Liz, a partner in the Washington, DC office, has more than twenty-five years of experience as an advocate and adviser in international arbitration matters. Her practice is a mix of commercial and investment treaty arbitration, across a range of industry sectors and for clients based in the US and around the world. Liz has particular expertise handling disputes involving States and State entities, including investment treaty cases, fiscal disputes under long-term contracts, and disputes that implicate both contract and treaty protections.
Liz is recognized in leading directories. Chambers & Partners notes that Liz is particularly well regarded for her expertise in the energy sector, and handles both commercial and investment treaty disputes. Clients note: “She is very impressive; a great lawyer with strong analytical skills,” adding that she “knows the client’s needs and works to understand their business”, and Who’s Who Legal notes that she has “a brilliant legal mind” and offers “wise counsel” in arbitrations.
Liz is a member of the International Bar Association, the Advisory Board of the Institute for Transnational Arbitration, and the North American Users’ Council of the LCIA.
Liz holds degrees from the University of Virginia and the University of Oxford. At Virginia, she was an Articles Editor for the Virginia Law Review. She clerked for the Hon. Judge J.H. Wilkinson, then Chief Judge of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit. Liz regularly speaks and teaches on international arbitration and global disputes, including appointments at University College London (2007-2012), American University’s Washington College of Law (2019-2024), and Georgetown University (2021-2024).
Bar and court admissions
Languages
English
“The real deal at the elite level of intellectual analysis and experience”
The Legal 500 US
Securing a favourable award on behalf of Elliott Associates in a UNCITRAL arbitration against the Republic of Korea arising out of alleged governmental corruption and political interference in the activities of a State-controlled entity
Representing a subsidiary of an Australian mining company in a dispute with a Central Asian State concerning tax and royalty demands in breach of stability guarantees in a long-term investment agreement relating to one of the world’s largest gold/copper mines
Representing a US- and UK-listed financial services firm in an LCIA arbitration against a customer under a NY-law governed financing agreement and obtaining expedited formation of the tribunal, a TRO and a preliminary injunction to prevent erosion of collateral
Representing a consortium of international oil companies in a $4 billion cost recovery dispute with a Central Asian state
Representing Canadian and Central Asian subsidiaries of an Australian mining company in a dispute with a Canadian joint venture partner
Representing various consortia of oil majors in a series of arbitrations against a West African national oil company arising out long-term production sharing contracts
Representing the Japanese, Korean, and Taiwanese subsidiaries of a globally diversified mining company in a NY-law governed ICC arbitration with a US glass manufacturer arising out a licence agreement and concerning issues of patent infringement
Defending a Delaware-law governed ICC arbitration brought by a counterparty to a technology licensing agreement against a Fortune 10 technology company relating to the development of cutting-edge mobile phone technology and a claim of unpaid royalties
“She is a brilliant mind and offers wise counsel”
Who's Who Legal
“Knows the clients' needs and works to understand their business”
Chambers USA
- University of Virginia (1994 BA; 1997 JD)
- University of Oxford (2001 BCL; 2002 MPhil)