Naomi Briercliffe
Partner
Naomi Briercliffe is a partner in the International Dispute Resolution Practice Group based in London.
Naomi is ranked by Chambers (UK and Global) and Legal 500 UK in international arbitration and public international law and recommended in the Lexology Arbitration Index. She has been described in the directories as a “brilliant advocate” (Legal 500), a “shrewd lawyer”, who is a “superstar”, “does amazing work” and is “responsive”, “clever, personable and can foster a team of talents in an impressive way” (Chambers 2025).
Naomi represents high net worth individuals, corporates and states across multiple jurisdictions in commercial and treaty arbitrations and before international courts and tribunals. She has experience across a broad range of industries and sectors, including energy (oil and gas, renewables, nuclear and hydroelectricity), mining, infrastructure, aviation, TMT and private equity.
As well as advising clients on disputes, she supports clients in avoiding disputes and mitigating risk at the front-end of transactions, including by assisting with contractual negotiations and structuring for investment treaty protection. Naomi also has experience of enforcement matters before national courts.
Naomi is a member of the Users’ Council of the LCIA and sits on the LCIA’s EDI Steering Group. She is an Honorary Fellow of the British Institute of International and Comparative Law.
Naomi has represented clients in arbitrations under most major institutional rules, including the ICC, LCIA, AAA, UNCITRAL and ICSID rules. She has also advised clients on matters before the International Court of Justice, Iran-US Claims Tribunal, European Court of Human Rights and African Court of Human and Peoples’ Rights.
Education
- College of Law, London, LL.B., first class honours
- College of Law, London, Legal Practice Course, distinction
- University of Cambridge, King's College, M.A. (Cantab)
- University of Cambridge, King's College, BA (Hons)
Admissions
- England and Wales, 2011
- High Rights of Audience, 2015
- Registered Foreign Attorney, New York, 2018
Languages
- English
- French
- Ranked in Chambers Global 2025 for International Arbitration
- Ranked in Chambers UK 2018-2025 – Band 3 for Public International Law and Band 5 for International Arbitration
- Ranked in Legal 500 UK 2018-2025 – Next Generation Partner for Public International Law and International Arbitration
- Recommended in Lexology Index: Arbitration (formerly Who’s Who Legal: Arbitration) 2022-2025
- Recommended in Who’s Who Legal: Arbitration Future Leaders 2018-2022
- Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch International Arbitration 2023-2025
- Lawyer Monthly, Women in Law Awards 2021 – Dispute Resolution Advisor of the Year
- Featured in Legal Business as a Next Generation arbitration lawyer, 2021-2022
- Legal 500 London Arbitration Powerlist 2022
Publications
- Author, “Legitimate Expectations”, Elgar Encyclopedia of International Economic Law (eds. Cottier and Nadakavukaren), forthcoming edition.
- Co-author, “Dispute resolution in the European energy sector", Routledge Handbook of Energy Law (eds. Hunter, Herrera, Crossley, Alvarez), 2020.
- Co-author, “Article 52(1)(e)”, The ICSID Convention, Regulations and Rules; A Practical Commentary (Fouret, Gerbay and Alvarez ed.), 2019.
- Co-author, “Human-rights-based Claims by States and “New-Generation” International Investment Agreements”, Kluwer Arbitration, 2018.
- Co-editor, “African Border Disputes: A Users Guide”, African Union, 2016.
Speaking Engagements
- Steering Committee and moderator, Sovereign and State Disputes and Enforcement Summit, London, January 2025.
- “International arbitration in energy: key issues and trends”, GAR Live Women, December 2024.
- Speaker, Ghana Public Sector Lawyers Conference on “Arbitration as a catalyst for enhancing public service efficiency and equity”, Accra, November 2024.
- “State Immunity in the Enforcement of Arbitration Awards”, Nigerian Bar Association Section on Business Law, online, November 2024.
- “Arbitrations involving santioned parties”, Vilnius Arbitration Day, Vilnius, September 2024.
- “Exploring the New Dynamics of Arbitration: Perspectives and Insights from the LCIA”, London Global Disputes Summit, London, July 2024.
- “The Settlement of International Energy Disputs in the Middle East”, ADGM/ICSID, Abu Dhabi, April 2024.
- “Change of circumstances and the contract in civil law: flexiblity or uncertainty?”, Civil Law Conference, Abu Dhabi, April 2024.
- “Georgia’s Historic Strategic Litigations in International Courts and Their Impact on Subsequent Practice”, Fordham University School of Law, online, March 2024.
- “Arbitration in The Mining Sector: Latest Trends and Challenges”, GAR Live Women, Paris, December 2023.
- “States Rather Than Tribunals Are Responsible For The Failure to Give Sufficient Weight to Environmental Concerns” (Oxford-style debate), BIICL Young ITF, London, November 2023.
- “Going Green & Protecting Public Interest: Sustainable Solutions to Environmental, Social & Governance (ESG) Disputes”, 7th CIArb Kenya Branch International Conference, Diani Beach, June 2023.
- Disputes Involving States Arising Out of War”, London International Disputes Week, London, May 2023.
- “Ukraine, Russia and Issues of Territory”, GAR Live BITs, London, May 2023.
- “Energy Arbitration in Times of Crisis”, Cambridge Arbitration Day, Cambridge, April 2023.
- “Arbitration in Times of Conflict”, Tel Aviv Arbitration Week, Tel Aviv, March 2023.
- “Special Issues Relating to Intra-EU awards”, Boies Schiller Flexner and Farrer & Co Roundtable on Judgment and Enforcement Trends, London, February 2023.
- “Contractual Excuse Doctrines”, ITA-IEL-ICC Joint Conference on International Energy Arbitration, Houston, January 2023.
- “Investment Arbitration and Domestic Criminal Proceedings”, BIICL Investment Treaty Forum, London, October 2022.
- “Young Practitioners and Our Future”, ICCA Congress, Edinburgh, September 2022.
- “Specialised Dispute Resolution for Commercial Space Disputes – A Practitioners Perspective”, International Astronautical Space Congress, Paris, September 2022.
- “After Achmea, PL Holdings and Komstroy, the EU is still an attractive destination for investment” (Oxford-style debate for the Young EFILA launch), Young EFILA, Amsterdam, June 2022.
- “Arbitration and FDI”, SKOCH India Forum and LITFest, April 2022.
- Who’s Who Legal Future Leaders: Arbitration Conference, London, April 2022.
- “Regionalism v Globalisation”, Tel Aviv Arbitration Day, Tel Aviv, March 2022.
- “Can an Investor Waive Its Right to Investment Treaty Arbitration?” virtual event, Milan Arbitration Week, February 2022.
- “Legitimate Expectations”, virtual event, American Society of International Law (ASIL), January 2022.
- “Difficult Discussions: Mastering Tricky Conversations in your Arbitration Career”, virtual event, London VYAP, January 2022.
- Co-presenter, “An Overview of ICSID and UNCITRAL Reform Initiatives” (co-presented with ICSID), Africa Arbitration Academy, Africa and ISDS, October 2021.
- “Stronger Together: A Look Back at Remote Community Building and Ahead to the Future for International Arbitration”, virtual event, Arbitral Women (LIDW), May 2021.
- “Investor Obligations in Investment Treaty Arbitration”, virtual event, Mute Off Thursdays, March 2021.
- “Failure to Perform Due to Pandemics and Arbitration”, virtual event, V Oxford Arbitration Day, November 2020.
- “CEA-40, The Enforcement of Intra-EU awards: Will the US Come to the Rescue?” virtual event, November 2020.
- “RPC, 20 Essex and CIArb, Being Indispensable in (Virtual) Arbitration: How Junior Members of the Team Can Impress”, virtual event, October 2020.
- GAR Live Women, London, December 2019.
- CIArb YMG Annual Conference, Edinburgh, November 2019.
- 2nd Annual Who’s Who Legal Future Leaders: Arbitration Conference, London, June 2019.
- “Debunking Myths in Investor-State Arbitration”, LSE, London, March 2019.
- ·AILA arbitration training course for African arbitration practitioners, London, September 2017 and 2016.
- “A Paradigm Shift in International Investment Law”, ·AILA, Cairo, April 2017.
- UNCTAD and Islamic Development Bank training course for States on negotiating international investment treaties, Casablanca, January 2015, January 2016, January 2017.
- “Developments in Investment Treaty Arbitration”, Nairobi Arbitration Centre Inaugural Conference, Nairobi, December 2016.
- “India: Changes and Challenges”, Indian Council of Arbitration Event, Delhi, July 2016.
- “1996 and All That: A Memorable History of the 1996 Arbitration Act”, ·Essex Court Chambers and Allen & Overy LLP, London, June 2016.
- “Cases under the ECT against the Kingdom of Spain”, International Energy Arbitration Congress, Santa Cruz, May 2016.
- “Arbitrating in the European Union”, Arbitral Women and Queen Mary University Event, London, April 2016.
- “International Energy Investment and the ECT”, ICC YAF, Milan, April 2016.