Energy & Natural Resources
Ben is the Chair of our Global Arbitration Group and Dispute Resolution Practice. He operates across multiple sectors and has particular experience in upstream and downstream oil & gas, trade & commodities, aviation and telecommunications sectors. Ben was instrumental in launching Clyde & Co's Global Arbitration Group and, as a recognised expert in the world of litigation funding, Ben also spearheads the firm's funding initiative.
Direct Lines
+44 (0) 20 7876 4732 +44 (0) 77 8769 7890 ben.knowles@clydeco.comMain Office
London, The St Botolph Building
+44 (0) 20 7876 5000 +44 (0) 20 7876 5111Regional experience
Full Profile
Ben Knowles has extensive dispute resolution experience, particularly in international arbitration including at the ICC, ICSID, LCIA, PCA, CIETAC, and ICDR. His work comprises commercial arbitrations as well as investor state cases.
He is currently recognised by Legal 500 in the International Arbitration Powerlist and as a leading individual. Ben also sits on the editorial board of the Global Arbitration Review and on the ICC UK Committee.
Ben has successfully represented a number of different Yemeni interests for close to two-decades, work which has played a major part in Clyde & Co being the only international firm currently recognised by Chambers in Yemen.
Chambers say “London-based Benjamin Knowles is a renowned figure in the international arbitration circuit”. “Ben Knowles is very good at managing litigation under pressure. He is good at granularity but is also able to step back and manage.” “Ben is excellent.”
The Legal 500 has described Ben as “excellent” and “extremely efficient and hardworking,” and someone that “takes a great deal of trouble to gain the confidence of the clients”.
Clients describe Ben as an “outstanding professional who combines his extensive knowledge of arbitration with a flexible approach”. He "has excellent tactical skills, knowing exactly what to do and say and at what time" and "his black letter law knowledge is first class"
Experience
- Leading the team in more than 10 arbitrations concerning issues arising under Production Sharing Agreements in the oil and gas sector
- Representing a National Oil Company in a series of arbitrations arising out of fraud and breaches of anti-dumping legislation
- Representing an international offshore drilling company in relation to the expropriation of assets by a South American government
- Successfully defending a state in relation to telecoms licensing and the related investment law disputes, including what was at the time, one of the highest value arbitrations to have been commenced at the ICC
- Representing an insurer in a novel arbitration concerning the jurisdiction to hear disputes in arbitration arising out of an arbitration clause in a contract that was never executed
- Representing the developer in a long running dispute over the construction of a highway
- Defending a state in relation to an investor state claim concerning the redevelopment of an airport
- Representing a port authority in relation to the termination of a port concession agreement
- Representing a developer in relation to disputes concerning the construction of various electricity infrastructure
- Representing a contractor in relation to disputes concerning the deployment of temporary power generation equipment
- Representing states and contractors in relation to various LNG project issue
- Representing a National Oil Company in relation to long-term contract disputes with suppliers and refiners