Paul Barker

Paul’s cross-border disputes and advisory engagements frequently sit at the intersection of law, policy, finance, tech innovation, and geopolitical risk. He is a member of the firm’s artificial intelligence (AI) and digital infrastructure practice groups, advising on AI governance, cybersecurity, litigation risk, and the convergence of energy transition, physical infrastructure, and software investment across the AI tech stack.

As counsel and advocate, Paul has represented claimants and respondents in commercial and investment/investor-state disputes under all the major arbitral rules, including the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID) Convention. His experience covers a wide range of sectors and industries, such as energy, mining, commodities, healthcare, technology, intellectual property, international trade, and sovereign debt restructuring.  Paul also provides pre-dispute advice, including international investment structuring to mitigate the risk from sudden government policy change and global supply chain risks.

Paul has been recognized as a leading lawyer by Chambers & Partners Global, Chambers USA, Legal 500, Lexology, and Lawdragon. He is described by clients as “a seasoned arbitration practitioner with wide knowledge” and “a brilliant strategic mind,” and is praised for his strategic judgment, technical acumen, and client-focused approach.

Complementing his work in private practice, Paul teaches courses on international law, policy, and regulatory disputes, and has held appointments as a lecturer at Columbia University in New York and as a lecturer-in-law at Stanford Law School.

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• Advised an emerging manager on its venture capital secondaries fund strategy and secondaries investments
• Represented a growth stage venture capital fund sponsor on its $500 million energy/climate transition fund formation*
• Advised a sustainable real assets sponsor on its $2 billion energy/climate transition strategy fundraise*
• Counseled a private equity sponsor on its climate impact and energy transition infrastructure fund strategies*
• Advised a growth stage venture capital fund sponsor on its $500 million energy and infrastructure technology fund formation*
• Advised a sustainable real assets sponsor on its $2 billion infrastructure strategy fundraise*
• Counseled a private equity sponsor on its multi-billion-dollar impact fund strategies*
• Advised an LP on its investment into a natural capital/carbon credit fund*

International arbitration and litigation

• Served as counsel in a Singapore International Arbitration Centre (SIAC) commercial arbitration seated in Singapore concerning a trademark/IP dispute in the cryptocurrency sector*
• Represented the claimant in a London Court of International Arbitration international commercial arbitration seated in London concerning allegations of bribery and corruption in the mining sector*
• Served as counsel in a Internation Chamber of Commerce international commercial arbitration seated in Paris concerning contested exploration rights*
• Represented the respondent in a SIAC international commercial arbitration seated in Singapore concerning a construction dispute*
• Served as assistant to the arbitral tribunal in a Stockholm Chamber of Commerce investor-state arbitration under the Energy Charter Treaty seated in Stockholm concerning changes to renewable energy policy support*
• Represented parties in two ICSID investor-state arbitrations under bilateral investment treaties concerning the global financial crisis and sovereign debt restructuring*
• Served as counsel in international litigation in the US and Ghana, in parallel with International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea interstate proceedings, concerning sovereign debt restructuring and the sovereign immunity of warships*

*Matter handled prior to joining the firm

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