Suzanne has joined Allen & Overy as a partner in the International Arbitration group. She is a leading public international law (PIL) and investment treaty specialist, and is recognised as one of a small number of practitioners who are truly experts in the field of business and human rights (BHR) law. Suzanne joins us from specialist public international law firm Volterra Fietta, where she was a partner and head of the firm’s BHR practice. She is a US-qualified lawyer and an Associate Professor of Law at Notre Dame University, where she teaches international arbitration and BHR law.
Before going into private practice, Suzanne held positions with leading human rights and international affairs organisations, including the United Nations, the Inter-American Institute of Human Rights and the Council on Foreign Relations. She began her career as a private practitioner with Debevoise & Plimpton in New York before moving to London, then joining Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr, where she became counsel. She has graduate degrees in both law and international relations from Colombia University, received an undergraduate degree in international relations from Tufts University and was a Fulbright Scholar in Spain.
It is a strategic priority for Allen & Overy to invest in and grow its top-tier global arbitration and litigation practices. The addition of Suzanne to the team builds further capacity in the market-leading PIL practice, in particular for investment treaty arbitrations, while also expanding capabilities in the BHR field. BHR issues, covering matters such as human rights due diligence and grievance mechanisms, dispute resolution with local communities, relationships with host governments and security forces, and transnational litigation involving BHR issues, are of ever-increasing importance to clients, particularly those operating in emerging jurisdictions.
Of becoming a partner at Allen & Overy, Suzanne says: “I am thrilled to join the partnership at Allen & Overy. It is a truly global law firm, whose top tier international arbitration practice and unique culture I have long admired. I decided to join the firm as it pursues the cutting-edge opportunities that today’s disruptive forces are generating, including the ever-growing markets for cross-border dispute resolution and advisory services with respect to business and human rights. Both my clients and I will benefit from the thoughtful, ambitious, inventive and open environment at Allen & Overy.”
Commenting on Suzanne’s appointment, Mark Levy, Global Co-Head of Allen & Overy’s International Arbitration practice, said: “Suzanne is an outstanding practitioner, held in very high regard in the market and is an ideal fit for the team at A&O. I’m really excited about the opportunities for growth and development that she brings us. Combining two very specialist areas of practice, in investment treaty arbitration and BHR, Suzanne will significantly enhance our offering to clients. We are delighted to welcome her to the team. In her investment treaty practice, Suzanne has represented governments, as well as corporates, with a particular focus on energy and natural resources, which dovetails perfectly with our existing practice. Suzanne also has particular expertise in Latin America and Africa – priority areas for us and an ideal complement to our new South African litigation team.”
Andrew Denny, chair of Allen & Overy’s Human Rights Working Group and head of the UK Public Law Group, added: “BHR is an exciting area of practice, which involves advising clients on their compliance with human rights standards. It is a complex and highly-specialised area of law, which is of ever-increasing importance to our clients. With only a small number of experts in this field worldwide, the addition of Suzanne to our team puts us in a position to provide our clients with a unique level of service, covering human rights compliance, as well our existing strength in anti-bribery and corruption, crisis management and sanctions advice. I am delighted that Suzanne has joined us and look forward to working with her.”
There are more than 100 lawyers and 25 partners in Allen & Overy’s International Arbitration practice.
Source: www.allenovery.com
