Nicole is a dual-qualified arbitration specialist in both the UK and New Zealand. Her practice has a particular focus on international and domestic arbitration and related court proceedings, including enforcement of arbitral awards and challenges to arbitral awards. She has considerable experience in the energy, oil and gas and related infrastructure fields, as well as in shareholder disputes, distribution agreements, telecommunications and financing issues. Having acquired an established network of contacts in New Zealand and Australia, Nicole has also developed a significant Russian and CIS client base, working on disputes arising out of investments in Russia, the UK and elsewhere.
She regularly appears as an advocate in institutional and ad hoc arbitrations (including arbitrations governed by the LCIA, ICC, UNCITRAL, CIArb and ICSID Rules. Meanwhile, Nicole also works in the area of climate change justice, including proceedings to hold national governments to their international climate change obligations.
Nicole is an editor on the ICC Taskforce on the Recognition and Enforcement of New York Convention Awards and is the New Zealand Rapporteur for the Taskforce.
Expertise
- Energy
- Oil and gas
- Telecommunications
- Construction
- Distribution agreements
- Shareholder disputes
- Environment and climate change
Experience
Oil & Gas
- Acted for a BVI company in LCIA arbitration proceedings relating to bunkering of oil in the Black Sea.
- Acted for multiple fishing, tourism and hospitality businesses who lost income due to the ongoing effects of an oil spill.
- Acted for owners of a large Russian oil refinery in English LCIA proceedings relating to construction of a polypropylene plant by a US contractor.
- Advised a Middle Eastern government oil & gas company on the drafting of dispute resolution provisions fora package of contracts relating to the construction of a US$7 billion gas refinery.
- Advised a Portuguese oil company on claims against its joint venture partner in relation to a long-term concession for the exploitation of oil in the Middle East.
Telecommunications
- Acted for an Israeli entrepreneur on disputes in England, Guernsey and Russia relating to investments in the Russian telecommunications market.
- Acted for a large Indian telecommunications company in arbitration proceedings relating to rights to a sub-marine cable.
- Acting for an international power company in expert determination proceedings.
- Advised a Middle Eastern government in claims against the incumbent mobile network operators. The claim involved two sets of ICC proceedings and ICSID proceedings.
Other
- Acted for a Russian investor in an LCIA arbitration (seated in London) relating to defaults under a Share Purchase Agreement.
- Acted for a an Irish lender enforcing claim against debtors based in multiple jurisdictions in LCIA arbitrations.
- Acted for an indigenous group in proceedings against a national government for its failure to take effective action against climate change.
- Acted for a European government defending enforcement proceedings and pursuing the setting aside of ICC Awards in various jurisdictions in relation to a military sales dispute.
- Acted for a Russian pharmaceutical company in ad hoc arbitration proceedings (seated in England – against a UK company) in relation to the breach of a supply and distribution agreement.
- Acted for an Israeli entrepreneur on disputes in England, Guernsey and Russia relating to investments in the Russian telecommunications market.
Please note: The experience list above may include examples of work completed prior to joining Keystone Law.
Recognition
Recognised by Best Lawyers (UK) from 2018 – 2025 in the practice area of International Arbitration
Member of the IBA working group on a Model Statute on Climate Change Remedies
Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (UK)
Fellow (Arb) of AMINZ
Career
Nicole qualified as a solicitor in 1993. Prior to joining Keystone Law in 2006, she worked at Clifford Chance.