Richard Allen

Richard’s practice covers a broad spectrum of advisory and contentious work with an international angle, including commercial arbitration, international investment arbitration, commercial litigation and both public and private international law.

Richard advises clients across a wide range of industries, including oil and gas, construction, mining, financial services and consumer goods, on their legal rights under international investment agreements, following various European, Asian, Middle-Eastern and South American government actions impacting their foreign direct investments.

During his time in the London office, Richard was responsible for the Firm's pro bono relationship with the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) and was involved in several high-profile cases before the UK Supreme Court.

• Advising several Korean, Taiwanese and Japanese energy providers on the negotiation, amendment and enforcement of their long-term LNG supply contracts, including providing advice on the interpretation and renegotiation of price review clauses.
• Advising and representing clients in several commercial arbitration and adjudication proceedings related to the construction and operation of geothermal, waste-to-energy and coal power plants, including disputes with suppliers, contractors and sub-contractors regarding delays, cost overruns, force majeure events and allocation of responsibilities.
• Advising clients in a variety of industry sectors, including oil and gas, construction, mining, financial services and consumer goods, on their legal rights under international investment agreements, following various European, Asian, Middle-Eastern and South American government actions impacting their foreign direct investments.
• Advising and representing a broad range of clients in commercial litigation and arbitration proceedings related to disputes concerning the supply of goods, including coal, hot-rolled steel, direct reduced iron, copper blisters, steel billets, methanol, aircraft and IT components.
• Advising and representing clients across a variety of sectors, including oil and gas, power, automotive and financial services in relation to a broad range of post-M&A disputes such as the enforcement of share purchase agreements and rights of first refusal, termination of joint venture agreements and pursuit of warranty claims.
• Advising various clients in the oil and gas, media, technology and construction sectors on conflict of laws and public international law issues arising from their cross-border and off-shore business activities.
• Advising various clients in the financial services, oil and gas, mining and construction sectors on sovereign immunity issues arising from their contracts with local and national governments, state-owned enterprises, international organizations and multilateral financial institutions.
• Advising several airlines, aviation service providers, airport operators, and aircraft manufacturers on various commercial, regulatory and consumer rights issues, including representing clients in administrative law challenges against government decisions, class action law suits and commercial arbitration proceedings against suppliers, customers and other contractual counterparties.
• Advising clients in the financial services, pharmaceuticals, consumer goods and energy sectors in connection with internal investigations and compliance policies related to anti-bribery and corruption, market manipulation, tax and antitrust issues.
• Advising and representing the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees in several amicus curiae interventions before the UK Upper Tribunal (Immigration and Asylum Chamber), English Court of Appeal, UK Supreme Court, Court of Justice of the European Union and European Court of Human Rights.