Norton Rose Fulbright (NRF) has hired arbitration partner Duncan Bagshaw as a partner from Howard Kennedy.
Bagshaw joins in London, bringing extensive experience in international disputes with a particular focus on the energy sector and Africa-related cases. He also has administrative experience as a registrar at two leading arbitration centres, and institutional expertise gained as a vice-chair of the ICC UK Arbitration and ADR Committee.
His sectoral experience includes handling disputes relating to renewable energy projects and electricity generation and supply, alongside advice on issues arising from joint ventures and commercial contracts.
He acts for clients in arbitrations conducted under the London Court of International Arbitration (LCIA), International Chamber of Commerce (ICC), DIFC and other rules, and before all courts of England and Wales, including the Supreme Court.
Patrick Bourke, the NRF’s EMEA head of dispute resolution, said: “Duncan will enhance our international arbitration offering to clients given the breadth and depth of his experience in key sectors and jurisdictions.”
Bagshaw was called to the Bar in 2003, working at the prestigious Midlands and London set St Philip’s Chambers for nearly nine years, before joining MIAC. He then joined Stephenson Harwood in London, working as counsel in the firm’s Africa team before moving to Howard Kennedy as head of international arbitration in 2019.
Ruth Cowley, NRF’s global co-head of international arbitration, said: “[Bagshaw] has advised on some of the highest profile commercial disputes and international arbitration cases of recent years, including those in relation to fast-growing emerging markets which fits neatly with the cross border and strategic cases that our team advises on.”
Bagshaw is also the current registrar of the Scottish Arbitration Centre, working closely with SAC chief executive Andrew Mackenzie and chair Gillian Carmichael Lemaire. He also acted as registrar of the former LCIA-MIAC Arbitration Centre in Mauritius from 2012 to 2015, where he established it as an emerging centre for dispute resolution and to promote international arbitration practice in Africa.
Writing on LinkedIn, he called the NRF move “a massively exciting opportunity” while acknowledging his former colleagues in saying “I will miss everyone at Howard Kennedy, but I know we will remain friends”.
He added he was attracted to NRF due to its extensive experience in emerging markets and the energy sector. The firm has an established African presence through legacy Denys Reitz in South Africa, while its Australian, Canadian and US natural resources and energy clients all have extensive African interests.
The firm also added a six-lawyer projects team in Paris from Eversheds Sutherland this week, headed by two partners with strong energy credentials in Francophone and Anglophone Africa, which dovetails with Bagshaw’s own caseload and contacts in Africa.
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