“Formidable”: Volterra Fietta repeats top-tier rankings in Legal 500 and Chambers & Partners categories: public international law and investment treaty arbitration.

Volterra Fietta has retained its top-tier rankings in both the public international law and the investment treaty arbitration categories, in the recently issued editions of the annual Legal 500 UK and Chambers & Partners UK legal directories.  Volterra Fietta and previously, Robert Volterra’s public international law practice have been ranked consistently in the top-tier by the directories for some 20 years, since they began ranking the field.

The latest Legal 500 noted that Volterra Fietta has expertise across all aspects of public international law, including “bilateral investment treaties (BITs); land and maritime territorial and boundary disputes; ECT matters; state responsibility; human rights; state succession issues; international trade and WTO law; and economic sanctions.”  It observed that VF lawyers “frequently act as counsel in investor-state arbitrations … and was recently engaged in a number of state-to-state sovereign disputes before international courts and tribunals”.  It said that, in addition to “its specialist PIL practice, Volterra Fietta also has a significant international commercial arbitration practice.”

Chambers & Partners characterised Volterra Fietta as “Formidable”.  It described VF as “a first-class firm for anything involving public international law, including investment treaty disputes … handling an impressive range of investor-related and interstate work. Particularly active advising sovereign states and investors on claims arising under BITs and commercial agreements to which a state is party.”  It said that the firm: “Provides advice on interstate matters including boundary disputes and the law of the sea, as well as advising states on treaty obligations.”

Firms also ranked by the directories in the top-tier along with Volterra Fietta were: Allen & Overy; Clifford Chance; Debevoise & Plimpton; Freshfields; and Quinn Emmanuel Urquart & Sullivan.

The directories recognised the market-leading reputations of all of the Volterra Fietta partners:

• Graham Coop’s expertise in the energy, natural resources and infrastructure sectors was specifically recognised;
• Giorgio Mandelli was described as ‘highly rated’;
• Suzanne Spears was highlighted as a ‘next generation lawyer’, with particular mention made of her experience in Latin America and Africa; and
• Robert Volterra was ranked as the sole lawyer in the ‘Star Individual’ category

VF partner Giorgio Mandelli said: “Year on year, Volterra Fietta continues to be recognised in the global legal directories among the leading firms for clients in public international law, including in investment treaty arbitration.  It is clear what the global market considers to be the VF’s peer group in our specialist practice area.  We are delighted that government and company clients continue to see us as the go-to firm for bet-the-country/company international disputes and advisory work.”

During the past 12 months, Volterra Fietta has won 28 awards and accolades from independent law firm ranking organisations in such categories as UK Arbitration Law Firm of the Year and Public International Law Firm of the Year.