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Lauren Friedman is a partner in the New York office of King & Spalding and co-leads the firm’s energy transition disputes group.  She is a member of the International Disputes group, which won “International Arbitration Group of the Year” from Global Arbitration Review in four of the past five years, and is ranked by Chambers as Band 1 in the USA.   Lauren appears as lead counsel and as part of large case teams before tribunals and courts around the world.  

Lauren is consistently recognized as a leading partner by the top publications, including Chambers USA (2022-2024), Legal 500 Latin America (2020-2022), Benchmark Litigation (2020-2022), and Who's Who Legal (2019-2023).  In 2021, Who’s Who Legal selected Lauren as one of the 10 “Most Highly Regarded” partners in the Americas under the age of 45.  Chambers USA recently published that “she's incredibly smart and she's just one of those lawyers who is a gifted advocate for her client,” “I think very highly of her. She's really smart, focused, determined, and serious about what she does,” and “she's done a great job getting key decisions for us as a company.”  Who's Who Legal reports that she is “a favorite among international commentators” and “she is the first person I call with a difficult question of law,” and she is commended for her “outstanding capacity to generate and execute well defined and complex arguments,” her “great energy,” and her “very technical, thorough and professional” approach.  

Lauren has experience in a wide range of sectors, including electricity, water, oil & gas, LNG, banking, private equity, petrochemical, accounting, pharmaceutical, M&A, and construction and infrastructure.   

As a result of her 15 years of experience with environmental disputes in the energy space, Lauren is actively focused on the legal challenges that arise in response to the energy transition and climate change.  She has represented and advised clients on unique challenges related to the rapidly-development legal framework on the environment, including exit strategies and stranded assets.  She works actively with the Sabin Center for Climate Change at Columbia University to address the barriers to the development of renewable energy within the United States.



Publications

  • Co-author, Reform to Mexican Electricity Law to Come into Effect, Texas Lawyer (March 2021)
  • Contributor, “Hot Topic: Investor-Treaty Arbitration,” Corporate Disputes (January 2020)
  • 'Time after Time: Using Data to Inform the Decision to Disqualify an Arbitrator', (2019), 6, BCDR International
    Arbitration Review, Issue 1, pp. 149-174 (co-authored with D Bishop)
  • Co-author, Supreme Court Rejects “Wholly Groundless” Exception to Contractual Delegation of Arbitrability
    Decisions to Arbitrators (January 2019)
  • Co-author, EU-Mexico Trade Agreement: What Lies Ahead for the Future of ISDS?, New York Law Journal (May 2018)
  • Co-author, Tariffs May Violate Investment Treaty Protections, Law 360 (April 2018)
  • Co-author, “The Top-5 News in International Arbitration in 2017,” CIAR Global (January 2018)
  • Co-author, “Creditors’ Options In Venezuela’s Disorderly Default,” Law360 (November 2017)
  • Co-author, “Strategic Considerations in Selecting Emergency Arbitration,” Law360 (October 2017)
  • Co-author, "Recent U.S. Supreme Court Decision Underscores the Importance of Planning to Protect Overseas Investments," Mondaq (May 2017)
  • Co-author, “Towards a Resolution of Outstanding Nationalization Claims Against Cuba,” Transnational Dispute Management (April 2016)

Seminars

  • Speaker, Navigating the Grey: Conflicts of Interest in International Arbitration, Canada Arbitration Week (2024)
  • Speaker, A Cross-Jurisdictional Review: Sovereign Immunity & Enforcement Actions, New York International Arbitration Center (2024)
  • Faculty, 2022 ABA International Arbitration Masterclass (2022)
  • Guest Lecturer, “Introduction to Investment Treaty Arbitration,” University of Chicago Law School (2017)
  • Speaker, “Appointing and Challenging Arbitrators” at Columbia University Institute for Sustainable Investment: Executive Training on Investment Arbitration for Government Officials (2017)
  • Co-speaker, “Best Practices for Drafting Arbitration Clauses,” Ministries of Peru (2017)
  • Co-speaker, “Strategic Responses to Third Party Funding” at Columbia University Institute for Sustainable Investment: Executive Training on Investment Arbitration for Government Officials (2017)
  • Moderator, "The Future of Environmental Claims in International Arbitration," New York State Bar Association (2017)
  • Panelist, “Utilizing International Arbitration to Maximize the Effectiveness of Cross-border Investments,” Hong Kong Corporate Counsel Association Conference (2017)
  • Panelist, “The Call for Specialized Arbitrators, Forums and Procedures in Energy Arbitration,” 4th ITA-IEL-ICC Joint Conference on International Energy Arbitration (2017)
  • Panelist, “Damages in International Arbitration,” Columbia Law School (2016)
  • Speaker, “Liability for Regulatory Conduct Under Investment Treaties” at Columbia University Institute for Sustainable Investment: Executive Training on Investment Arbitration for Government Officials (2016)
  • Speaker, “Investment Arbitration: Lessons Learned for States and Investors” at the 16th International Seminar on Regulation for Public Services, Panama City (2016)
  • Moderator, The Politics of Investment Treaties: Discussion and Book Launch (2016)
  • Panelist, “Navigating the Relationship Between Regulators and the Regulated” at the 15th International Seminar on Regulation for Public Services in Argentina (2015)
  • Speaker, “Liability for Regulatory Conduct Under Investment Treaties” at Columbia University Institute for Sustainable Investment: Executive Training on Investment Arbitration for Government Officials (2015)
  • Speaker, “Settlement of Pending Claims Between the U.S. and Cuba: Outlook and Possibilities” at New York University Law School (2015)
  • Speaker, “Settlement of Pending Claims Between the U.S. and Cuba: Outlook and Possibilities” at Harvard University Law School (2015)
  • Panel Member, “The Restoration of U.S.-Cuba Relations” at American University Law School (2015)

 

Full Bio

Credentials

J.D., University of California, Berkeley, School of Law

B.S., Cornell University

New York

U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit

U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York

Lecturer, Columbia Center on Sustainable Investment (2015-2019)

Member, ArbitralWomen

Member, International Bar Association Sub-Committee on Investment Arbitration

Member, Task Force for the Revision of the 2014 Guidelines on Conflicts of Interest in International Arbitration

Member, United States Council for International Business

Peer Reviewer, Yearbook on International Investment Law and Policy (2019-2020)

Spanish

"I think very highly of her. She's really smart, focused, determined and serious about what she does."


Chambers USA 2023

Future Star


Benchmark Litigation, 2020-2023

"She's incredibly smart and she's just one of those lawyers who is a gifted advocate for her client."


Chambers USA 2023

"[A] favourite among international commentators" “She is the first person I call with a difficult question of law"


Who's Who Legal, 2022

Chambers USA Up-and-Coming


2022

Recognized by Legal 500 Latin America


2020

Future Leader amongst Partners in Arbitration, 2020-2022


Who’s Who Legal

Close

Recognition

"I think very highly of her. She's really smart, focused, determined and serious about what she does."


Chambers USA 2023

Future Star


Benchmark Litigation, 2020-2023

"She's incredibly smart and she's just one of those lawyers who is a gifted advocate for her client."


Chambers USA 2023

"[A] favourite among international commentators" “She is the first person I call with a difficult question of law"


Who's Who Legal, 2022

Chambers USA Up-and-Coming


2022

Recognized by Legal 500 Latin America


2020

Future Leader amongst Partners in Arbitration, 2020-2022


Who’s Who Legal

Matters

Commercial Arbitration

Representing an construction company in a major dispute related to construction of LNG facilities in Nigeria, including successful oral argument leading to the early dismissal of two of three contract claims on jurisdictional grounds.

Successfully settled a CPR arbitration on behalf of a major oil company in a dispute worth more than more than half a billion dollars related to the termination of a long-term hydrogen supply contract.

Successfully represented one of the world’s largest oil companies in a multi-billion dollar ICC arbitration against a state-owned oil company arising from a breach of a concession contract resulting in a $2 billion award in favor of the client

See more

Close

Matters

Commercial Arbitration

Representing an construction company in a major dispute related to construction of LNG facilities in Nigeria, including successful oral argument leading to the early dismissal of two of three contract claims on jurisdictional grounds.

Successfully settled a CPR arbitration on behalf of a major oil company in a dispute worth more than more than half a billion dollars related to the termination of a long-term hydrogen supply contract.

Successfully represented one of the world’s largest oil companies in a multi-billion dollar ICC arbitration against a state-owned oil company arising from a breach of a concession contract resulting in a $2 billion award in favor of the client

Lead counsel to a major petrochemical company in an ICC arbitration related to its accounting systems, specifically the cost allocation methodology of indirect costs.

Successfully settled a dispute on behalf of a private equity company in an ICC arbitration related to the definition of the term EBITDA as used to define the Exercise Price in a Put/Call Agreement, including mediation of the dispute prior to the final hearing.

Lead counsel to a third party funder in an LCIA arbitration arising out of an alleged breach of a non-disclosure agreement, including parallel discovery issues in the US courts.

Representing a publicly-traded medical device company in a multi-million-dollar ICDR arbitration arising from a breach of supply agreement in Brazil resulting in a settlement favorable to the client

Advising a publicly-traded pharmaceutical company in a multimillion-dollar ICC arbitration involving breach of a joint marketing contract, which ended in a settlement favorable to the client

Representing a global investor regarding enforcement of a $200 million arbitration award

Representing a manufacturer in an ICC mediation arising from the alleged termination of a distribution agreement resulting in a settlement favorable to the client

Investment Treaty Arbitration

Representing Mexican shareholders and bondholders in an UNCITRAL arbitration arising from the first ever resolution of a bank pursuant to the European Commissioner's regulations, which involved the fifth largest bank in Spain, as well as parallel proceedings before the Court of Justice of the European Union and related discovery proceedings

Representing a mining company in a BIT dispute applying the UNCITRAL Rules involving the unequal treatment of companies in the phase-out of coal.

Advising an international petrochemical company in an ICSID arbitration against a Middle Eastern state arising out the imposition of hundreds of millions of dollars in taxes

Successfully represented ConocoPhillips in a multi-billion dollar ICSID arbitration arising from the expropriation of hydrocarbon and refining assets in Venezuela resulting in an award of $8 billion

Successfully represented ConocoPhillips in a multi-million dollar ICSID dispute arising from an expropriation of hydrocarbons resources in the Republic of Ecuador resulting in an award of over $300 million

Successfully defended the Republic of Guatemala in an ICSID arbitration brought pursuant to the Spain-Guatemala BIT arising from a dispute regarding the calculation of electricity tariffs, resulting in outright dismissal of a $300 million claim

Defended the Republic of Guatemala in an ICSID arbitration arising under the CAFTA-DR related to investments in the electricity sector

Successfully represented GDF Suez and Aguas de Barcelona in an ICSID arbitration against Argentina resulting in a multi-million dollar award in favor of the client

Successfully represented GDF Suez, AWG and Aguas de Barcelona in an arbitration against the Republic of Argentina conducted pursuant to the ICSID Convention and the UNCITRAL Arbitration Rules under three bilateral investment treaties in connection with investments in water concessions, resulting in a $400 million award in favor of the client

Successfully represented Serafín García Armas in an arbitration pursuant to the UNCITRAL Arbitration Rules arising from the expropriation of a food distribution company in Venezuela resulting in a sizable award in favor of the client.

Advised a media company in a potential dispute against the State of Argentina

Advising one of the world’s largest oil companies in a billion-dollar ICSID dispute against a foreign State regarding distribution of profits in a hydrocarbons contract

Advised an international energy company in a potential dispute against the State of Argentina

Matters

Commercial Arbitration

Representing an construction company in a major dispute related to construction of LNG facilities in Nigeria, including successful oral argument leading to the early dismissal of two of three contract claims on jurisdictional grounds.

Successfully settled a CPR arbitration on behalf of a major oil company in a dispute worth more than more than half a billion dollars related to the termination of a long-term hydrogen supply contract.

Successfully represented one of the world’s largest oil companies in a multi-billion dollar ICC arbitration against a state-owned oil company arising from a breach of a concession contract resulting in a $2 billion award in favor of the client

See more

Close

Matters

Commercial Arbitration

Representing an construction company in a major dispute related to construction of LNG facilities in Nigeria, including successful oral argument leading to the early dismissal of two of three contract claims on jurisdictional grounds.

Successfully settled a CPR arbitration on behalf of a major oil company in a dispute worth more than more than half a billion dollars related to the termination of a long-term hydrogen supply contract.

Successfully represented one of the world’s largest oil companies in a multi-billion dollar ICC arbitration against a state-owned oil company arising from a breach of a concession contract resulting in a $2 billion award in favor of the client

Lead counsel to a major petrochemical company in an ICC arbitration related to its accounting systems, specifically the cost allocation methodology of indirect costs.

Successfully settled a dispute on behalf of a private equity company in an ICC arbitration related to the definition of the term EBITDA as used to define the Exercise Price in a Put/Call Agreement, including mediation of the dispute prior to the final hearing.

Lead counsel to a third party funder in an LCIA arbitration arising out of an alleged breach of a non-disclosure agreement, including parallel discovery issues in the US courts.

Representing a publicly-traded medical device company in a multi-million-dollar ICDR arbitration arising from a breach of supply agreement in Brazil resulting in a settlement favorable to the client

Advising a publicly-traded pharmaceutical company in a multimillion-dollar ICC arbitration involving breach of a joint marketing contract, which ended in a settlement favorable to the client

Representing a global investor regarding enforcement of a $200 million arbitration award

Representing a manufacturer in an ICC mediation arising from the alleged termination of a distribution agreement resulting in a settlement favorable to the client

Investment Treaty Arbitration

Representing Mexican shareholders and bondholders in an UNCITRAL arbitration arising from the first ever resolution of a bank pursuant to the European Commissioner's regulations, which involved the fifth largest bank in Spain, as well as parallel proceedings before the Court of Justice of the European Union and related discovery proceedings

Representing a mining company in a BIT dispute applying the UNCITRAL Rules involving the unequal treatment of companies in the phase-out of coal.

Advising an international petrochemical company in an ICSID arbitration against a Middle Eastern state arising out the imposition of hundreds of millions of dollars in taxes

Successfully represented ConocoPhillips in a multi-billion dollar ICSID arbitration arising from the expropriation of hydrocarbon and refining assets in Venezuela resulting in an award of $8 billion

Successfully represented ConocoPhillips in a multi-million dollar ICSID dispute arising from an expropriation of hydrocarbons resources in the Republic of Ecuador resulting in an award of over $300 million

Successfully defended the Republic of Guatemala in an ICSID arbitration brought pursuant to the Spain-Guatemala BIT arising from a dispute regarding the calculation of electricity tariffs, resulting in outright dismissal of a $300 million claim

Defended the Republic of Guatemala in an ICSID arbitration arising under the CAFTA-DR related to investments in the electricity sector

Successfully represented GDF Suez and Aguas de Barcelona in an ICSID arbitration against Argentina resulting in a multi-million dollar award in favor of the client

Successfully represented GDF Suez, AWG and Aguas de Barcelona in an arbitration against the Republic of Argentina conducted pursuant to the ICSID Convention and the UNCITRAL Arbitration Rules under three bilateral investment treaties in connection with investments in water concessions, resulting in a $400 million award in favor of the client

Successfully represented Serafín García Armas in an arbitration pursuant to the UNCITRAL Arbitration Rules arising from the expropriation of a food distribution company in Venezuela resulting in a sizable award in favor of the client.

Advised a media company in a potential dispute against the State of Argentina

Advising one of the world’s largest oil companies in a billion-dollar ICSID dispute against a foreign State regarding distribution of profits in a hydrocarbons contract

Advised an international energy company in a potential dispute against the State of Argentina

Credentials

J.D., University of California, Berkeley, School of Law

B.S., Cornell University

New York

U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit

U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York

Lecturer, Columbia Center on Sustainable Investment (2015-2019)

Member, ArbitralWomen

Member, International Bar Association Sub-Committee on Investment Arbitration

Member, Task Force for the Revision of the 2014 Guidelines on Conflicts of Interest in International Arbitration

Member, United States Council for International Business

Peer Reviewer, Yearbook on International Investment Law and Policy (2019-2020)

Spanish

"I think very highly of her. She's really smart, focused, determined and serious about what she does."


Chambers USA 2023

Future Star


Benchmark Litigation, 2020-2023

"She's incredibly smart and she's just one of those lawyers who is a gifted advocate for her client."


Chambers USA 2023

"[A] favourite among international commentators" “She is the first person I call with a difficult question of law"


Who's Who Legal, 2022

Chambers USA Up-and-Coming


2022

Recognized by Legal 500 Latin America


2020

Future Leader amongst Partners in Arbitration, 2020-2022


Who’s Who Legal

Close

Recognition

"I think very highly of her. She's really smart, focused, determined and serious about what she does."


Chambers USA 2023

Future Star


Benchmark Litigation, 2020-2023

"She's incredibly smart and she's just one of those lawyers who is a gifted advocate for her client."


Chambers USA 2023

"[A] favourite among international commentators" “She is the first person I call with a difficult question of law"


Who's Who Legal, 2022

Chambers USA Up-and-Coming


2022

Recognized by Legal 500 Latin America


2020

Future Leader amongst Partners in Arbitration, 2020-2022


Who’s Who Legal