Administrative and Public LawBanking and Financial Markets LitigationCivil Fraud, Asset Tracing and RecoveryCommercial LitigationCompetition LawConstruction and Engineering DisputesContentious Trusts, Estates and Private Wealth DisputesGroup Action LitigationInsolvency LitigationInsurance and Reinsurance LitigationInternational ArbitrationInvestigations and White Collar CrimeProduct LiabilityProfessional Negligence LitigationToxic Tort and ESG
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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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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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 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.
FIND OUT MOREThe majority of our lawyers have extensive experience in conducting commercial litigation, international arbitration and related asset tracing and recovery on behalf of clients originating from jurisdictions in Eastern Europe, CIS, the Caucasus, as well as Central Asia, such as Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, Ukraine.
“Excellent commercial drive and technical ability on complex international arbitration cases,” and “very well co-ordinated, and able to work with large and complex matters.” The Legal 500
There are common themes running through most disputes which originate from within the region, and we understand the commercial and business environment in which our clients operate. These disputes typically involve complex factual matrix often spanning over an extensive period of time, require expert evidence, include allegations of fraud and corruption and give rise to complex issues of conflicts of laws and jurisdiction, both of which we regularly advise on. Our substantial experience of handling these disputes gives our clients a real strategic advantage over their opponents.
Members of our team have acted in some of the recent leading cases emanating from the region and are uniquely placed to be able to provide high quality focused advice across its London and Paris offices.
Our lawyers are robust, commercially focused and determined; qualities which are particularly relevant for disputes emanating from eastern Europe, CIS, the Caucasus, and Central Asia region.
With one of the few senior English qualified Russian speaking Partner with over 20 years’ disputes experience, we are able to offer clients in the region high quality advice which truly responds to their needs. Ranked in Chambers and Partners and The Legal 500, Natalia Chumak is said to be a “steely litigator with excellent litigation instincts”. Clients highlight her “extraordinary, high-quality analytical skills” and she is also described as being a “very bright, robust and shrewd tactician who fights her client’s corner and goes the extra mile.”
Ioannis Alexopoulos specialises in commercial litigation and international arbitration, particularly those involving financial services (with emphasis on matters involving financial products, investment banking and derivatives), energy and natural resources, shipping and international trade, telecoms, IT and infrastructure projects. Ioannis is ranked in the Chambers UK 2026 Guide for international arbitration, which describes him as “highly experienced and an excellent strategist” with “sharp analytical skills”. He is also recognised in The Legal 500 UK 2026’s ‘Hall of Fame’ for international arbitration and is a ‘Leading Partner’ for Civil Fraud, where he is praised as a “brilliant strategist, with the ability to manage and navigate multi-jurisdictional teams of lawyers for the benefit of the client and overall case management plan.”
Graham Huntley has 40 years’ experience in commercial litigation and is consistently recognised by The Legal 500 and Chambers as one of the UK’s highest ranked commercial and banking litigators and has been involved in some of the most significant cases of recent years. Chambers UK describes him as “an intense and effective solicitor with an incredibly client-focused approach” and he has previously been described as “very bright, very hard-working, a good tactician” and “very committed and driven”.
Paris Partner Thomas Rouhette has over 30 years’ experience in commercial and international litigation. He has been recognised over many years by Chambers and The Legal 500 as a ‘Leading Partner’ for his litigation expertise and is listed in The Legal 500’s ‘Hall of Fame’, which recognises him for his market leading commercial disputes practice. Thomas is described as “an intelligent and clear-minded lawyer” and a “tough but excellent” litigator.
"Signature has a really good, strategic approach to cases and thinks the issues through."
Fantastic experience and responsiveness with an extremely good tactical mind.
– Chambers UK, International Arbitration
Ioannis is an efficient lawyer and a pleasure to work with.
– Chambers UK 2026, International Arbitration
Graham Huntley is astute, bright and pragmatic. He thinks outside the box.
– Chambers UK 2025, Commercial and Corporate Litigation
Thomas is an excellent lawyer in court; he is very sharp and knows the case to the last letter. He is very accurate in his pleadings which gives us a lot of confidence.
– Chambers France 2025, Litigation: Elite
Representing a CIS oil and gas business group and its high-net-worth UBO, in relation to a number of related High Court claims and LCIA arbitration proceedings commenced by a leading bank arising out of loan agreements, personal guarantees and other loan security documentation with the total value of claims and counterclaims in excess of USD 6bn. The claims involved allegations of contractual breaches, fraud, duress and corruption. The disputes involved applications for interim measures, as well as subsequent separate litigation concerning the validity of the settlement agreement.
Representing a multi-family office which has been wrongly drawn into high-profile English High Court proceedings worth approximately GBP 1.3bn brought by an Eastern European bank in liquidation. Due to this mistake, the client's premises were subject to a search order and his hard and soft copy data was seized. We sought protection for the client through several emergency court hearings and handled all related issues.
Representing the investment fund of Georgian billionaire Bidzina Ivanishvili and his family in a dispute valued at USD 600m–USD 1.2bn against Credit Suisse entities for the recovery of losses arising out of mismanagement of his investment portfolio through a range of trust arrangements, which have led to criminal proceedings against the bank’s fund managers. This case involved parallel proceedings in Switzerland, Singapore, New Zealand and Bermuda.
Representing a leading CIS business group and their high-net-worth UBO in an LCIA arbitration in relation to a USD 1bn breach of contract claim brought by his JV partner relating to real estate transactions in Ukraine.
Representing a CIS bank in a high-profile case against the bank’s former owner in a EUR 1bn judgment enforcement proceedings involving piercing the corporate veil and attachment of numerous high-value assets located on the French Riviera and in the French West Indies.
Representing a major Eastern European industrial conglomerate in heavy, multi-party LCIA arbitration proceedings worth in excess of USD 700m arising out of a loan facility agreement and related security documentation.
Representing US investor Discovery Global LLC in a USD 600m ICSID arbitration against Slovakia concerning breaches of the US-Slovakia Bilateral Investment Treaty relating to Discovery’s investment in oil and gas exploration activities in eastern Slovakia
Representing an ultra-high-net-worth individual in separate ICC and Swiss arbitration proceedings with the total value of in excess of USD 500m concerning fraudulent mismanagement of an offshore trust structure – a Panamanian Foundation. This involved a global enforcement strategy, pre-emptive tracing and asset freezing in number of jurisdictions including Cyprus, BVI and Singapore.
Representing an ultra-high-net-worth individual in separate ICC and Swiss arbitration proceedings with the total value of in excess of USD 500m concerning fraudulent mismanagement of an offshore trust structure – a Panamanian Foundation. This involved a global enforcement strategy, pre-emptive tracing and asset freezing in number of jurisdictions including Cyprus, BVI and Singapore.
Representing a leading bank in Central Asia in High Court and worldwide asset recovery proceedings valued at USD 500m against a former senior executive and associated offshore entities concerning misappropriation of the bank's funds and fraud on a large-scale banking fraud. The case was part of a complex multi-jurisdictional asset tracing and recovery process across England, Russia, Ukraine, Cyprus, Switzerland and the BVI in the financial services sector.
Representing a HNW individual in cross contribution proceedings against a co-defendant arising out of the settlement of a high-profile conspiracy claim for USD 350m brought by a global fishing company. We also provided strategic advice on the global litigation strategy which involved civil and criminal actions in Europe and Asia.
Representing a Central Asian party against a large East Asian publicly-listed energy company in a USD 300mn LCIA dispute for breach of funding obligations in a JV agreement concerning the failed exploration of an oil and gas field in Central Asia.
Representing a CIS party in an LCIA dispute involving cross-claims in respect of reciprocal indebtedness arising out of loan arrangements regarding the ownership of an airline. The total value of claims and counterclaims was in excess of USD 300m.
Representing an Armenian mining company in four separate LCIA arbitrations arising out of a joint venture (and related finance arrangements) with Russian and Cypriot entities concerning the operation of a copper mine. The total value of disputes was USD 300m.
Representing a Malaysian investor in connection with two large-scale mining projects in Poland in a USD 300m ICC investment treaty arbitration involving allegations of expropriation, breaches of the FET and FPS standards, and a breach of the obligation to encourage and create favourable conditions for foreign investors pursuant to the Malaysia-Poland Bilateral Investment Treaty.
Advising a CIS agro-trading group on potential claims against a prominent Western bank arising out of a series of loan facility agreements for the total amount of nearly USD 300m and a subsequent related sale of share. The case involved allegations of fraud and duress, as well as accounting issues.
Representing senior managers of a leading CIS bank in relation to search orders and other interim remedies initiated by the bank as part of large-scale cross-border recovery proceedings arising out of a USD hundreds of millions fraud.
Representing the Respondent in an ICC dispute valued at no less than USD 200m with an international mining company concerning enforcement under debt security agreements.
Representing a Gibraltar investment vehicle in a dispute between partners of a BVI investment fund. The dispute concerned construction of BVI limited liability partnership articles on the issue of ‘carried interest’ entitlements of approximately USD 200m. The case was heard by the BVI Commercial Court in the first instance, then by the Eastern Caribbean Court of Appeal and the final appeal was recently determined by the Privy Council in favour of our client. Natalia also acted in related but separate BVI proceedings concerning the valuation of some of the key assets of the BVI fund.
Representing high-net-worth CIS parties in an LCIA arbitration regarding a USD 200m claim for alleged breaches of two SPAs regarding non-completion of a share sale in a bank in a former CIS country.
Representing a high-net-worth CIS individual as the Respondent in LCIA arbitration proceedings commenced by a prominent CIS bank arising out of a USD 200m loan facility and related security documentation including a personal guarantee.
Representing a group of investors in a large-scale mining project in Eastern Europe in a USD 150m UNCITRAL investment treaty arbitration claim against the host State involving allegations of expropriation and breaches of the FET standards.
Representing a high-net-worth Eastern European individual in a USD 100m JV dispute with a high-profile CIS individual in LCIA proceedings relating to an investment project in energy infrastructure companies.
Representing offshore SPVs (owned by CIS parties) in a series of breach of contract claims and counterclaims with the total value in excess of USD 100m in relation to the contracts for the supply of raw materials to an aluminium processing plant.
Representing partners in a UK private equity firm, along with associated global entities, in a Commercial Court claim alleging diversion of the business opportunity to conduct an asset recovery process on behalf of the Family and Estate of the late Badri Patarkatsishvili, a Georgian billionaire. The claim is valued in excess of USD 100m.
Representing a high-net-worth individual and his offshore SPV in an LCIA arbitration concerning a USD 100m dispute arising out of a turn-key contract for the construction of a luxury development including a golf course, hotel and related amenities in Russia.
Representing a leading international commodity group in a series of High Court claims and LCIA arbitration proceedings against a high-profile high-net-worth Eastern European individual and his offshore SPVs arising out of the sale of mining and oil assets with the total value of disputes in excess of USD 80m. The disputes involved applications for interim measures, applications for an appointment of an emergency arbitrator and multiple appeals.
Representing a group of CIS agro-trading companies and their shareholders and managers in relation to an LCIA dispute concerning a USD 70m loan facility advanced by a consortium of Western investors shortly following a distressed sale. The case involved allegations of breach of contract and fraud, cross-border actions in off-shore jurisdictions and CIS countries, as well as defending against interim measures applications in the High court in England..
Representing a high-net-worth individual and his offshore SPV as the Claimant in a USD 60m LCIA dispute arising out of an SPA in relation to the sale of a group of companies in the electricity/infrastructure industry in Russia.
Representing the estate of a high-net-worth individual from the CIS in High Court Proceedings against former business partner and others in a claim for over USD 50m for fraud and a breach of fiduciary duties concerning a sale of strategic assets in the marine transport and logistics sector at an undervalue.
Representing a high-net-worth individual and its offshore SPV in a USD 30m claim commenced in the BVI and arising out of an investment agreement into an energy business in Russia.
Representing a high-net-worth individual from a CIS country in High Court proceedings arising out of a USD 30m dispute concerning performance under an SPA for the sale of share in an internet service provider business.
