Dominic Roughton
Partner
Dominic Roughton
dominicroughton@quinnemanuel.comDominic is a partner specializing in international arbitration, international litigation and public international law disputes. Widely recognized as having a "highly distinguished practice", he is commended for his expertise in natural resources, joint venture and shareholder issues particularly within the energy and mining sectors.
Described as a "serious arbitration practitioner", Dominic has gained a deep expertise in disputes for oil companies with interests in Asia, Africa and in the Middle East including Iran.
He sits as an arbitrator and has acted as counsel under the auspices of many of the main arbitral institutions, including the ICC, LCIA, SCC, SIAC, JCAA, CIETAC as well as in pure ad hoc and UNCITRAL references.
Many of Dominic’s cases have involved jurisdictional disputes concerning parallel proceedings before other arbitral tribunals and in national courts in the United States, England, and in offshore jurisdictions. In addition to his jurisdictional litigation experience, Dominic also undertakes substantive commercial litigation in the English courts and has experience of a wide range of Asian court litigation, including in Japan and Singapore.
Dominic also focuses on international sovereignty and Law of the Sea disputes, in relation to which the leading legal directories describe him as being "sought out by governments to advise them on politically sensitive inter-state disputes". He is also “particularly recommended for bilateral investment treaty disputes, especially in the energy sector".
Since 2005, Dominic has been ranked by Asia Pacific Legal 500 as a leading individual in dispute resolution and has been specifically recognized by Chambers Global, since 2007, as a leading individual in public international law, international arbitration and international disputes. Following his return from Tokyo to London in November 2015, he enjoys rankings in Chambers UK for PIL and for international arbitration including investor-State arbitration.
Practice Areas
Notable Representations
International arbitration:
- A CIS investor in parallel LCIA arbitrations concerning disputed ownership over a copper mine, with parallel proceedings in Russia and Cyprus
- A major Asian oil company in dispute with a coventurer over a multi-billion cost overrun subject to ICC arbitration in Singapore
- Parallel LCIA disputes against a major metals trader over control of an asset of strategic importance to the Russian state
- A European investor in multiple ICC arbitrations in Athens and in Zurich concerning control over Western European gaming enterprises
- A consortium of investors in a multi-billion dollar LCIA arbitration, with parallel litigation in the BVI, revocation proceedings in the CIS and a criminal investigation arising over ownership of a stolen natural resources project
- A leading oil company in relation to breach of contractual ad hoc arbitration claims and BIT claims on a multi-billion dollar development project in the Middle East affected by international sanctions
- UNCITRAL arbitration under an investment agreement regarding a US$400 million claim against a government arising from a Middle East gas field development project
- A major international oil company in parallel ICC arbitrations in Geneva and Paris
Public international law:
- A South-Asian state in relation to its maritime boundary disputes with two neighbouring States, including negotiation of the state's maritime boundaries, UNCLOS Annex VII arbitration and an extended continental shelf submission.
- The International Seabed Authority on its rights and responsibilities under UNCLOS.
- a consortium of oil companies in relation to the termination of the CMATS treaty between Timor Leste and Australia.
- A consortium of oil companies on its investments in South Sudan, including renegotiation of their rights, BIT and contractual claims following South Sudan's independence from Sudan in 2011.
Litigation:
- A dual listed oil company in English High Court proceedings concerning a joint venture to acquire an upstream asset in West Africa
- A space tourism company and its shareholders and officers in parallel litigation in Texas and the Isle of Man brought in breach of a settlement agreement
- A Western bank in class action proceedings brought in Japan involving 19,000 individual claimants in relation to a failed investment scheme
Education
- College of Law, York
(Law Society Final Examination, 1991) - University of Cambridge
(B.A., Modern and Medieval Languages with Law)- Blundell Exhibition and Evan Lewis-Thomas Scholarship in Law
Admissions
- Solicitor, England & Wales
Languages
- French
- German
Prior Associations
- Boies Schiller Flexner:
- Partner, 2017-2021
Awards
The Best Lawyers
- Ranked by The Best Lawyers in London for Arbitration and Mediation, 2021
Lawdragon 500
- Leading Global Litigators Guide, International Arbitration, esp. Public International Law, 2023 and 2024
- London International Arbitration, esp. Energy, The Lawdragon Global Litigation 500, 2021 Guide
Chambers
- UK: International Arbitration: Investor-State Arbitration, 2025
- Global UK: International Arbitration: Commercial Arbitration - Band 2, 2024 and 2025
- "He's an excellent litigator with a strong commercial awareness."
- "He's a strong practitioner."
- UK: Public International Law – Band 3, 2024 and 2025
- Dominic Roughton is highly adept at acting for clients in the natural resources and energy sectors on a range of PIL issues, including maritime delimitations and international sanctions. He also handles significant international arbitrations.
- UK: International Arbitration – Band 4, 2023, 2024, 2025
- Dominic Roughton has a diverse arbitration practice, frequently acting in disputes arising in the energy and natural resources sector. He undertakes significant work across Asia and Eastern Europe.
- "He's a strong practitioner."
- “Dominic Roughton of the London office of Boies Schiller Flexner LLP is highly regarded for his experience in public international law. He is active advising corporations on investor-state claims and is further commended for his knowledge of state-to-state disputes.” - Chambers Global, 2020
- “Based in London, Dominic Roughton of Boies Schiller Flexner LLP is highlighted for his skills in JCAA, CIETAC and SIAC arbitrations. He is able to offer Japanese clients his previous experience on the ground to deal with complex cross-border disputes.” - Chambers Global, Expertise based Abroad in Japan, 2020
- Leading Individual: International Arb (Investor-State) (Band 4) and Public International Law (Band 2), Chambers UK, 2020
- Leading Individual: Public International Law (Band 4) and Dispute Resolution – Japan, Chambers Global, 2020
- Leading Individual: International Arb (Investor-State) (Band 3) and Public International Law (Band 3), Chambers UK, 2019
- Leading Individual: International Arbitration and Public International Law, Chambers Global, 2018
- Leading Individual: Dispute Resolution (Japan - Expertise based Abroad), Chambers Global, 2017
- Band 3: Public International Law, Chambers Global, 2016-2017
- Leading Individual: Public International Law (Global-wide), Chambers Global, 2012-2016
- Leading Individual: Dispute Resolution (Japan – International Firms), Chambers Asia-Pacific, 2008-2015
- Leading Individual: Employment (Japan – International Firms), Chambers Asia-Pacific, 2012-2014
Legal 500
- Recommended Lawyer, Commercial Litigation: Premium, - UK Legal 500, 2025
- Recommended Lawyer, International Arbitration - UK Legal 500, 2025
- Leading Individual for Dispute Resolution – Japan, Asia Pacific Legal 500, 2013-2014
- Leading Individual: Dispute Resolution (Japan – international firms and joint ventures), - Asia-Pacific Legal 500, 2005-2016
- “Dominic Roughton has ‘a high-speed brain’, and is ‘client-oriented and hardworking’.” - Asia Pacific Legal 500, 2013
Who’s Who Legal (now Lexology Index)
- Listed by Who’s Who Legal Arbitration 2024-2025 edition
- Expert in Arbitration and Litigation, Who’s Who Legal, 2015
- “[Dominic Roughton] is described as a “first rate” practitioner and has particular experience in energy-related disputes.” - Who’s Who Legal, Commercial Litigation (Japan), 2014
Expert Guides
- Expert in Commercial Arbitration, Expert Guides, Sept 2019
- Expert in Commercial Arbitration, Expert Guides, 2005/06, 2006/07, and 2007/08
Publications and Lectures
- The Continental Shelf, in the IMLI Manual on International Maritime Law, OUP 2014
- Contemporary problems and paradoxes in international arbitration, ICCA Singapore, 2012
- The rights (and wrongs) of capture: international law and the implications of the Guyana/Suriname arbitration Journal of Energy and Natural Resources Law 26, 374
- A new dawn: investment arbitration and Japan JCAA Newsletter No 18
- A brief review of the Japanese arbitration law, 1 AIAJ 2, 127 - 140
- Elephants, experts and arbitrators: the decision in Inmarsat v APR and the return of the quasi-arbitrator Int ALR 191 – 195