Katia Finkel | People | Baker McKenzie

Biography

Katia is a senior associate in the Baker McKenzie Dispute Resolution team based in London and serves as co-lead on the firm's committee for investment treaty arbitration. She advises clients on global dispute resolution strategy and settlement negotiation and acts on their behalf in commercial and investment disputes under ICSID, ICC, LCIA and UNCITRAL Arbitration Rules.

Katia completed a nine-month secondment in Shell’s EMENA Litigation Group, working on a number of high-stake disputes. She taught international commercial and investment arbitration at King’s College London for several years. Katia writes and speaks regularly on international arbitration and issues affecting sovereigns, and recently co-authored a study on Corporate Restructuring and Investment Treaty Arbitration with BIICL.

The current edition of Legal 500 has singled Katia out as a "Rising Star", and she is the "Associate to Watch" in Chambers & Partners. Previous editions have praised Katia for her "availability, client service and commercial approach".

Practice Focus

Katia acts as counsel for and against governments in investor-state disputes, with a particular focus in the energy, mining and construction sector. Her practice focuses mainly on international commercial and investment arbitration. She acts on behalf of governments and private parties in energy, large construction projects and post M&A disputes, where she has extensive experience. Her practice mainly involves multijurisdictional issues and she regularly advises clients on investment structuring and restructuring.

Representative Legal Matters

Acting in ICSID proceedings for the State of Kuwait for the State of Kuwait in an ICSID arbitration involving a large infrastructure project, the "Champs-Elysees of Kuwait" (claims of USD 140 million).
Acting in ICSID proceedings and ICC proceedings arising out of measures akin to expropriation relating to a coal power plant in West Africa; following an arbitration arising out of a shareholders dispute regarding a the same power plant in an LCIA arbitration seated in London.
Acting for IOC in USD 4.1 billion dispute with government under UNCITRAL Arbitration Rules in Stockholm relating to production sharing agreement, incl. allocation of profit and cost oil.
Acting for Bob Meijer in ICSID proceedings and Anaklia Development Consortium in ICC proceedings against Georgia relating to the expropriation of the Anaklia Port for a claim in excess of USD 1 billion.
Acting for a Saudi Arabia-based insurance conglomerate in an LCIA arbitration seated in London relating to transfer of shares in entity listed on the Saudi Arabian stock exchange.
Acting for the owner and developer of a large-scale warehousing and logistics park in the Moscow region in the enforcement of a parent-company guarantee against a Dutch company in relation to the non-payment of rent by a Russian commercial tenant in LCIA proceedings.
Acting for IOC in the dispute resolution and negotiation strategy with respect to construction of one of largest LNG projects in the world providing for LCIA arbitration seated in London.
Acting for a major Saudi Arabia based company in an LCIA-administered UNCITRAL Rules arbitration concerning the construction of a smelting plant and assisting the settlement of the dispute.

Professional Associations and Memberships

Co-founder of the Young Energy Arbitration Club
Member of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators
Member of the London Court of International Arbitration
Member of the International Chamber of Commerce
Member of the Investment Protection Forum of BIICL

Admissions

England & Wales~United Kingdom (2013)

Education

King's College London (LL.M.) (2008)
Université Paris I Panthéon Sorbonne (Master of Laws) (2007)
Université Paris I Panthéon Sorbonne (Bachelor of Laws) (2005)

Languages

English
French
German
Russian