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International Dispute Resolution

Overview

Parker Poe attorneys represent sovereign countries and private businesses in foreign courts and international arbitration tribunals. Our team has handled a broad variety of international disputes, ranging from a $200 million arbitration over a mine in Vietnam to a billion-dollar foreign investment treaty dispute in Southeast Asia. In each case, we work with clients to analyze the multinational legal issues at play and find the appropriate forum to resolve the dispute.

Our team helps clients navigate litigation and arbitration in a variety of jurisdictions around the globe, including before the International Chamber of Commerce's (ICC) International Court of Arbitration. We are experienced in treaty disputes before the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes, import and export disputes involving the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, and government investigations by U.S. and foreign authorities into American citizens and foreign nationals. Our attorneys have also advised clients on letters rogatory and the Hague Service Convention, issues under 28 U.S.C. Sec. 1782, and data privacy compliance in multiple jurisdictions.

Leadership & Memberships

Catharine Arrowood is on the board of directors for TerraLex, one of the world's leading international legal networks, and she co-chairs TerraLex's International Dispute Resolution practice group. In addition, she serves on the International Centre for Dispute Resolution (ICDR) and the American Arbitration Association (AAA)'s Aerospace, Aviation, and National Security Panel of Arbitrators. Catharine has also chaired the International Committee of the American College of Trial Lawyers.

Eric Cottrell is on the board of directors for the Charlotte International Arbitration Society, which promotes the Charlotte area as a resource for international arbitration.

Parker Poe has strong relationships with lawyers and firms in many countries, and our TerraLex membership is a key part of our global reach. TerraLex's network includes more than 155 independent law firms and 17,000 attorneys in 100 countries who provide Parker Poe clients with worldwide access to local legal counsel. As the exclusive TerraLex firm in North Carolina, Parker Poe has represented clients of foreign and domestic law firms on a wide range of issues in acquisitions, arbitrations, litigation, and other transactional work.

Members of our team regularly speak and write on international litigation issues. Together with our TerraLex firm partners, we co-authored a series of papers on the extraterritorial enforcement of U.S. and Canadian judgments and arbitral awards. 

Representative Experience

  • Represented the government of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic (Lao PDR) against alleged $1 billion investment treaty expropriation claim. The government settled the investment claims without payment. Claimant filed a material breach application of the settlement within one month of the settlement. Hearing on the merits of claimant’s application of material breach took place in Singapore in April 2015 and resulted in a complete denial of all of claimant’s allegations and requests for relief. 
  • Represented the Lao PDR in prosecuting claims against investors for breach of settlement agreement, with arbitration in Singapore and hearings in the United Kingdom.
  • Represented the U.S. arm of a German-owned company in a $200 million ICC arbitration adverse to Canadian and Vietnamese companies regarding a contract to purchase minerals from a mine in Vietnam.
  • Advised and appeared before the European Commission's competition department concerning mergers and unilateral action by dominant firms.
  • Handled matters before the European Aviation Safety Agency, including agency administrative procedures.
  • Represented a domestic insurance company in federal litigation regarding the arbitration of reinsurance treaties with foreign reinsurers.
  • Represented a U.S.-based joint venture with multiple foreign investors in a dispute over the withdrawal of a Dutch joint venture partner.
  • Advised and represented a German company in proceedings arising from the separation of an executive team following its acquisition of the worldwide operations of a Swedish company, with one court proceeding and arbitration in the U.S. and two arbitrations in Sweden.
  • Handled U.S. litigation and Belgian arbitration for Belgian manufacturing client.
  • Handled litigation, administrative whistleblower proceedings, and arbitration relating to termination of CEO for U.S.-based joint venture with multiple foreign investors.

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