Private Sector Careers in International Litigation and Arbitration

Monday, April 14, 2025 | 5:30-7:30 PM | Room 140| Link to Register

Ever wondered who represents Gambia in its genocide case against Myanmar at the International Court of Justice?  Or which law firms secured Naftogaz’s $5 billion award against Russia for seizing and nationalizing Ukrainian assets following Russia’s 2014 annexation of Crimea? Learn from the attorneys who advised Ghana in its landmark maritime boundary dispute with Côte d’Ivoire before the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea. 

The Berkeley Journal of International Law (BJIL), International Law Society (ILS), and International Arbitration Association at Berkeley Law (IAABL), in collaboration with the Miller Institute for Global Challenges and the Law, and Berkeley Law’s Career Development Office (CDO) invite you to meet the attorneys who handle these high-stakes international disputes. Hear from Foley Hoag’s International Litigation and Arbitration practice, Covington’s International Arbitration and Disputes group, Freshfields’ International Arbitration practice, and Arnold & Porter’s International Arbitration team.

Our panelists will provide insights on: (1) how their practice groups navigate the complex intersection of public international law and commercial dispute resolution; (2) how their practice groups are structured to handle sovereign state representation versus corporate clients; (3) skills and qualities these specialized teams seek in summer and first-year associates, including ways to demonstrate your interest in international law early; (4) how to navigate specialized application processes for these practice groups; and (5) pro bono work in international law, including opportunities to work on human rights matters as summers and first-year associates.

Dinner will be served!

Panelists

Iulia Padeanu Mellon 

Senior Associate, International Litigation and Arbitration

Foley Hoag (Washington D.C.)

Iulia is a senior associate in Foley Hoag’s International Litigation and Arbitration Department. Iulia exclusively advises and represents sovereign States on matters of international law before the world’s leading dispute resolution institutions, including the International Court of Justice (ICJ), the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR), and the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID). Prior to joining Foley Hoag, Iulia served as a law clerk at the European Court of Human Rights and as an international arbitration associate at a large international law firm in Washington D.C., where her practice focused on investor-state and commercial arbitration. Iulia received her JD from Yale Law School and her BA from Boston College.

*Iulia will be joining us remotely.

John Muse-Fisher 

Senior Associate, International Arbitration

Arnold & Porter (San Francisco)

John focuses on international arbitration, including commercial and investor-state disputes. His practice includes representing sovereign states in high-stakes arbitrations, including the Republic of Korea in its multi-billion dollar investor-state dispute with Lone Star Funds, Turkey in its investor-state arbitration against Pakistan that resulted in a nearly $800 million award, and the Philippines in an investor-state arbitration involving Shell. John also brings significant experience in climate change issues, international service of process, and space law. John graduated from Berkeley Law with a certificate of specialization in international law. 

Tom Walsh

Partner, International Arbitration

Freshfields (New York City)

Tom has significant experience representing clients in investor-state disputes, including serving as counsel to Glencore Finance in securing a landmark $254 million award against Bolivia under the Bolivia-UK Bilateral Investment Treaty. His practice includes advising multinational energy companies in complex commercial arbitrations and post-M&A disputes. Tom is particularly active in Freshfields’ Latin America arbitration practice, representing foreign investors in treaty arbitrations throughout the region. Tom is an alumni of Berkeley Law.

Tyler Jankauskas 

Associate, International Arbitration and Disputes

Covington and Burling (New York City)

Tyler advises clients across industries in complex international disputes. His arbitration practice includes representing private entities and states in commercial, investor-state and state-to-state proceedings under ICC, ICSID, UNCITRAL and UNCLOS Rules. Tyler has represented U.S. telecommunications companies in investment treaty arbitration against Georgia and advised clients on public international law issues related to the Russia-Ukraine conflict. His experience with sovereign representation includes work on a law of the sea matter, building on Covington’s expertise in maritime disputes. Tyler also maintains an active pro bono practice, recently litigating international treaty claims in federal court. 

*Tyler will be joining us remotely.

Katie Connolly 

Associate, International Arbitration

Norton Rose and Fulbright (San Francisco)

Katie advises clients in complex international disputes. Her arbitration practice includes representing corporations and sovereigns in commercial and investor-state proceedings under various arbitration rules. Katie has represented an energy company in a US$100 million NAFTA claim against Canada, a mining company in US$750 million award enforcement proceedings, and an international conglomerate in a US$350 million London Court of International Arbitration proceeding resulting in favorable interim awards. She has also represented a maritime classification society in an American Arbitration Association case seeking a no-liability declaration for EUR 40 million in alleged damages. Katie serves as assistant editor for Institute for Transnational Arbitration in Review and co-chairs Young California Arbitration.

Neil Popović [moderator]

 Frank C. Newman Lecturer at Berkeley Law

Professor Popović is also a partner at Sheppard Mullin, where he leads the firm’s International Litigation and Arbitration Team and ESG and Sustainability Team. His practice spans international commercial arbitration, investment arbitration, and transnational litigation. Professor Popović teaches International Environmental Law and International Litigation and Arbitration at Berkeley Law, and has published extensively on international law, human rights, and environmental issues. He holds a J.D. from Berkeley Law.