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Harriet Foster

Senior Associate

London

Harriet Foster focuses on both international commercial and investor-state arbitration across a range of sectors, including energy, infrastructure and technology, including telecommunications and natural resources.

Harriet represents domestic and international clients from across Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia across a variety of different forums, including the LCIA, ICC, SIAC, ICSID and under the UNCITRAL Rules.  As well as arbitration, Harriet also has experience in cross-border litigation, involving courts in England & Wales, Tanzania and the British Virgin Islands and has represented clients in a range of public international law matters, including before the International Court of Justice and on maritime boundary issues. Harriet is admitted as a solicitor-advocate and currently on the Young ITA leadership team.

  • Arbitration

    • Representing an African-based investor in an UNCITRAL arbitration under a bilateral investment treaty with India, concerning the cancellation of telecoms licences, in a Netherlands-based arbitration administered by Permanent Court of Arbitration.
    • Representing a Central Asian state-owned oil and gas company in an ICC arbitration against an offshore subsidiary of a Middle Eastern conglomerate in respect of alleged breaches, and purported termination of, a production sharing agreement.
    • Representing a number of Italian investors in an ICC arbitration relating to alleged breach of warranties under a sale and purchase agreement for a manufacturer of valves in the oil and gas sector.
    • Representing a multinational energy corporation in LCIA proceedings in relation to the fabrication of an offshore platform in Israel.
    • Representing an Asian commodity trade finance company in a SIAC arbitration relating to allegations of negligence in the issuance of warehouse receipts.
    • Represented a leading European commodities merchant in a LCIA arbitration relating to payment default and unjust enrichment under a suite of sale contracts.
    • Representing a confidential client on a number of ICC arbitrations relating to the design and construction of a major maritime project in Central America.
    • Representing a Middle Eastern industrial company in an LCIA arbitration and concurrent mediation proceedings, against a UAE-based oilfield service provider, relating to an oil development program in Kuwait.
    • Representing an Eastern African state against a Kenyan mining company and its two British holding companies in an ICSID arbitration in respect of the alleged expropriation of a high value mining licence, as well as alleged violations of the fair and equitable treatment standard.
    • Representing a Bahamian asset management company, the subsidiary of an African company, in a LCIA arbitration and related court proceedings in the British Virgin Islands, in relation to the breach of a shareholders’ agreement.
    • Representing a Norwegian oil company in a Norwegian-seated ad hoc arbitration in relation to the revision of gas prices and hardship.

    Litigation

    • Representing a natural resources investment company in the English High Court relating to potential breaches under the Companies Act 2006.
    • Assisting a global engineering group in relation to a number of claims in the Tanzanian courts concerning an O&M contract for a power plant in East Africa.

    Public International Law

    • Representing a Southeast Asian state in first-of-its-kind compulsory conciliation proceedings under Annex V of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea against the Commonwealth of Australia, with the Permanent Court of Arbitration acting at Registry.
    • Representing the Government of Timor-Leste before the International Court of Justice, in relation to the seizure and detention of sovereign documents and data.