Howard Kennedy expands Dispute Resolution team with specialist international arbitration hire

Leading London firm Howard Kennedy is delighted to welcome barrister Duncan Bagshaw as a partner to the firm’s burgeoning Dispute Resolution team, headed by Simon Taylor. 

Duncan will add to the firm’s expertise in international arbitration and international litigation, and bring a wealth of experience working on Africa-related matters to complement Howard Kennedy’s international experience.

Duncan was called to the bar of England and Wales in 2003. He joins Howard Kennedy from Stephenson Harwood, where he was a member of the firm’s international arbitration and Africa groups. Duncan has built extensive experience advising on international arbitration and litigation matters relating to African and global projects and contracts. Previously Duncan was the first Registrar of the LCIA-MIAC Arbitration Centre in Mauritius and developed it into a leading African arbitration centre.

Duncan has been recognised in a raft of legal publications including Chambers and Partners and the Legal 500, who have named him in both the Africa Powerlist and International Arbitration Powerlist 2019, and has been named as a leading international arbitration practitioner under 45 in “Who’s Who Legal: Future Leaders” in 2017, 2018 and 2019.

Duncan is a member of the Organising Committee of the Save The Children International Arbitration Charity Ball, and chairs the board of a charity which supports disadvantaged young people in London and the Midlands.

Notable cases Duncan has advised on include:

• Representing the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation in one of the longest ever cases before the Commercial Court, Court of Appeal and Supreme Court, arising out of the construction of the Bonny Oil Export Terminal;
• Representing Venezuela in proceedings in the Commercial Court to enforce an award worth over US$700 million arising out of a mining project;
• Appearing in LCIA arbitration proceedings on behalf of Kenyan investors in a major property development in Nairobi
• Appearing in two DIFC-LCIA arbitrations arising out of a major joint venture to develop hotels in East Africa.

Howard Kennedy has had significant high-profile involvement in international arbitration in recent years, including several cases relating to energy disputes in the Middle East.