Provision of legal advice

• Project management (including contract review, risk assessment, project correspondence, dispute avoidance mechanisms, claim preparation)
• Applicable law and dispute resolution provisions / arbitration clauses
• Early case assessment and dispute resolution strategy (alternative dispute resolution and international litigation)
• Advice on key legal principles under English contract law, construction law, private and public international law

Party representation / Counsel in arbitration proceedings

• Commencement of arbitral proceedings (request for arbitration, appointment of arbitral tribunal, first procedural steps)
• Gathering of factual evidence and witness proofing
• Appointment of experts
• Written submissions
• Management of disclosure process
• Preparation for and attendance at hearings
• Ancillary court proceedings
• Enforcement steps

Cécile also accepts Arbitrator’s and tribunal secretary’s appointments.

Click here to contact Cécile.

Some examples of the matters Cécile has worked on are set out below.

Construction Arbitration

• Acting for an international energy services company against an international joint venture in ICC arbitration proceedings seated in Paris in relation to claims totalling over US$400 million arising out of a gas pipeline project in North Africa (local law)
• Representing a European contractor in ICC arbitration proceedings seated in London concerning claims valued at over US$100 million arising out of the construction of a major aircraft maintenance hangar for the Hamid International Airport in Qatar (English law)
• Acting for an international joint venture and the operator / employer in UNCITRAL arbitration proceedings seated in London brought by international contractors regarding claims and counterclaims totalling over US$1 billion in connection with the construction of pumping facilities in East Africa (local law / mixed legal system including civil law, common law and Sharia law)
• Acting for an international joint venture contractor in relation to an ICC arbitration seated in Oman concerning a high value dispute arising out of the development of an airport in the Middle East (local law)
• Acting for a contractor in ICC arbitration proceedings seated in London arising out of the construction of an airport in a Former Soviet Union State (local law)

Commercial Arbitration

• Acting for a large downstream petroleum group in two sets of ICC arbitration proceedings seated in Paris in relation to claims and counterclaims totalling over US$400 million arising out of a JV dispute following the acquisition of strategic assets in Western Africa (lex mercatoria / OHADA / Panamanian law)
• Acting for a West African petroleum distributor in LCIA administered UNCITRAL arbitration proceedings seated in London against an oil and gas major in relation to a contractual dispute arising out of the purchase of regional assets (English law)
• Acting for a surveyor in ad hoc arbitration proceedings seated in London defending a professional negligence claim relating to a portfolio of properties in Germany (English law)

Investment arbitration, public international law and State immunity

• Acting for a North African State in ICC arbitration proceedings seated in Geneva in relation to an investment dispute under a bilateral investment treaty arising out of suspension of works during the Arap Spring
• Representing a Turkish construction company in court proceedings before the Jersey courts and the Privy Council in relation to the enforcement of several ICC awards arising out two sets of arbitration proceedings seated in Paris, securing “arrêts entre main” over shares in companies incorporated in Jersey and successfully defending complex State immunity arguments
• Acting for a pharmaceutical company in arbitration proceedings under the UNCITRAL Rules seated in the Hague against an Eastern European State in relation to an investment dispute under a bilateral investment treaty arising out of the State’s withdrawal of marketing authorisations

Project Support / Contract Management

• Advising contractors and employers in relation to sensitive construction and manufacturing projects, assessing live project risks, advising on key legal principles, assisting with the administration of contracts and drafting key project correspondence

Cécile is an international lawyer with extensive experience in dispute resolution. She has represented parties in ICC, UNCITRAL, LCIA, ICSID and ad hoc arbitration proceedings and ancillary court proceedings.

She has acted in a wide range of cases, with a particular focus on construction, energy, commercial and investment disputes, from their onset through to enforcement.

Building on a strong international and dual common law / civil law academic background, in addition to English law and French law, Cécile has had exposure to various legal systems, including Algerian law, Omani law, the laws of the UAE, Qatari law, Cameroonian law, Nigerian law, OHADA laws, Panamanian law, Swiss law, Sudanese law, Kazakh law, Turkish law, Indian law, Jersey law and lex mercatoria.

Before joining Pinsent Masons as a trainee solicitor in 2007 and qualifying in their international arbitration group in 2009, Cécile obtained a Master of Laws in Public International Law from University College London (2005), a Bachelor of Laws from King's College London and a French "Maîtrise" from Panthéon-Sorbonne (2004).

After 14 years with Pinsent Masons, Cécile started her own consultancy practice with a view to working closely with law firms and clients on a case-by-case basis.

Cécile is a dual anglo-french citizen and a native French speaker. She accepts arbitrator's and tribunal secretary's appointments.