Marco de Sousa
Marco is a Partner specialising in international arbitration and public international law.
Marco 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.
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.
Accolades
Recognised by Chambers & Partners (UK-wide) as an "associate to watch" in commercial arbitration in 2024. Client feedback notes that "Marco is technical and has good judgement. He is also very dedicated to his work" and "He has fantastic legal and practical skills."
Marco is listed as a "key lawyer" in international arbitration and public international law in Legal 500 UK (2023).
Background
Marco graduated from UCL with a First Class degree in Law, and from Cambridge University with an LLM in public international law (also first class). He is qualified as a solicitor in England & Wales, with higher rights of audience in the civil courts. He worked in the firm’s offices in Hong Kong, Dubai and London before joining the New York office.
Marco is admitted in England & Wales, but not admitted in New York bar.
Experience & expertise
Selected matters
- a US energy major in arbitration proceedings under the UNCITRAL Arbitration Rules relating to a post M&A dispute concerning an offshore oil field in the North Sea
- a leading Chinese oil and gas company in a successful multi-billion dollar commercial fraud claim administered by the Singapore International Arbitration Centre (SIAC) and related set-aside proceedings in the Singapore International Commercial Court
- Malaysian telecoms giant Axiata on its ICSID claim against Nepal over the state's taxation of Axiata's acquisition of the country's largest mobile telecommunications provider
- a Central Asian government and its national oil company in ICSID arbitration proceedings in connection with the investors' withdrawal from a major oil field and related contractual issues
- Vedanta Resources on a claim under the UK-India Bilateral Investment Treaty arising from the imposition of retrospective tax by the Indian tax authorities
- an upstream oil and gas company in LMAA arbitration proceedings in connection with claims for breach of contract and misrepresentation in respect of unpaid day hire for an FPSO
- a Hong Kong company and one of its major shareholders in ICC arbitration proceedings in Singapore arising from an alleged breach of representations and warranties
- a South-East Asian client in its successful claim against a solar power joint venture partner in ICC arbitration in Hong Kong
Sectors
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