Natalia Chumak

Natalia is a Partner at Signature’s London office. Having joined Signature in 2013, shortly after its inception, Natalia’s current role is centred on strategic development of the firm’s international arbitration practice across all its offices, as well as on strategic legal innovations including AI.

Natalia is a seasoned disputes lawyer with over 20 years of arbitration and litigation experience in complex and high value international disputes often involving several jurisdictions and multiple parties. Natalia has significant experience in handling arbitration disputes under most major arbitration institutions with the primary focus on the LCIA and SCC.

Natalia’s experience spans across many industry sectors including energy (oil and gas upstream, electricity/infrastructure), water, mining &natural resources, metallurgical, banking, agro-trading, construction, aviation, automobile, railway, pharmaceutical, telecommunications, manufacturing (plastics) and others.

Her legal career has a strong historic foundation in acting for clients from former Soviet Republics (Ukraine, Russia, Central Asian states).

Natalia has extensive experience in a variety of commercial disputes including contractual disputes arising out of SPAs and related contractual documentation, shareholders’ agreements, investment agreements, memoranda of understanding, option agreements, debt finance agreements and related security documentation, personal guarantees, partnership disputes (in relation to offshore private equity structures).

Natalia also has extensive experience in disputes concerning asset valuation, oral high level agreements between international high-net-worth individuals in relation to joint investments, fraud & corruption claims and related asset tracing actions, claims arising out of liquidation of investment funds.

Natalia has significant experience in both applying for and opposing the grant of freezing orders and other interim relief, jurisdictional challenges, enforcement of arbitral awards in offshore jurisdictions and related insolvency proceedings.

Natalia has been ranked in Chambers Global for nine years including in Chambers Global 2025 Guide where she has been recognised as a Dispute Resolution Foreign Expert for Russia/CIS noting that she is “available, patient, convincing and determined – she leads the client in the right direction.” Market commentators highlight her “depth of legal knowledge”, and Chambers Global also notes that she is a “very bright, robust and shrewd tactician who fights her client’s corner and goes the extra mile.”

Natalia has also been recommended in The Legal 500 UK Guide for international arbitration and is recommended for being a “highly rated” litigator, and having “extraordinary, high-quality analytical skills”. She has been recognised by The Legal 500 and Chambers UK for several years for her “fantastic experience and responsiveness”, for being an “extremely good tactical mind”, a “steely litigator with excellent litigation instincts” and she has been praised for her ability to “remain incredibly calm under pressure.”

Natalia was admitted as solicitor of the Supreme Court of England and Wales in 2002.

She speaks English fluently and is a native Russian speaker. She is also part of the member-hosted planning committee of LIDW 2026.

In her spare time, Natalia has another passion, the welfare and protection of abandoned animals in Russia. She is the Founder and a Trustee of a UK animal welfare charity LAPA and is actively involved in its work.

Please visit LAPA’s website for more information.

Disputes involving a mixture of International Commercial Arbitration and Commercial Litigation (substantive proceedings)

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 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 high-net-worth individual and his offshore SPV in related LCIA and High Court proceedings in relation to loans and investment in the coal mining industry in Central Asia with the total value of claims in excess of USD 40m.

International Commercial Arbitration

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 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.
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 Repondent 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 an investor in a USD 80 million+ investor-state dispute against a CIS country relating to an investment into a transport network involving allegations of misappropriation.
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 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 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 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 a high-net-worth CIS individual in a USD 70m LCIA dispute concerning breaches of contract and related fraud arising out of an investment agreement in the legal sector.
Representing the estate of a high-net-worth CIS individual in a USD 50m LCIA arbitration dispute with a former business partner arising out of a put option agreement in relation to shares in a large automotive business in the CIS.
Representing a high-net-worth CIS individual against another high-net-worth CIS individual in an LCIA arbitration concerning the recovery of a USD 10m loan.

Commercial Litigation

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.
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 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.
Representing an offshore SPV as the award creditor in cross-border insolvency proceedings as part of an enforcement/asset tracing and recovery process following a successful LCIA Award for USD 10m in our client’s favour (we also acted in the underlying LCIA arbitration proceedings).
Representing a high-profile individual in an innovative claim against a UK bank arising out of the closure of his personal bank account due to his political profile.
Representing a group of IG customers in a pioneering FOS complaint procedure arising out of a much-publicised IG foreign currency spread-betting scandal which led to substantial looses by many retail customers. The complaint involved allegations of misrepresentation, market manipulation and breaches of contract and was successfully resolved.
Advising a high-net-worth individual and a prominent figure in the banking sector in a CIS country in relation to asset seizure risks in the UK following the individual’s arrest and detention on financial crime charges in the home country.

Practical Session: Oral Advocacy Skills – Brunel University of London Summer Programme on International Arbitration 2026 – 10 September 2026

Panel Discussion: LIDW26 – GAR Live ISDS: AI and Arbitration – do the benefits outweigh the risks? – GAR Live – 3 June 2026

Panel Discussion: Paris Arbitration Week: AI for Justice Symposium – Jus Mundi – 26 March 2026

Fireside Chat: Group actions & mass litigation – how to prepare for the new era of massive exposure – The Legal 500 Enterprise GC 2026 Summit – 10 March 2026

Roundtable: Where Can Law Firms Use AI in Litigation? – LegalTechTalk – 5 March 2026

Press Quote: If financial services firms don’t want more AI rules, comply with existing regs, experts warn – Compliance Week – 3 March 2026

Presentation: Implementing AI into your arbitration practice – Jus Mundi Global Team Event – February 2026

Roundtable Lunch Discussion: Litigation in Transition: How Technology is reshaping the legal landscape – Array UK e-Discovery solutions – January 2026

Article: CIArb Guidelines on AI: Key Soft Law Step in Arbitration – Jus Mundi Arbitration Review – November 2025

Article: Employee and skill retention during the AI transition in the legal sector – The AI Journal – 22 July 2025

Interview: Signature Litigation Harnesses Jus AI for Smarter, Faster Arbitration – Jus Mundi – 17 June 2025

Press Quote: Law isn’t like other professions; misusing AI may put lawyers in jail – City AM – 11 June 2025

Article: Is the UK a pro-innovation environment? – The Law Society Gazette – 6 June 2025

Article: New Arbitration Guidelines On AI Offer Practical Approach – Law360 – 7 May 2025