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John Laird

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Areas of Focus

Overview

John Laird is a solicitor-advocate and counsel in Crowell & Moring's London office, where he is a member of the International Dispute Resolution and Antitrust Recovery groups. John represents clients in both commercial and investment arbitration. In addition, his practice involves a wide variety of commercial litigation in the English High Court, including the pursuit and defence of competition claims. John has worked from both the Washington, D.C. and London offices of Crowell & Moring, initially as a paralegal and later training for admission as a solicitor. He was the winner of the 2011 ICSID Review Student Writing Competition and an Alumni Fund scholar during his recent master’s degree studies at the American University Washington College of Law.

Career & Education

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    • Somerville College, University of Oxford, B.A., philosophy, politics, economics, 2005
    • BPP University of Professional Studies, Graduate Diploma in Law, 2011
    • BPP University of Professional Studies, LPC, 2012
    • American University Washington College of Law, LL.M., international legal studies, 2021
    • Somerville College, University of Oxford, B.A., philosophy, politics, economics, 2005
    • BPP University of Professional Studies, Graduate Diploma in Law, 2011
    • BPP University of Professional Studies, LPC, 2012
    • American University Washington College of Law, LL.M., international legal studies, 2021

    • England and Wales, Higher Rights of Audience
    • England and Wales, Higher Rights of Audience

  • Professional Memberships

    • LCIA Young International Arbitration Group
    • Young ICCA
    • Fellow, Chartered Institute of Arbitrators

    Professional Memberships

    • LCIA Young International Arbitration Group
    • Young ICCA
    • Fellow, Chartered Institute of Arbitrators

John's Insights

Client Alert | 7 min read | 10.09.24

Getting Bond(s) Out of Russia: UK Supreme Court Dismisses Appeal and Upholds Anti-suit Injunction

On 18 September 2024, the UK Supreme Court handed down its judgment in UniCredit Bank GmbH v RusChemAlliance LLC [2024] UKSC 30.  The judgment considers several significant issues relevant to international arbitration.  Primarily, though, it reaffirms: (i) the English court’s strong support for arbitration, in general; (ii) the steps it is prepared to take to hold parties to their agreement to arbitrate; and (iii) the current position for determining the governing law of an arbitration agreement, in the absence of an express election by the parties....

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Representative Matters

Examples of representative commercial arbitration and related experience include:

  • Representing the U.K. subsidiary of a Swiss conglomerate against a U.S. company in LCIA arbitration regarding breach of a pharmaceuticals licensing agreement.
  • Representing an Egyptian consortium and Kuwaiti supply chain management company in an ICC arbitration brought by a South Korean supplier regarding a port construction subcontract.
  • Representing a European company in CIArb arbitration against a South Asian government for breach of contract; defence of related English High Court award challenge proceedings; successful English High Court award enforcement and execution proceedings and related advice on sovereign immunity.
  • Representing a South African mineral and mining company in an LCIA arbitration, securing damages of $190 million.
  • Advising an American hospitality company in ICC and ICDR arbitrations regarding management disputes at European and Middle Eastern hotels.

Examples of representative investment arbitration and related experience include:

  • Representing a Kuwaiti supply chain management company in ICSID arbitration against a Middle Eastern State claiming breaches of a bilateral investment treaty regarding a port construction project.
  • Representing a Russian national in UNCITRAL arbitration against a Middle Eastern State claiming breaches of a bilateral investment treaty regarding criminal investigations and trial procedures.
  • Advising a claimant in relation to an application for annulment of an ICSID award.
  • Advising a client regarding the recognition and enforcement in the English courts of a foreign arbitration award made under the Energy Charter Treaty and UNCITRAL Rules.
  • Advising an international hotel developer as claimant in a $600 million dispute in ICSID arbitration.
  • Advising a European construction and development consortium as claimant in ICSID arbitration.

Examples of representative English commercial and competition litigation experience include:

  • Defence of co-defendant Israeli insurer in English High Court personal injury action under English and foreign law.
  • Representing a party to Part 20 proceedings regarding a follow-on claim in the English High Court for losses arising from anti-competitive behavior in the air cargo industry.
  • Representing an AIM-listed transportation company in the English High Court in relation to the repudiation of an operating contract.
  • Advising a British public company regarding a cartel follow-on claim in the English High Court.
  • Advising a group of companies in a cartel follow-on claim in the English High Court seeking £20 million damages for illegal price fixing across Europe.
  • Advising on the recognition and enforcement of a series of New Jersey Court judgments in England and Wales.

John's Insights

Client Alert | 7 min read | 10.09.24

Getting Bond(s) Out of Russia: UK Supreme Court Dismisses Appeal and Upholds Anti-suit Injunction

On 18 September 2024, the UK Supreme Court handed down its judgment in UniCredit Bank GmbH v RusChemAlliance LLC [2024] UKSC 30.  The judgment considers several significant issues relevant to international arbitration.  Primarily, though, it reaffirms: (i) the English court’s strong support for arbitration, in general; (ii) the steps it is prepared to take to hold parties to their agreement to arbitrate; and (iii) the current position for determining the governing law of an arbitration agreement, in the absence of an express election by the parties....

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Insights

Client Alert | 7 min read | 10.09.24

Getting Bond(s) Out of Russia: UK Supreme Court Dismisses Appeal and Upholds Anti-suit Injunction

Client Alert | 3 min read | 03.28.24

UK Government Seeks to Loosen Third Party Litigation Funding Regulation

Publication | 01.30.24

Trends, Reform And Advantages In English Arbitration For Commercial Dispute Resolution

Client Alert | 8 min read | 11.28.23

Update on English Litigation Funding Agreements Since PACCAR
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Practices

John's Insights

Client Alert | 7 min read | 10.09.24

Getting Bond(s) Out of Russia: UK Supreme Court Dismisses Appeal and Upholds Anti-suit Injunction

On 18 September 2024, the UK Supreme Court handed down its judgment in UniCredit Bank GmbH v RusChemAlliance LLC [2024] UKSC 30.  The judgment considers several significant issues relevant to international arbitration.  Primarily, though, it reaffirms: (i) the English court’s strong support for arbitration, in general; (ii) the steps it is prepared to take to hold parties to their agreement to arbitrate; and (iii) the current position for determining the governing law of an arbitration agreement, in the absence of an express election by the parties....

View All Insights