Louise is an Of Counsel in Herbert Smith Freehills' International Arbitration, Public International Law and ESG Disputes practice in London.
She specialises in dispute resolution with a focus on international arbitration in the energy and natural resources and pharmaceutical sectors. She has represented clients in disputes from a range of sectors and jurisdictions in international arbitration proceedings, including under the LCIA, SIAC, PCA, ICC, WIPO, UNCITRAL, HKIAC and ICSID rules and in ad hoc proceedings. She has considerable experience with commodity price review disputes, disputes arising under long-term commodity sale and purchase agreements and joint venture disputes. She also has a specialism in arbitrations involving intellectual property issues, including in the pharmaceutical sector.
Louise has extensive experience with matters of public international law, having represented and advised clients in a range of bilateral and multilateral investment treaty arbitration matters, along with advising on maritime boundary disputes, law of the sea issues, the application of international treaties and conventions, advisory opinions from international courts and tribunals, and international human rights law issues.
Louise is a specialist in ESG disputes and risk management, along with business and human rights issues arising within supply chains and contractual relationships. She has published extensively on the risks arising from climate change within commercial relationships, as well as under international law.
In 2023, Louise was named as a Rising Star by Legal 500 in International Arbitration in London. She is the co-founder of the Young Practitioners' Subcommittee of the Equal Representation in Arbitration (ERA) Pledge and is a member of the LCIA's Equality, Diversity & Inclusion Working Group, along with a range of other diversity-focused initiatives. She also works on a range of pro bono matters within the firm.
In 2024, Louise was ranked as a Leading Associate in Legal 500 - International Arbitration and as a Key Lawyer in Legal 500 - Public International Law as part of HSF's Tier 1 practice in both fields, with client testimonials including that "Louise Barber in particular is one to watch - her talent for written and oral advocacy is undeniable, and her intellect and strategic acumen are remarkable. She truly stands out among her peers."
Background
Louise holds a BA (Honours) in Government & International Relations and French from the University of Sydney as well as an LLB from the University of Sydney with First Class Honours, during which she studied at the East China University of Politics and Law in Shanghai and the Faculty of Law, Economics and Governance of Utrecht University, the Netherlands.
Experience & expertise
Selected matters
- acting for the Republic of Azerbaijan in ICSID proceedings under the Energy Charter Treaty
- representing a global energy company on a complex and high value Asian LNG price review arbitration
- representing a major pharmaceutical company on a complex and high value arbitration under a licensing and collaboration agreement
- acting for Vedanta Resources on a claim under the UK-India Bilateral Investment Treaty arising from the imposition of retrospective tax by the Indian tax authorities
- acting for a global energy company on a potential investment arbitration claim involving complex jurisdictional issues arising under a Production Sharing Agreement in relation to a major oil and gas concession in Iraq
- advising a variety of multinational commodities and resources companies on complex investment protection and structuring issues in Latin America and Africa
Sectors
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