Aaron McDonald
Aaron specialises in international arbitration and public international law.
Aaron is a senior associate in Herbert Smith Freehills' international arbitration and public international law practice. He is based in Hong Kong but has previously worked in the firm's offices in London and Perth.
Aaron specialises in international commercial arbitration, with a focus on private capital, M&A, joint venture and shareholder disputes. He also has significant experience in the energy, mining and infrastructure sectors.
In addition to commercial arbitrations, Aaron represents clients in investment treaty arbitrations and advises on issues of public international law, particularly those arising in respect of transboundary energy and infrastructure projects.
Aaron has 15 years' experience working in Hong Kong, the UK and Australia and has helped clients in China, South-East Asia, Korea, Australia, the Middle East and Europe. This has involved acting for clients in ad hoc arbitrations and arbitrations administered by the major institutions (HKIAC, SIAC, ICSID, ICC, LCIA and SCC).
Background
Aaron holds a Bachelor of Laws (First Class Honours) and a Bachelor of Commerce in Quantitative Finance (First Class Honours) from the University of Western Australia. He also holds a Master of Laws (First Class) from the University of Cambridge.
He is qualified as a solicitor in Hong Kong, a solicitor-advocate in England & Wales and a barrister and solicitor in Western Australia.
Experience & expertise
Selected matters
- acting for Sinopec in its successful multi-billion dollar SIAC claim in fraud arising from the purchase of oil and gas assets in the UK North Sea
- acting for a leading private equity firm on claims brought by a consortium of private equity firms for breach of warranties arising out of the sale of a life science business
- acting for a large Russian bank in relation to claims brought by an individual concerning property ventures in Moscow and elsewhere
- acting for Hyundai Heavy Industries on its successful settlement in an ICC arbitration arising out of the US$10.3 billion Barzan gas pipeline project in Qatar
- acting for Standard Chartered Bank and a subsidiary in two ICSID arbitrations arising out of the financing of a power station in Tanzania
- advising an international energy company in relation to the law of the sea, international environmental law and other public international law implications and impacts of the construction of a major pipeline in Europe
