International law firm Penningtons Manches Cooper has appointed leading arbitration specialist Jean-François Le Gal as a partner and head of international arbitration in its commercial dispute resolution team.
He will play a key role in developing the firm's international arbitration offering, building on its established cross-border disputes experience and supporting the continued growth of its international offices and client base.
Jean-François, who joins from Pinsent Masons, brings more than two decades of experience in international arbitration and multi-jurisdictional proceedings. His practice is particularly recognised for matters involving Africa and the Middle East, with sector expertise spanning energy and natural resources, life sciences and health, financial services, infrastructure and technology.
He has recently acted for a pan-African conglomerate in a dispute that gave rise to arbitration proceedings before the London Court of International Arbitration (LCIA), with satellite litigation in England as well as in several African jurisdictions, securing decisions granting all of the client’s claims. He has also sat as Sole Arbitrator in ICC expedited proceedings arising out of a transaction in the renewable-energy sector. He has acted on several occasions as lead advocate in high-stakes International Chamber of Commerce arbitration proceedings arising out of major oil-and-gas projects in both West Africa and North Africa.
Dual qualified in England and France, Jean-François is a barrister in England and Wales and an Avocat au Barreau de Paris. Based in London, he will work closely with colleagues in Penningtons Manches Cooper's Paris office in order to support his clients across the EMEA region.
Jean-François is recognised as a Leading Partner for international arbitration in The Legal 500 and is also in the Lexology Index. Alongside representing clients in complex international disputes, he frequently acts as arbitrator – including as a sole arbitrator, co-arbitrator and chairman of a tribunal – and is registered with leading arbitral institutions including the ICC, LCIA, DIAC, CRCICA and the CCJA-OHADA Arbitration Centre.
Kamran Rehman, Penningtons Manches Cooper's head of commercial dispute resolution, said:
"Jean-François is a highly respected international arbitration lawyer with an outstanding reputation in the market. His arrival represents a significant step forward in our ambitions to build a market-leading international disputes practice."
Clare Arthurs, head of strategy for dispute resolution, added: "International arbitration is a key strategic growth area for the firm and Jean-François brings exactly the experience and international reach we need to accelerate that growth. His expertise across key markets will enable us to deepen relationships and expand the range of high-value disputes work we can undertake."
Jean-François commented:
"It’s fantastic to be joining Penningtons Manches Cooper at such an exciting stage in the firm's strategic journey. The disputes team has built a reputation for handling complex, high-value matters typically associated with very large teams and is ambitious to grow further.
There is a significant opportunity to build on the firm's existing cross-border expertise and develop a truly integrated international arbitration offering. I'm particularly excited about the opportunity to work with colleagues across London, Paris and the wider international network."
