Arbitration veteran Nigel Rawding moves to Bar from Freshfields

Arbitration veteran Nigel Rawding moves to Bar from Freshfields

Freshfields' former head of international arbitration moves to Twenty Essex after spending 40 years with the firm to chart out his independent practice

Veteran arbitration lawyer Nigel Rawding QC, who headed international arbitration at Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer, has joined London's Twenty Essex, a leading set known for its work in that field.

Rawding is leaving Freshfields after almost 40 years at the firm. He is credited for having played a leading role in building Freshfields' success in international arbitration along with other recognised figures such as Alan Redfern, Martin Hunter and Jan Paulsson.

"Nigel, following in the footsteps of Alan Redfern and Martin Hunter, helped to build – and then led for many years – our phenomenal arbitration team here in London. He has been an inspiration, mentor and friend to generations of Freshfields lawyers, not just in London but across our network globally," Sylvia Noury, Freshfields' co-head of arbitration, said.

Rawding, who was appointed silk in 2016, developed the firm's reputation for arbitral advocacy during his partnership and played a major role in making Freshfields the Magic Circle firm with the highest concentration of silks.

Rawding is a member of the ICC's UK Commission on arbitration and also serves as a director of the London Court of International Arbitration (LCIA).

"It has been a pleasure and a privilege to have played a part over so many years in the development of the market-leading international arbitration practice at Freshfields. The group has been populated by so many talented individuals – too many to mention – at so many points in time since its origins and it will continue to thrive in the hands of the exceptional group of partners now at the helm," Rawding was quoted as saying by Global Arbitration Review.

"If I have learned anything at all in my years as counsel it is what makes a good arbitrator in the eyes of the parties; whether I will be able to practice what I have preached will be for others to judge in due course," Rawding said while referring to his future.

Twenty Essex's co-heads, Duncan Matthews QC and Stephen Atherton QC, said Rawding would "make a seamless transition to being a pre-eminent international commercial arbitrator and we are delighted he has chosen to do so at Twenty Essex. He has the whole skill set required".