Profile details
About Elliot Friedman
Elliot is based in New York and is the head of our international arbitration practice in the Americas. He advises companies in commercial and investment treaty disputes around the world.
He has particular expertise in the pharma, energy, construction and technology sectors and has handled arbitration proceedings before almost every major arbitral institution.
Elliot also represents companies in transnational litigation in US courts, including the enforcement of arbitral awards. He was part of the team that successfully represented BG Group in the first ever case concerning a bilateral investment treaty to be considered by the US Supreme Court.
Elliot has been recognized by The New York Law Journal, Law360 and Expert Guides. He has been ranked by Chambers Global and Chambers USA since 2017 and is recognized as one of Who’s Who Legal’s leading arbitration lawyers and by Legal 500 USA as a “Leading Lawyer” nationwide. In 2023, he was named MVP for International Arbitration by Law360, having previously also received the award in 2018.
Recent work
- Representing ConocoPhillips in its $8 billion arbitration victory against Venezuela arising from the expropriation of oil assets.
- Representing Occidental Petroleum in an UNCITRAL arbitration against Venezuela following Venezuela’s improper interference with OXY’s hydrocarbons investments, obtaining an award for OXY in excess of US$100 million (and costs).
- Representing a leading US pharmaceutical company in its international disputes, including in a Singapore-seated ICC arbitration and a London-seated LCIA arbitration, arising out of various licensing, supply and manufacturing disputes.
- Representing a major multinational in a post-M&A ICC arbitration arising out of a breach of financial reps and warranties.
- Representing US and European supermajor oil companies in various disputes against African states and their state-owned entities.
- Representing Chevron, Equinor, BG Group, National Grid, Phillips 66, ExxonMobil, Tenaris, Anglian Water Group, McDonald’s Corporation and Genentech in arbitration-related litigation before US courts.
Qualifications
Education
- LLM, Harvard Law School (2005)
- LLB, University of Melbourne, Australia (2002)
Professional
- Admitted to practice before the US Supreme Court (2013)
- Attorney-at-law, New York (2006)
- Barrister and solicitor, Supreme Court of Victoria, Australia (2004)