Practice Areas

International Arbitration

Paul Hastings is consistently recognized as one of the leading international arbitration practices in the world. Paul Hastings’ international arbitration practice has been hailed as “a leader in the global dispute resolution landscape,” “a groundbreaking shift in the international arbitration market” and “one of the boldest and most significant developments in international arbitration in recent years.” (The Legal 500 2025, Latin Lawyer 250 2024)

A Premier Global Practice

Paul Hastings is “a premier global law firm” that provides “top-notch guidance through complex commercial, economic and political situations” (Global Arbitration Review 2025, The Legal 500 2025). With almost 500 global disputes lawyers across 24 offices worldwide, including dozens of lawyers with deep arbitration experience. Over decades, our lawyers have advised on hundreds of commercial and investment arbitrations spanning a diverse range of sectors and regions, as well as enforcement and related litigation, mediation, complex negotiations and crisis management.

The practice and our partners are featured in preeminent legal directories across the Americas, Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA), and Asia, such as Chambers, The Legal 500, Who’s Who Legal and Global Arbitration Review, which describes the practice’s capacity as “preeminent” and Paul Hastings as “a go-to firm for the must-win disputes” and “‘bet the company’ arbitrations.”

The firm’s arbitration case portfolio value ranks among the top in the world. As one observer comments, “The firm is clearly — by both size and quality — in the elite of the field.” (Global Arbitration Review 2024, The Legal 500 2025)

Premium Lawyering and Proven Results

Paul Hastings delivers solutions and results for clients. Our team has successfully resolved billions of dollars in international arbitrations through toughly fought wins and solutions tailored for clients. Our partners are true pioneers in international arbitration, successfully resolving complex cases of first impression under a range of international treaties and legal regimes that have been featured in the global press and recognized with awards by major publications such as The American Lawyer, The Financial Times’ “Innovative Lawyers” report, Global Arbitration Review, Law360 and Latin Lawyer.

Prioritizing Clients

Paul Hastings prioritizes clients, drawing on our keen understanding of their sectors, businesses and objectives. The firm has a “fantastic team” of “highly experienced lawyers in international arbitration,” “a strong pool of disputes experts,” “a highly talented and diverse team” and “multilingual specialists” with “attention to detail,” “common and civil law” training and “strong teamwork.”

Our lawyers have developed world-class best practices and matter management systems to assist our clients and guide their matters to resolution. Above all, we focus on achieving proven results through a profound focus on clients, demonstrating an “unwavering commitment to client success,” “an exceptional track record of delivering outstanding results” and an “ability to pull off important wins” while delivering “spectacular results.” As one client commented, Paul Hastings “truly integrated into our in-house team and worked, not only with our internal lawyers but our businesspeople and technical experts, to craft an overall litigation strategy.” (Global Arbitration Review 2024, Chambers Global, Chambers USA 2024, Chambers UK 2024, The Legal 500 2025, Latin Lawyer 250 2024)

The team combines a “very strong on technical legal issues and understand[s] the business concerns” with the ability to “understand highly sophisticated science,” “excel at damages issues” and “excel at hearings” across a range of arbitral institutions. (Global Arbitration Review 2024, Chambers Global 2024, Chambers UK 2024, Chambers USA 2024, The Legal 500 USA 2024, The Legal 500 Latin America 2025, Latin Lawyer 250 2024.)

Extensive Experience

We have advised clients on matters relating to dozens of jurisdictions around the world. Our lawyers have represented clients in commercial and investment arbitrations under the rules of all major arbitral institutions, as well as regional and national institutions, including the:

International Chamber of Commerce (ICC)
International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID)
American Arbitration Association (AAA)
International Centre for Dispute Resolution (ICDR)
London Court of International Arbitration (LCIA)
Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA)
United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL)
Hong Kong International Arbitration Centre (HKIAC)
Singapore International Arbitration Centre (SIAC)
Belgian Centre for Arbitration and Mediation (CEPANI)
China International Economic and Trade Arbitration Commission (CIETAC)
Judicial Arbitration and Mediation Services, Inc. (JAMS)

We also have advised on a range of mediations under diverse rules, and our lawyers regularly serve as arbitrators in cases administered by major arbitral institutions.

Spanning Sectors

The Paul Hastings team has deep experience in international arbitration across “an eclectic range of industries,” including “the energy, financial services, and pharmaceutical markets,” and “the pharmaceutical, technology, and automotive sectors.” The team boasts the “[ability to handle] the most complex international IP disputes,” “outstanding knowledge and deep insight in the pharmaceutical industry,” knowledge and experience “in large-scale infrastructure disputes [and] arbitrations linked to mega-energy projects,” and “strength in life sciences disputes” and sectors from “natural resources to food and drink, retail, telecoms, and technology.” (Global Arbitration Review 2024, Chambers Global 2024, Chambers UK 2024, Chambers USA 2024, Legal 500 USA 2024, Legal 500 Latin America 2025, Latin Lawyer 250 2024.)

Our experience spans diverse sectors, including:

Aviation
Energy
Financial services
Infrastructure and projects
Insurance
Intellectual property
Life sciences and pharmaceuticals
Manufacturing and industrials
Mining and metals
National security
Oil & gas
Private equity
Real estate
Sovereigns
Technology, media and telecommunications
Transportation

Spanning Regions

Paul Hastings has “global scale” in international arbitration across our global platform in the Americas, EMEA and Asia, including important international arbitration hubs. We have advised on matters relating to dozens of jurisdictions, with hearings in seats of arbitration worldwide, such as London, New York, Paris, Singapore, The Hague and Washington, D.C., as well as Abu Dhabi, Bogota, Dubai, Geneva, Hong Kong, Lima, Madrid, Mexico City, Miami, Shanghai and Stockholm, among many others.

The practice has a strong presence across the U.S. and the Americas, as well as a “premier Latin American International Arbitration practice” with “prowess in Latin America-related matters” and “a firm grip on the Brazilian market.” Further, the firm has a formidable team in the U.K. and Europe and significant experience “handling disputes arising in Africa and South Asia” and India. (Global Arbitration Review 2024, Chambers USA 2024, Chambers UK 2024, The Legal 500 USA 2024, The Legal 500 USA 2025, The Legal 500 Latin America 2025, Latin Lawyer 250 2024.)

Across regions, our lawyers have profound experience on landmark cases, including:

Americas: Over decades, a range of commercial and investment arbitration experience across virtually every jurisdiction in North America and Latin America, from the first case involving Latin America before the World Bank more than 25 years ago, to inaugural cases under investment treaties to path-breaking commercial disputes.
EMEA: A range of commercial and investment arbitration experience across Europe and the broader EMEA region over decades, from the first case at the World Bank to reach the merits under the Energy Charter Treaty to the first mass claim in investment arbitration, and many others.
Asia: A range of commercial and investment arbitration experience across Asia, from investment disputes across Southeast Asia to path-breaking life sciences arbitrations involving claims of billions of dollars.

Interdisciplinary Experience, Enforcement and Litigation

Paul Hastings draws on interdisciplinary experience across interconnected practice areas to deliver results for clients. We have wide-ranging experience across all aspects of enforcement and litigation relating to arbitration, including bringing and defending motions to compel arbitration, obtaining and opposing interim and protective measures, seeking and opposing the recognition of arbitral awards, and bringing and opposing motions involving the taking of evidence in aid of arbitrations and foreign litigation.

Investment Structuring and Risk Management

Paul Hastings assists clients in managing risk for their cross-border investments by structuring investments to maximize protections. We also negotiate, draft, advise and teach courses on the drafting and interpretation of arbitration and forum-selection agreements, ranging from simple two-party deals to complex commercial transactions involving multiple parties and jurisdictions, as well as applicable local law. Additionally, we have developed effective methods and strategies for the prevention and early resolution of complex international commercial disputes, based on actual case studies and experience. In every case, our objective is to achieve the unique goals of each client in a cost-effective manner.