Herbert Smith Freehills promotes three arbitration specialists to its global partnership

Herbert Smith Freehills has promoted ten Disputes lawyers to its partnership out of a total of 27 worldwide. The promotions in the Disputes practice, which take effect on 1 May 2024, span across the firm’s international network.

Of these new partners, three are arbitration specialists, reflecting the strength and importance of the practice area to the firm.

The new arbitration partners are:

Murphy Mok, Hong Kong

An international arbitration lawyer, Murphy advises Chinese and international clients on cross-border disputes, particularly those related to construction, infrastructure, energy and share purchase and shareholder disputes. He also advises on project execution, dispute avoidance, contract drafting and the negotiation of major global infrastructure projects. Murphy graduated with a bachelor's degree in law and commerce from the University of New South Wales and a master's degree in business law from the University of Sydney. He is qualified in England & Wales and Australia (New South Wales), and is fluent in English, Mandarin and Cantonese.

Emily Fox, Paris

Emily is an international arbitration lawyer with over 15 years' experience advising clients on complex international disputes. She is based in Paris and is qualified as both a French Avocat and a Solicitor of England & Wales.

Emily has significant experience of international commercial arbitration and has advised and represented clients in ad hoc commercial arbitrations and proceedings under the auspices of major arbitral institutions, as well as in arbitration-related court proceedings. She also delivers strategic dispute resolution and crisis management advice.

She has broad sector experience, with a specific focus on energy, construction and aviation disputes, and has advised clients in a broad range of jurisdictions, and has particular expertise in Francophone and Anglophone Africa.

Emily also sits as an arbitrator and is a regular speaker at arbitration conferences.

Marco de Sousa, New York

Marco is a specialist in international arbitration and public international law. He acts as counsel and advocate in commercial and investment treaty arbitrations, with a particular focus on disputes in the Energy and TMT sectors. He has acted in disputes in Europe, the Middle East, Asia and Africa. He worked in the firm’s offices in Hong Kong, Dubai and London before joining the New York office.

Marco has acted in commercial arbitrations under most major institutional rules and ad hoc arbitrations under the UNCITRAL rules. He advises both investors and states in investment treaty claims, and on issues of Public International Law and Business and Human Rights. He also has considerable experience in arbitration-related court proceedings in England & Wales, Singapore and Hong Kong.

Paula Hodges KC comments: "I would like to congratulate each of our new arbitration partners on their fantastic achievements to date and wish them all the very best for the future. These promotions in Paris, New York and Hong Kong underline the global strength of our arbitration practice, enabling us to service our clients wherever they need us."

For more information, please contact Murphy Mok, Emily Fox, Marco de Sousa, or your usual Herbert Smith Freehills contact.