Investor-State and Commercial Arbitration Counsel

I build cross-border arbitration teams for disputes that do not fit within one jurisdiction, one legal system, or one firm.

Who I am

I am an independent international arbitration counsel, admitted to the Washington, D.C. and New York bars, and based in Washington, D.C.

Over the past fifteen years, I have worked on seventeen investor-State arbitrations under the ICSID Convention, the UNCITRAL Arbitration Rules, and other institutional frameworks, as well as international commercial arbitrations under the ICC, LCIA, and SCC rules.

My practice is focused on investor-State dispute settlement (ISDS) and international commercial arbitration, with particular depth in:

  • ICSID Arbitration Rules — I am co-author of an authoritative commentary on the 2022 ICSID Arbitration Rules, with a second edition forthcoming.
  • The bilateral and multilateral investment treaty network of the CIS, Central Asia, the Balkans, and the Baltic states.

I have acted in disputes arising under bilateral investment treaties including, for example, the Canada–USSR, Netherlands–Uzbekistan, Turkey–Uzbekistan, USA–Moldova, and Latvia–Ukraine bilateral investment treaties, as well as under the Energy Charter Treaty and other investment instruments.

My cases have spanned the energy, mining, technology, infrastructure, food and hospitality, and telecommunications sectors, typically in the range of USD 10–500 million in dispute.

I am also a Member of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (MCIArb).

Why I Opened My Practice

"My services do not price at a discount — they price at efficiency."
I opened my independent practice in 2017, after almost a decade in large international law firms and international organizations, advising on public international law and representing sovereign states, investors, and corporate entities in treaty and commercial arbitrations across multiple jurisdictions and arbitral fora.

International arbitration has long been structured around large-firm economics: high hourly rates, deep teams, and overhead that clients absorb whether or not it serves their case. That model works for some disputes. But it also prices out a significant share of clients with legitimate treaty or complex cross-border claims and no realistic path to pursue them.

I left to build something different.

My services do not price at a discount — they price at efficiency.

More than fifteen years of hands-on arbitration work mean:
  • No learning curve on your file.
  • No ramp-up costs for basic doctrine or procedure.
  • No reinvention of procedural strategy with every new case.

I build on established frameworks and I build with technology — proprietary tools developed through One Joule LLC, my legal technology lab, that reduce the document-intensive, repetitive work that drives costs in complex arbitration.

In practical terms, this means you pay for:
  • Senior judgment,
  • Applied efficiently,
  • Through right-sized cross-border teams,
  • Supported by bespoke legal technology.
That model has opened doors for clients who would otherwise never have accessed investor-State arbitration or complex cross-border commercial arbitration. That is the point.

International arbitration has long been structured around large-firm economics — high hourly rates, deep teams, and overhead that clients absorb whether or not it serves their case. That model works for some disputes. But it prices out a significant share of clients who have legitimate treaty or complex cross-border disputes and no realistic path to resolve them. I opened my independent practice — and founded , my legal technology lab — to change that equation.

My services do not price at a discount — they price at efficiency. Over fifteen years of hands-on dispute resolution experience mean no learning curve on your file, no ramp-up costs, and no reinventing procedural strategy from scratch. I build on established frameworks, and I build with technology — proprietary tools developed through One Joule LLC that reduce the document-intensive, repetitive work that drives costs in complex arbitration. You pay for senior judgment applied efficiently. Nothing else.

That model has opened doors for clients who would otherwise never have accessed investor-State arbitration and complex cross-border commercial arbitration. That is the point.

Regional Focus - Eurasia/ CIS & Emerging Markets

My practice is concentrated on Eurasia and emerging markets — in particular:

  • The CIS bilateral investment treaty network,
  • Central Asian energy and extractive disputes,
  • The Balkans and Baltic states.
I have handled investor-State disputes involving Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Latvia, Moldova, and other jurisdictions across the region.

Regional depth means more than knowing which treaties apply. It means understanding the investment climate, commercial culture, and procedural realities of disputes in these markets.
I work in English, Russian and Ukrainian natively, handling source documents, witness preparation, and procedural correspondence in those languages directly, without translation intermediaries. I also speak French.

For investors and companies entering these markets — and for local counsel already active in them — I bring a combination of:
  • International arbitration depth, and
  • Genuine regional understanding,
to help assess claims early, structure efficient case teams, and navigate disputes that cross multiple legal and political systems.

Credentials

  • Education
    Georgetown University Law Center (LL.M., 2010) · Kyiv International University (LL.B. in International Law, 2007)
  • Bar Admissions
    Washington, D.C. Bar (Member, 2025–present, Special Legal Consultant, 2014–2025) · New York State Bar (Member, 2011–present)
  • Languages
    English (fluent) · Russian (native) · Ukrainian (fluent) · French (intermediate)
  • Memberships
    Member, Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (MCIArb) · Editorial Board, Jus Mundi International Law and Arbitration Wiki
  • Arbitral Institutions
    ICSID · UNCITRAL · ICC · LCIA · SCC
  • Treaties
    Bilateral investment treaties (CIS/Eurasia network) · Energy Charter Treaty · Free trade agreements with investment chapters · The Treaty on the Eurasian Economic Union
Professional Background
2017–present
2017–present
Independent Investor-State and Commercial Arbitration Counsel
(Washington, D.C.)
I act as independent counsel and strategy lead in investor-State and international commercial arbitrations, working with clients, co-counsel, and expert teams across multiple jurisdictions and arbitral institutions.
2019–present
2019–present
Founder, One Joule LLC
(New York)
Through One Joule LLC and other tech platforms, I design and build legal technology tools that support complex arbitration work — from document-intensive analysis to procedural strategy — with the aim of making high-level dispute resolution more efficient, transparent, and accessible.
2012–2017
2012–2017
Associate, Global Disputes, Jones Day
(Washington, D.C. & Paris)
Represented states, investors, and corporate entities in investment treaty and commercial arbitration proceedings, as well as in related litigation matters.
2011–2012
2011–2012
Specialist, International Trade & Investment, Crowell & Moring LLP
(Washington, D.C.)
Advised on international trade and investment matters, including treaty-based protections and dispute resolution.
2010–2011
2010–2011
Independent Consultant, international investment, trade, and health law
(Washington, D.C.)
Consulted on public international law issues at the intersection of investment, trade, and health.
2009
2009
Associate Human Rights Officer, Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights
(Geneva)
Worked on human rights issues within the UN system, building an early foundation in public international law that informs my current arbitration practice.

Selected Publications & Engagements

I regularly publish and speak on technology and access to justice in international arbitration, as well as on procedural and substantive issues in investor-State dispute settlement.
For a complete list of publications and speaking engagements, you may contact me directly.

Ready to discuss your dispute?

Whether you are an investor evaluating a potential treaty claim, a co-counsel firm looking for ISDS depth, or a company facing cross-border arbitration — my first consultation is a no-obligation confidential conversation about your situation and your options.

I respond within 24 hours.

Consultations available in English, Russian, and Ukrainian.
For more information or to book your consultation, please fill out the form below:
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