Philip Devenish provides counsel and strategic advice in international disputes. In recent years he has won billions of dollars for clients in high-profile cases all over the world. Legal directories describe him as "an outstanding lawyer" (Who's Who Legal) who is "widely praised by peers and clients" (Expert Guides), "extremely impressive" (Chambers), "extremely sharp" (International Financial Law Review), and "thorough and unflappable — destined to do great things in the field" (The Legal 500).
Philip has handled some of the largest and most important international cases of the past decade, as ranked by The American Lawyer and Global Arbitration Review. Among other successes, he served on the trial team that secured a US$1.3 billion award for a major commercial bank in a politically charged dispute originating in Eastern Europe. He is presently counsel of record in a US$2 billion arbitration arising out of the Qatar diplomatic crisis.
Philip also has significant experience in defending against politically sensitive investigations and prosecutions by foreign governments. He regularly acts for corporates and ultra-high-net-worth individuals (UHNWIs) facing allegations of financial wrongdoing, including fraud, money laundering, corruption, and bribery.
Philip is ranked among the world's leading practitioners in global disputes and has received various accolades for his work. In 2020 he received the International Financial Law Review's Europe Award for Commercial Arbitration in recognition of his "lead role in some of the world's largest international arbitrations."
Experience
Additional Publications
- 2021
"Enforcement of investment treaty awards against assets of states, state entities and state-owned companies", in Enforcement of Investment Treaty Arbitration Awards (2nd edn., Globe Law and Business, 2021)
"He is excellent. He's extremely hands-on, very on top of the facts and the law, and he exercises extremely good judgement."Chambers UK
- University of Oxford (B.C.L. 2012; Myers Scholar at Christ Church); University of Sydney (LL.M. with high distinction 2011; Highest examination results in Public International Law, International Investment Law, and Law of International Institutions); Paris Arbitration Academy (2011); Universität zu Köln (2011); The Hague Academy of International Law (2007); University of Technology, Sydney (B.A. and LL.B. with first class honors 2007)
- England & Wales (Registered Foreign Lawyer), High Court of Australia, Federal Courts of Australia, and Supreme Court of New South Wales
Member of one of the world's leading international arbitration teams as ranked by Global Arbitration Review (2022)
Ranked in Chambers, The Legal 500, Who's Who Legal, Expert Guides, and International Financial Law Review for international arbitration and public international law
Member of the LexisNexis Dispute Resolution Expert Panel
- Spanish (reading proficiency)