• Steven Smith
      Embarcadero Center West
      275 Battery Street
      San Francisco, CA, 94111
      Phone: +1-415-984-8875
      Fax: +1-415-984-8701
  • Michael Moser
      31st Floor, AIG Tower
      1 Connaught Road Central
      Hong Kong
      Phone: +852-3512-2382
      Fax: +852-2522-1760
  • David Kavanagh
      Warwick Court
      5 Paternoster Square
      London, EC4M 7DX
      Phone: +44-20-7558-4803
      Fax: +44-20-7088-0001
  • David Foster
      Warwick Court
      5 Paternoster Square
      London, EC4M 7DX
      Phone: +44-20-7558-4819
      Fax: +44-20-7088-0001
  • Paul Koepff
      Times Square Tower
      7 Times Square
      New York, NY, 10036
      Phone: +1-212-326-2189
      Fax: +1-212-326-2061
  • Claudia Ray
      Times Square Tower
      7 Times Square
      New York, NY, 10036
      Phone: +1-212-326-2170
      Fax: +1-212-326-2061
  • Mark Wood
      400 South Hope Street
      Los Angeles, CA, 90071
      Phone: +1-213-430-6220
      Fax: +1-213-430-6407
  • Scott Nonaka
      Meiji Yasuda Seimei Building, 11th Floor
      2-1-1, Marunouchi
      Chiyoda-ku
      Tokyo, 100-0005
      Phone: +81-3-5293-2741
      Fax: +81-3-5293-2780
  • Yoji Maeda
      Meiji Yasuda Seimei Building, 11th Floor
      2-1-1, Marunouchi
      Chiyoda-ku
      Tokyo, 100-0005
      Phone: +81-3-5293-2704
      Fax: +81-3-5293-2780
LAWYERS

  • Chemtura Corporation
    Duke Energy
    Government of India
    Mitsubishi Corporation
    Nippon Steel Chemical Co., Ltd. 
    Van Ommeren
    Vivendi

International Arbitration

O’Melveny’s International Arbitration practice focuses on the resolution of a broad range of complex, high-stakes international disputes and is staffed with lawyers from our offices in Beijing, Brussels, Hong Kong, London, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, Shanghai, and Tokyo. With a total value in exposure of more than US$6 billion in cases handled in 2007 alone, our record of success spans almost every international procedural and industry setting. We have successfully represented clients in major arbitrations in a wide variety of industries, and have appeared before tribunals throughout the world under a range of international arbitration regimes. Our lawyers have extensive experience handling matters governed by foreign law, and many of our cases involve multi-jurisdictional disputes in which the Firm works to resolve not only international arbitrations, but also related criminal, civil, and regulatory proceedings. For example, we are currently representing an international chemical company in a multi-jurisdictional dispute in which an international arbitration is intertwined with criminal antitrust investigations by three different sovereigns and resulting civil actions by purchasers of the product in question. In addition, O’Melveny’s lawyers have handled matters for and against sovereign entities from the Middle East, Europe, Asia, Latin America, and Africa.

Key Facts

  • Global Arbitration Review, a prestigious arbitration publication, has ranked O’Melveny as one of the world’s leading arbitration practices in its 2007 survey of the top specialist arbitration firms. The Firm ranked 22nd worldwide and 12th among US firms, and is thus featured in the GAR 30, an elite sub-set of the publication’s larger listing, the GAR 100.
  • Many of our International Arbitration lawyers as well as the practice are profiled in the upper tiers of Chambers and Partners (Global, UK, Asia, and USA editions) and Legal 500 guides from 1998 to the present.
    • The “team has had successes in several large commercial cases. ‘I find it impossible to overstate my satisfaction with the service I received,’ exclaimed one client. In addition to a strong presence on the West Coast, the firm houses strong insurance/reinsurance arbitration specialists in New York and benefits from deep roots in Asia. IP, biotech and general technology disputes are all areas of expertise.” (Chambers USA 2008)
    • The head of the practice, “Steven Smith is commended for his ‘superior written work,’ which, according to one high-profile client, is ‘the best I’ve ever seen.’ He is also a ‘masterful advocate’ who can ‘put together a mesmerizing argument.’” (Chambers USA 2008)
    • “Nearly three decades of immersion in Chinese culture has led [Michael Moser] to be universally acknowledged as a pre-eminent foreign business lawyer in the region. Commentators acclaim his ‘total understanding and knowledge of all things Chinese,’ while his ‘prominence as an arbitrator of choice cannot be refuted.’” (Chambers Asia 2008)
    • “Interviewees describe [David Kavanagh] as a ‘highly able practitioner who certainly warrants a place in the tables.’” (Chambers UK 2008)
    • “David Foster is celebrated for his flexibility, creativity and ‘most importantly, commercial awareness.’” (Chambers Global 2007) 
    • Insurance arbitration lawyer “Paul Koepff…brings almost three decades of insurance experience to the table, so it comes as no surprise that he enjoys high visibility in the market. ‘He’s got some big clients,’ remarked one source, ‘and is doing a great job of expanding the firm’s practice.’” (Chambers USA 2008)
  • We have handled some of the world’s most notable arbitrations, including four of the cases noted in The American Lawyer’s most recent rankings for the largest arbitration cases worldwide.
  • Our lawyers are seasoned trial lawyers and advocates as well as experienced arbitrators and mediators.
  • O’Melveny was recognized as the winner of The American Lawyer’s 2004 “Litigation Department of the Year” competition and received honorable mention in 2006 and 2008.
  • Many of our arbitrations involve foreign governments and their commercial entities, as well as multi-jurisdictional disputes with related criminal, civil and regulatory proceedings.
  • O’Melveny partner Michael J. Moser was the first foreign national to be appointed as an arbitrator in China, and received the Lifetime Achievement Award from Chambers and Partners in 2006.

Industry Reach

  • Chemical
  • Energy (Oil, and Gas)
  • Entertainment and Media
  • Financial Services
  • Governments
  • Insurance and Reinsurance
  • Manufacturing
  • Mining
  • Pharmaceutical
  • Power
  • Real Estate
  • Shipping
  • Telecommunications


Duke Energy LNG Commodities Trader Vivendi Mexican Trust Government of India