that this is a positive shift which will enable disputes lawyers to be more environmentally friendly by reducing travel. She adds that the increase in virtual hearings will also be beneficial for trainees and associates who may not have previously had the opportunity to travel to different jurisdictions for hearings.
However, the challenge, according to Szuniewicz-Wenzel, will be ensuring effective advocacy during a virtual hearing which may prove to be more difficult. Szuniewicz-Wenzel also reflects on the “human element” which may be lost: “When you attend a hearing in-person and see the other side, it motivates you and gives you purpose. We are yet to see how this plays out at a virtual hearing.”
Having made partner this year, Szuniewicz-Wenzel began her legal career as a trainee at Clyde & Co 18 years ago where she qualified into the marine and international trade department. This saw her spend much of her time working on shipping and trading cases and it was here that she acquired valuable knowledge, for example in relation to oil and gas, which she has carried with her throughout her career.
Szuniewicz-Wenzel grew up in Poland before moving to England with her family at the age of 13, and knew from a young age that she wanted to pursue a career in law. “My parents had a friend who was a famous advocate and he inspired me to become a lawyer,” she shares. Szuniewicz-Wenzel went on to study law at Queen Mary, University of London, and as part of her degree spent a year abroad in Germany. She completed a masters at University College London.
Her interest in advocacy stemmed from having an inquisitive mindset. She explains:
“I was interested in the reasons behind a dispute, understanding the people involved, and working with them to resolve the dispute.”
For aspiring litigators Szuniewicz-Wenzel shares that “the key is to be flexible — don’t be fixated on one sector or one area. In international arbitration many different issues arise so you need to be open to exploring different areas”. Additionally, owing to the complexity of cases, Szuniewicz-Wenzel says that the ability to work effectively within a team is crucial to achieving the best outcome for a client.
Milena Szuniewicz-Wenzel will be speaking alongside other Clyde & Co lawyers at ‘How law firms go global’, a virtual student event taking place on Friday 6 November. You can apply to attend the event, which is free, now.
]]>Cambridge University triumphs in Vis Pre-Moot London tournament
https://www.legalcheek.com/2019/03/cambridge-university-triumphs-in-vis-pre-moot-london-tournament/
Mon, 18 Mar 2019 13:00:14 +0000https://www.legalcheek.com/?p=127449Rookie arbitrators beat fellow uni teams from Denmark, Switzerland and Poland
]]>Rookie arbitrators beat fellow uni teams from Denmark, Switzerland and Poland
? Two members of Cambridge University’s team prepare to make submissions
A team of Cambridge University students have won a prestigious mooting crown.
Katherine Boucher, Kathryn Handley, Gabriel Kaufmann, Glen Tay and Venus Ma emerged victorious in the White & Case London Vis Pre-Moot, a UK preparatory competition for the global Vis Moot finals, which take place each year in Vienna, Austria.
Twelve teams from no less than seven countries took part in the highly-competitive moot comp which took place on Saturday in a wet and windy City of London. The Cambridge Uni team, coached by Littleton Chambers‘ Lord David Hacking, scored the highest across three rounds of pleadings and were confirmed winners to the musical stylings of The Greatest Showman.
Stockholm University was the runner-up, while Queen Mary, University of London came third. The list of competitors included University College London (UCL), the Universities of Nottingham and East Anglia, and The Honourable Society of The Middle Temple, alongside the Universities of Copenhagen, Liège, Geneva, Versailles and Poland’s Jagiellonian University.
The prize for best individual performance was snapped up by Cambridge Uni’s Tay (pictured below), a final year law student at Homerton College. He told Legal Cheek:
“Today’s achievement is the culmination of our collective team efforts. We are very much looking forward to competing in Vienna next month.”
? Glen Tay pictured alongside fellow teammate Gabriel Kaufmann
The teams were challenged on a dispute arising out of a contract of sale between two parties for prized frozen racehorse semen. Acting respectively for the claimant (a stud farm) and defendant (owners of a racehorse stable and breeding programme), they presented their arguments to a panel of top arbitrators — which included White & Case’s Mark Goodrich, barristers Frederico Singarajah from Hardwicke and Michael Stephens from Kings Chambers, and Allen & Overy associate Shreya Aren.
The London office of global law firm White & Case hosted the event, which was organised by London-based associates Benjamin Ainsley Gill, Agnieszka Zarówna and Natalie Lucas, and Angélica André, counsel in the firm’s Paris office.
Stephens told Legal Cheek the Pre-Moot and Moot finals are an excellent launchpad for would-be arbitration lawyers since it enables them to develop the critical skills required to succeed in this area of law, namely research, advocacy, teamwork, and the chance to network with colleagues of the future. He continued:
“English students competing against their European counterparts are dealing with certain rules and regulations they wouldn’t normally study in the course of undergraduate life and which don’t necessarily have effect in English law. It’s an opportunity to find out about law other than English common law.”
Ainsley Gill, co-founder of the White & Case London Vis Pre-Moot, commented:
“It has been a fantastic day and the level of participation has been extremely impressive across the board which makes it all worthwhile for us. International commercial arbitration is a big part of what we do; there wasn’t an equivalent firm to ours putting on an event like this in London and so it seemed right that we host a Vis Pre-Moot. We are already looking forward to organising next year’s! A huge thank you to all the participating teams, their coaches and all volunteer arbitrators involved.”
