Sullivan & Cromwell LLP

Sullivan & Cromwell's international arbitration practice is recognized as one of the leading international dispute resolution practices worldwide. S&C's international arbitration practice has been cited by Chambers Global in its annual listing of The World's Leading Lawyers for seven consecutive years and in the Chambers USA listing since the inception of that publication in 2003. The PLC Which Lawyer? Yearbook and Global Counsel Dispute Resolution Handbook have likewise recommended S&C as a leading arbitration/dispute resolution firm in every edition since 2001 and the Firm's arbitration practice is also cited in Legalease's The Legal 500: United States. In its 2006 edition, Chambers Global praised S&C as "an 'absolutely first-class practice,' [which] has the expertise 'to make a critical difference to the outcome of a case.'"

The Firm has handled international disputes for more than a century and has unparalleled expertise and experience in this area. In particular, S&C offers expertise in international commercial arbitration, which has become a part of many, if not most, major international disputes.

S&C's arbitration lawyers analyze issues and draft mediation and arbitration clauses in international joint venture and other financial and commercial agreements. They advise on business decisions and plans that pose arbitration and litigation risks. They develop strategies to resolve complex international disputes, such as those involving multiple claims, multiple parties, multiple jurisdictions and parallel or closely related arbitral and judicial proceedings, and they represent clients in arbitration, mediation and other alternative dispute resolution proceedings.

Selected Clients

S&C's recent arbitration experience extends to all regions of the world and encompasses a wide range of industries and issues. Clients for whom S&C has handled arbitration or dispute resolution matters reflect the international breadth of its client list and include, among many others: Bancolombia S.A., Centerra Gold Inc., Consorcio Transmantaro, Exxon, Goldman Sachs, Grupo IMSA, Grupo Techint, IMS Health Incorporated, Microsoft, Minera Alumbrera Limited, Occidental Petroleum Corporation, Pharmacia, Philips, SCOR, Softbank, Statoil S.A., Telefónica S.A. and TeliaSonera AB.

Recent Arbitration Highlights

Recent arbitration representations include, among others:

• S&C achieved a significant victory on behalf of Swedish client TeliaSonera, in which a Tribunal of the International Chamber of Commerce in Geneva held that TeliaSonera was entitled to specific performance - rarely awarded relief - of a US$ 3.1 billion contract to purchase control of Turkey's leading mobile phone services provider, Turkcell.
• In an example of successful coordination of international litigation and arbitration, S&C represents Bancolombia, the largest commercial bank in Colombia, in a long-running dispute arising out of the merger in 1997 with Banco de Colombia. The plaintiffs sought to pursue securities litigation in New York, citing the fact that Bancolombia's ADRs trade on the New York Stock Exchange. S&C successfully moved to compel arbitration of the claims in Colombia. After the Colombian arbitral tribunal issued its award, plaintiffs sought unsuccessfully to continue their claims in New York; the matter is now on appeal.
• Counsel in a dispute among U.S. and Canadian energy futures trading companies resulting in an award in favor of our client.
• Counsel in a dispute among U.S./European electronic information providers over allocation of shared tax liabilities.
• As part of its employment arbitration practice, headed by partners Ted Rogers and Rick Fessel, successfully defending a prominent financial firm in a series of NASD arbitrations in connection with claims by former employees concerning a stock award plan and compensation.

Practice Contacts

James H. Carter
New York
P +1-212-558-4000
F +1-212-558-3588
[email protected]

Joseph E. Neuhaus
New York
P +1-212-558-4240
F +1-212-558-3588
[email protected]

Sullivan & Cromwell is committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive work environment. We believe that diversity is vital to the Firm’s ability to provide our clients with the highest level of service. Accordingly, the Firm’s culture and policies value the unique abilities and perspectives of every individual and support diversity in its broadest sense, including race, gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, disability and religious affiliation. 

The Firm’s Diversity Committee, which is charged with assisting in the development of a diverse and inclusive workforce, is comprised of lawyers who hold positions of leadership and influence within the Firm. A member of the Firm’s Management Committee co-chairs the Diversity Committee. Other members of the Diversity Committee include the Firm’s senior chairman, practice group managing partners, hiring partners, assigning partners, chairs of the Firm’s associate affinity networks, and chairs of the Women’s Initiative Committee. The Firm also has a Diversity Management Department (“DMD”), which is charged with developing, implementing and coordinating the Firm’s diversity and inclusion initiatives, events and programs. Realizing the importance of an integrated approach, the DMD works closely with our Recruiting, Professional Development and Legal Personnel Departments to monitor the effectiveness of our extensive diversity initiatives and programs to further the Firm’s mission.

This ongoing commitment has led to great results, including the increased diversity of our partnership. As of January 1, 2013, the Firm had elected thirty-nine partners worldwide in the prior six years; of these thirty-nine partners, thirteen are women, eleven are minorities, and one is openly gay.

In its most recent rankings, Vault listed S&C as among the “20 Best Law Firms for LGBT Diversity.” In addition, MultiCultural Law magazine has named S&C to its annual lists of the “Top 100 Law Firms for Women” and “Top 100 Law Firms for Diversity” for several years, including most recently in 2012. Click here for Diversity Recognitions.

In addition, our lawyers have diverse backgrounds; they speak over 30 languages fluently and they come from approximately 40 different countries and 150 different law schools.