Peter R. Griffin

Lawyers

Partner
Paris / New York

pgriffin@gbsdisputes.com
+33 6 8414 0552

Peter has over 30 years’ experience in the area of international arbitration and litigation, having practiced in London, Paris and New York. Peter is a former partner in the law firms of Shearman & Sterling LLP and Baker Botts LLP.

Peter is dual qualified, with a background in both common law and civil law. He is admitted to practice in New York and was a member of the Paris Bar from 1995 to 2007.

He has handled cases for clients in multiple sectors, most notably oil & gas, the extractive industries, construction, life sciences, semiconductors, technology, financial services, and telecommunications. Peter’s experience covers a broad spectrum of international commercial disputes, under the auspices of most of the major arbitral institutions, as well as investment treaty disputes, where he has successfully represented both investors and sovereigns.

Peter has extensive experience in the enforcement and collection of international judgments and arbitral awards, with a particular focus on sovereign claims. He has successfully enforced claims against sovereigns in the Americas, Europe, Africa and the Middle East, recovering hundreds of millions of dollars for his clients. He has separately advised claimants and investors on numerous high profile monetization transactions and is considered a pioneer of the award monetization market.

Peter has also acted as a senior strategic advisor to clients in the oil & gas and telecommunications sector in connection with certain important financings and acquisitions.

Peter is fluent in English (mother tongue) and French.

Contentious matters

Representing a Turkish conglomerate in an ICC arbitration against Libya.
Representing several Middle Eastern Government officials and State-owned entities in a multi-billion-dollar litigation in various jurisdictions arising out of a disputed partnership agreement.
Representing a U.S. hedge fund in a multi-jurisdictional litigation in support of an arbitral award.
Representing a European oil & gas concern in a series of ICC arbitrations relating to a gas pricing dispute.
Representing a European Feedstuffs Conglomerate in a AAA arbitration against a German chemicals concern.
Representing a Middle Eastern businessman in a commercial arbitration against a Middle Eastern business partner.
Representing an oil & gas consortium in a dispute relating to a gas transportation agreement.
Representing a petrochemicals concern in an ICC arbitration relating to a disputed supply agreement.
Representing a petrochemicals joint venture in a dispute concerning the development of a petrochemicals joint venture.
Representing a construction consortium in an ICC arbitration against a Middle Eastern State.
Representing the Respondent and Counterclaimant in an eight-figure ICC arbitration relating to a failed business combination in Turkey.
Representing the Claimant in two parallel ICC arbitrations against an African country.
Representing the Claimant in worldwide litigation to enforce a New York judgment.
Representing the Claimant in an ICC arbitration relating to the break-up of an intercontinental telecommunications joint venture.
Representing the Slovak Republic in a dispute arising out of the allocation of sovereign debt following the break-up of the former Czechoslovakia.
Representing a hold-out creditor in a dispute in connection with a multi-billion debt restructuring.
Representing an international hotel group in an ICSID arbitration proceeding.
Representing a multinational semiconductor concern in an ICC arbitration against a European fabrication facility.
Representing a multinational semiconductor concern in an AAA arbitration against a U.S. supplie
Representing the plaintiff in a large, bet-the-company, U.S. patent litigation in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan.
Valuation of a series of litigation claims and arbitration awards against a Latin American sovereign.

Enforcement and monetisation

Enforcement and collection of a 9-figure judgment against an African sovereign.
Enforcement and collection of an 8-figure arbitration award against an African sovereign.
Enforcement and collection of an 8-figure judgment against a Middle Eastern sovereign.
Enforcement and collection of an arbitration award against a Central American sovereign.
Enforcement and collection of an arbitration award against a European sovereign.
Enforcement and collection of an arbitration award against Guinea (Conakry).
Enforcement and collection of a US judgment against an African sovereign.
Management of a value recovery exercise (through a negotiated settlement) on behalf of a regulated investment fund that had invested in a MENA sovereign.
Buy-Side Advisory mandate relating to a multi-billion-dollar claim against a Latin American sovereign.
Sell-Side Advisory mandate relating to two ICSID awards against two European sovereigns.
Sell-Side Advisory mandate relating to an UNCITRAL award against a European sovereign.
Sell-Side Advisory mandate relating to three large awards against various European sovereigns.

Advisory work

Represent Central Asian National Oil Company in the acquisition of Eastern European Integrated Oil Company and related financing.
Represent U.S. investor in the acquisition of 100% of a Swedish Gas company.
Represent U.S. investor in the acquisition of Irish Telecommunications concern.
Arrangement of financing for a European telecommunications company.
Representing a shareholder in a contested takeover battle (with litigation in multiple jurisdictions).

Education

Université Paris I Panthéon-Sorbonne, Diplôme d’Etudes Approfondies (with honours), International Economic Law (First in class)
Université Paris I Panthéon-Sorbonne, Maîtrise en Droit (avec mention) (Second in class)
King’s College, London, LL.B. (with honours) (Second in class)

Admissions & Courts

New York