Jawad Ahmad

Jawad is recognised by peers as “a leading voice in international arbitration” and “a very well-connected lawyer” who is “brimming with knowledge and passion”. Clients describe him as “a fantastic interface between counsel and the client” who brings “a world-class level of legal acumen and professionalism” to every matter. Industry guides note that he is “an excellent strategist with an eye for detail” and praise his “thoroughness, diligence, and passion for every case”. His practice is frequently noted for depth across both commercial and investor–state disputes, coupled with an ability to navigate the personalities and processes that shape the arbitral landscape. 

He joined Mayer Brown in 2018 following more than two years clerking for The Hon. Charles N. Brower in Washington, DC and in The Hague at the Iran–United States Claims Tribunal. Earlier in his career, he worked with Michael Hwang Chambers in Singapore and at the Permanent Court of Arbitration, assisting on state-to-state, investor–state and complex commercial arbitrations. He has published widely on international arbitration and public international law, and he serves as an editor of Arbitration International. 

• An owner of an LNG import facility in a commercial arbitration under the SIAC Arbitration Rules (Singapore seat) with respect to dispute arising out of a charter deal concerning a Floating Storage Regasification Unit (FSRU).
• Klesch Group Holdings Limited and Raffinerie Heide GmbH v. Federal Republic of Germany, ICSID Case No. ARB/23/49 - Klesch Group - counsel to Claimants in an investment treaty arbitration under the Energy Charter Treaty and the ICSID Convention.
• A state-owned entity in the power sector in a commercial arbitration under the LCIA Arbitration Rules (London seat) with respect to a dispute arising out of a power purchase agreement.
• An owner of an LNG import facility in a commercial arbitration under the ICC Arbitration Rules (London seat) with respect to a dispute arising out of a contract for regasification services with respect to a Floating Storage Regasification Unit (FSRU).
• Veolia Environment S.A. and others in an investment arbitration against The Republic of Lithuania in relation to district heating and power generation systems in Lithuania (ICSID Case No. ARB/16/3). The claims are brought under the Lithuania-France bilateral investment treaty and the ICSID Convention.
• A European energy company in a multiparty commercial arbitration against the municipality of a European city under the Arbitration Institute of the Stockholm Chamber of Commerce (a seat in Europe). The dispute arises from a long-term lease agreement.
• Visor  and Gökhan Araslı in an investment arbitration under the Turkey-Turkmenistan BIT and the ICSID Convention against Turkmenistan (ICSID Case ARB/21/20).
• Veolia Propreté SAS in an investment arbitration under the Energy Charter Treaty and the ICSID Convention against the Italian Republic (ICSID Case No. ARB/18/20).
• A renewable energy company in an arbitration under the LCIA Arbitration Rules (London seat) with respect to a dispute under a share purchase agreement.
• Messrs Jak and Edward Sukyas in a pending arbitration under the UNCITRAL Arbitration Rules against Romania on the basis of the US and Canadian bilateral investment treaties. 
• The Islamic Republic of Pakistan before the D.C. District Court in resisting the enforcement of the US$ 6 billion ICSID award rendered in Tethyan Copper Company Pty Limited v. Islamic Republic of Pakistan (ICSID Case No. ARB/12/1).
• An Asian investor in an investor-State arbitration brought pursuant to the Organization of Islamic Cooperation treaty under the UNCITRAL Arbitration Rules in a dispute related to multiple major infrastructure projects throughout a North African State. (PCA case No. 2017-21).
• Claimants in Fouad Alghanim & Sons Co. for General Trading & Contracting, W.L.L. and Fouad Mohammed Thunyan Alghanim v. Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan (ICSID Case No. ARB/13/38).
• Respondent in Carnegie Minerals (Gambia) Limited v. Republic of The Gambia (ICSID Case No. ARB/09/19).
• Asian state-owned entities in an UNCITRAL Arbitration Rules (London seat) concerning claims brought against them under a production sharing contract.
• An Asian company in a SIAC arbitration dispute (Singapore seat) concerning a media rights agreement.
• A conglomerate in an ICC arbitration dispute (Paris seat) against another conglomerate concerning commercial agreements in the Middle East.

Advised a range of clients, such as:

• A sovereign State on its sovereign immunity defences with respect to potential enforcement action.
• A credit agency on its ability to obtain foreign investment protection concerning its loan to a project in the Middle East.
• An international organization on the ability of a company to enforce an ICSID award against a State.
• A credit agency on the privileges and immunities of an international organization with respect to a guarantee.
• A construction company concerning the pre-arbitral steps under its agreement with the employer.

Handled prior to joining Mayer Brown.

Represented a wide range of corporate and commercial clients in arbitral proceedings, including:

• Claimants in Courts (Indian Ocean) Limited and Courts Madagascar S.A.R.L. v. Madagascar (ICSID Case No. ARB/13/34).
• An employer in a SIAC arbitration (Singapore seat) dispute regarding a mining project in Vietnam arising from an engineering and procurement services agreement governed by English law
• Respondent in set-aside proceedings in Singapore courts.
• A company in an UNCITRAL Arbitration Rules (Hong Kong seat) concerning claims under Singapore law.
• A company in ICC arbitration (Singapore seat) concerning a Singapore-law joint venture agreement.
• A company in a multi-party ICC arbitration (London seat) arising out of a hotel management agreement governed by Moroccan law.

Advised a range of clients, such as:

• A Singapore investor in a potential treaty claim against an Asian state.
• An NGO on filing an amicus brief in an ongoing inter-State arbitration.
• Asian and European shareholders on breach of contract claims with respect to a Cambodian project.

• Listed as a Rising star and key lawyer for International Arbitration, "Jawad Ahmad is up and coming, and has deep arbitration knowledge." "Senior associate Jawad Ahmad is a go-getter that nurtures relationships in this field. This serves him (and his clients) well, given how important individual personalities and track records can be among arbitrators and international arbitration practitioners." - Legal 500
• Jawad Ahmad stands out in the international marketplace as “an excellent strategist with an eye for detail” and is known for his “thoroughness, diligence, and passion for every case”. Arbitration Future Leaders WWL.
• Listed on Private Practice Powerlist 2022 | Arbitration - UK Region by Legal 500.
• Jawad Ahmad is “a very well-connected lawyer” who is “brimming with knowledge and passion”. He is hailed as “a leading voice in international arbitration” by peers - Who's Who Legal.
• Listed as a Future Leader in Arbitration 2021 and 2022 – Future Leaders – Non-Partners - Who's Who Legal.