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London

Founded in 2012, Signature Litigation has grown into one of London’s pre-eminent specialist dispute resolution practices. From the outset, we set out to do things differently: a conflict-free, disputes-only platform designed to give clients the undivided focus and strategic agility that complex, high-stakes matters demand.

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Gibraltar

Established in 2017, Signature Litigation's Gibraltar office was founded to address growing demand for specialist expertise in commercial litigation and private wealth disputes on the Rock.

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Paris

Signature Litigation AARPI houses one of France’s most enviable product liability practices, with the team also handling commercial and corporate litigation, insurance and reinsurance, toxic tort and ESG, civil fraud and asset tracing, international arbitration, administrative and public law.

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Frankfurt

Frankfurt has emerged as one of Europe's foremost financial and commercial centres and, increasingly, as a bridge between European and Asian markets. With that growth comes an increasing demand for sophisticated dispute resolution. Signature Litigation established its Frankfurt office to meet this need, bringing our conflict-free, disputes-only platform to the German market.

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Commercial Arbitration

Signature “demonstrates a strategic approach with careful dealing on every detail of the matter.”

Chambers UK 2026, International Arbitration: Commercial Arbitration

Signature has a profound understanding of commercial arbitration – our strong business focus and unique culture. We combine this understanding with our deep industry and regional knowledge when handling the most challenging and complex cross-border commercial arbitrations.

We act in high-value commercial arbitration across all key global seats appearing in cases under all major institutional rules including ICC, LCIA, SIAC, HKIAC, SAC and ad hoc arbitrations under the UNCITRAL Rules.

Our Commercial Arbitration team comprises lawyers who are closely familiar with arbitral procedural rules and internal institutional processes. Many of our lawyers also have first-hand insight into institutional processes through roles within arbitral institutions and as arbitrators.

We handle the full lifecycle of arbitration, from drafting effective arbitration agreements and managing interim relief to the recognition, enforcement, and challenge of awards in national courts.

Based in London, Paris, and Frankfurt, we coordinate seamlessly across jurisdictions, aligning legal strategy with commercial objectives and local practice. Our size and structure allow us to move quickly and tailor our teams to each case. We also regularly act as co-counsel with other law firms worldwide, bringing our in-depth experience and strategic input to matters without disrupting the original client-lawyer relationship between our co-counselling partner and the end client.

We regularly act in energy (traditional and renewable), mining and commodities, pharmaceuticals, telecommunications, construction and engineering (including infrastructure and energy projects), logistics, defence, and corporate/finance disputes, including M&A and matters involving complex financial products and structures.

KEY INDIVIDUALS

Ioannis is very good at analysing a problem and distilling it to understand the underlying commerciality.

– Chambers UK 2026, International Arbitration

Available, patient, convincing and determined – she leads the client in the right direction.

– Chambers Global 2019

Philip Dunham's skills when it comes to evidentiary, forensic, quantum, and technical matters are exceptional, whether that be in terms of analysis, assessment or advocacy.

– The Legal 500 EMEA 2025, International Arbitration

Ulrich Helm is much admired by peers for his strategic thinking.

– Lexology Index

Tsegaye understands issues very quickly, is pragmatic, and a great team player.

– The Legal 500 UK 2026, International Arbitration

Neil Newing is responsive, reliable and always provide good legal advice tempered with commercial elements.

– The Legal 500 UK 2025, International Arbitration

A highly skilled arbitration practitioner.

– Lexology Index, Arbitration

Standout and extremely talented.

– The Legal 500 UK 2025, International Arbitration

Case Highlights

Representing the beneficiaries of a Panamanian Foundation in claims for losses up to USD 500m incurred due to the fraudulent mismanagement of the offshore trust structure by rogue fiduciaries. The claim included applications for interim relief (including worldwide freezing orders, asset disclosure orders and information orders) in the Caribbean, Europe and Asia, in support of an ICC arbitration seated in Panama.

Representing an entity within a large gambling group in a USD 600m ICC dispute arising out of a joint-venture partnership with a listed software group in relation to a project in LATAM. The case involved parallel court proceedings in England and LATAM, as well as ICC arbitration proceedings.

Representing CA Investment (Brazil), the Brazilian subsidiary of Paper Excellence, in a much-publicised USD 3bn dispute against Brazil's second largest business group, J&F Investimentos, concerning the acquisition of Eldorado Brasil, a pulp production major. The dispute spanned 6 years, involved four arbitrations and multiple court proceedings in several jurisdictions. We played an instrumental role in securing a global settlement between the parties.

Representing a PE fund in a number of arbitrations and related court proceedings in multiple jurisdictions initiated by investors in relation to the transfer of assets worth over USD 1.5bn managed by the fund.

Representing three European chemical companies in a series of USD 1.6bn disputes in Paris, Geneva and London against the European subsidiaries of a large North American chemical concern arising out of a JV agreement concerning manufacture of a product used for the production of nylon and relating to unauthorised use of IP and trade secrets in competing projects.

Representing a group of shareholders against two shareholders in the same company in a claim with a total value exceeding USD 1bn concerning the interpretation of a put option provision and underlying accounting standards in connection with the acquisition of shares in the company.

Acting for a North American biomedical science company as claimant in an LCIA arbitration in a USD 100m dispute with a European competitor relating to a joint experimental drug development programme and concerning the respondent’s unauthorised use of third-party IP rights and trade secrets.

Representing a natural gas seller in a series of arbitrations in Cairo and Madrid commenced by the buyer and owner of a liquefaction plant and arising out of a tolling agreement and a related long-term gas supply agreement with the total value of claims exceeding USD 4bn.

Representing a global US specialty chemicals development and manufacturing company in two multi-million EUR arbitrations arising out of SPAs for the sale of chemical plants and concerning warranties re defects and plant capacity.

Acting for two international construction contractors who were respondents in a USD 3.7bn ICC arbitration in London initiated by a Middle Eastern State-owned company. The dispute concerned the development of a world-class medical facility in the Middle East.

Representing the main contractor and an airport operator in a USD 2bn claim against an aviation infrastructure company arising out of the termination of a design and construction contract in relation to an airport in the UAE.

Representing a European utility company in a EUR 400m claim against a multinational energy company and an offshore wind farm operator concerning a project in the North Sea and involving issues of delay and termination.

Representing a Western European company against a major Scandinavian oil and gas company in a USD 100m dispute arising out of a contract for the sale of gas condensate procured from a third party, an Eastern European company. The dispute involved multiple jurisdictions around the world and concerned issues of interference with the client’s source of supply, wrongful termination of the contract and fraud.

Representing the claimants in a USD 25m claim against a leading Thai wind energy company concerning the respondent’s refusal and/or failure to indemnify and keep indemnified the claimants in accordance with the terms of an indemnity agreement.

Representing a number of insurance companies in the excess layer insurance tower in a USD 270m arbitration commenced by a large Asian manufacturing group under the W&I policy in relation to the sale of a sanitary ware manufacturing company from a PE investor and concerning the interpretation of exclusion clauses.

Representing co-founders and minority shareholders in a USD 150m dispute with a large corporate majority shareholder in relation to a leading Fintech company in Southeast Asia.

Representing one of Guyana’s largest industrial conglomerates in a USD 200m dispute against a mining corporate in relation to a large-scale gold mining JV.

Representing a South American company in a dispute against a State-owned company in the MENA region in a dispute exceeding USD 1bn in relation to the artesian wells drilled as part of the Great Man-Made River project in Libya, one of the largest engineering projects ever undertaken.

Representing a large corporate in a USD 60m dispute relating to a contract for the supply of raw materials in the steel production industry and concerning the applicability of contractual force majeure provisions in the context of UK and EU economic sanctions against Russia.

Representing a leading European telecoms company in a JV shareholders’ dispute exceeding USD 1.5bn in relation to the ownership of the largest mobile phone operator in a State in the MENA region.

Representing a large oil exploration and mining group against a leading Russian bank in a number of cases concerning credit facilities, underlying security and issues relating to exploration methods with the total value of claims and counterclaims totalling USD 6bn.

Representing a major company in a number of cases initiated by the Republic of Mozambique concerning the supply of vessels and shipyard construction involving allegations of fraud, bribery and corruption with the total value of disputes in excess of USD 2bn.

Representing a major European company in a shareholders’ dispute with a total value exceeding USD 100m in relation to a profit-sharing arrangement which concerned a nuclear power plant in the PRC.

Representing a Western European pharmaceutical company in a number of contractual disputes with a total value in excess of USD 300m relating to development, regulatory approval and commercialisation of a novel neuromodulator product, as well as breaches of a distribution agreement involving numerous jurisdictions around the world.