VF: Global PIL experts.

Others: Lower their fees or pro bono, to try to learn.

Volterra Fietta advises and represents clients on the full spectrum of public international law.

  • inter-State litigation, including before the International Court of Justice
  • ICSID arbitration, for investors and States in equal measure
  • international organisations
  • Sovereign Wealth Funds
  • Business and Human Rights
  • sovereign and diplomatic immunities cases before domestic courts
  • bilateral investment treaties
  • land and maritime territorial and boundary disputes
  • the law of treaties and treaty interpretation
  • property rights and expropriation
  • the Energy Charter Treaty
  • oil concessions
  • air and water rights
  • treaty negotiations and accession
  • State responsibility
  • choice of law, jurisdiction and enforcement proceedings
  • international maritime law
  • sovereign and diplomatic privilege and immunity
  • project-specific international agreements between host States
  • offshore oil and gas (and other resources)
  • straddling resources
  • transboundary pipelines
  • international human rights law (including its relevance to transnational business enterprises and transnational litigation)
  • State succession issues
  • international environmental law
  • sovereign debt
  • energy, mining and infrastructure projects
  • international trade and WTO law
  • foreign corrupt practices
  • the laws of war
  • international arbitration
  • economic sanctions

We offer an unrivalled range of practical public international law experience in the sovereign and commercial sectors.

Our team acts for States, private entities and international organisations in contentious and advisory matters all over the world. We are often called upon to analyse the effect of private and public international law on international commercial transactions in global commercial sectors including project finance, energy, utilities and telecommunications.

Our dispute resolution experience is truly global, in terms of clients, matters and courts.

We are one of the handful of law firms that genuinely advise and represent sovereigns regularly in inter-State litigation before the International Court of Justice and other international courts and tribunals.

Our dispute resolution experience is truly global, in terms of clients, matters and courts. We regularly defend States and embassies in immunities cases before domestic courts. We advise on dispute resolution between foreign investors and host States. Our strength lies in combining cutting-edge theoretical public international law knowledge with practical experience and commercial awareness.

Areas of Expertise

State-to-State Dispute Resolution

Our lawyers are amongst the elite group of practitioners who regularly represent governments in State-to-State disputes before the International Court of Justice and tribunals constituted under the aegis of the Permanent Court of Arbitration, ICSID, UNCLOS Annex VII and other international dispute resolution bodies.

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Investment Treaty Arbitration

We are particularly experienced in advising clients on resolving disputes related to overseas investments. We represent investors and governments alike in investment treaty arbitrations.

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Public International Law Advisory

Highlights of the non-confidential experience of lawyers at the firm.

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International Law in Domestic Courts

No business wishes to litigate, but litigation is occasionally the only way to secure a legitimate and necessary end. Volterra Fietta has significant experience in the English courts in high value complex commercial and other disputes.

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International Commercial Arbitration

Volterra Fietta has one of the largest dedicated arbitration groups in the world. Our commercial arbitration practice spans the globe and includes all the major arbitration centres and rules.

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Business and Human Rights

We are leading lawyers in the area of international business and human rights. Companies consult us about their operations and supply chains in countries that have experienced human rights and rule of law problems.

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