HONG KONG
                                                     







                                JAMES L. ASHFORD
                                PARTNER

                                                                                                                                                
                                London Office                                                         

                                235 Earls Court Road
                                London SW5 9FE
                                United Kingdom
                                Telephone +020 7060 0197
                                Facsimile +020 7422 1018


                                e-mail: james.ashford@maaloufashford.com                     

                                                                                                                      
                                Areas of Concentration:                                                         

                                International Arbitration & Dispute Resolution
                                Energy Oil & Gas Arbitration
                                Investor/Treaty Based Arbitrations
                                Intellectual Property Arbitration

                   
                                Scope of Practice:              

                                James L. Ashford heads the firm's International Dispute Resolution Practice. His international
                                arbitration experience spans continents and cultures, the common and civil law legal systems, 
                                national political establishments and inter-governmental organizations, private companies and
                                state-owned enterprises, sovereign governments and private individuals. He has represented parties
                                from more than 30 countries on five continents in international commercial and investment arbitrations
                                involving foreign investment, privatization, thermal, nuclear and hydro power plants, oil and gas pipeline
                                construction and concession-related matters, mining concessions, tourism projects, project finance
                                and development agreements, patents and trademarks, and information technology. James is 
                                recognized as a leading international arbitration, business and public international lawyer, and is a
                                member of the arbitral panels of several arbitral institutions.

                                James has represented clients innumerous countries around the world including such diverse 
                                jurisdictions as Argentina, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Brazil, Brunei, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador
                                France, Guatemala, Guinea, India, Italy, Japan, Kuwait, Libya, Malaysia, the Netherlands, Nigeria, Norway, 
                                Oman, Pakistan, Peru, the Philippines, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, 
                                Switzerland, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom and the USA.

                               
                                Representative Experience

 
                                Successfully represented a Qatar-based company in an arbitration proceedings relating to the 
                                construction of a gas pipeline. The seat of the arbitration was Montevideo, Uruguay. The language
                                of the arbitration was Arabic and the governing law was French.

                                Successfully represented a precious metals mining company in connection with potential arbitration
                                proceedings against a South American government arising out of the government's improper refusal
                                to issue various environmental licenses and an exploitation concession. 

                                Successfully represented a Kuwait based joint venture company in a US$1.8 billion arbitration against
                                a state-owned utility arising out of a long-term power purchase agreement and also involving issues 
                                related to the construction of the power plant.

                                Successfully represented a Dallas-based energy services company in a multi-million dollar arbitration
                                under Texas law, concerning the construction of a gas-fired power plant in Brazil. The seat of the 
                                arbitration was Dallas, Texas, USA.

                                Representing a Russian multinational oil company regarding an arbitration proceedings against
                                the Russian Government under the Russian Foreign Investment Law, various bilateral investment
                                treaties and the Energy Charter Treaty.

                                Represent a U.S-based investor in connection with an arbitration proceedings under the applicable
                                bilateral investment treaty against a North African government relating to the expropriation of an
                                investment in the host state's hotel and tourism sector.

                                Representing a Saudi-based oil company in a dispute arising out of international shipping contracts.

                                Successfully represented a Texas-based energy services company in connection with a dispute
                                relating to oil platform services in the Arabian Gulf, and relating to an exclusive agency agreement
                                under the laws of the United Arab Emirates.

                                Representing a provider of Internet-based energy metering services in a multi-million dollar arbitration
                                under the AAA Complex Arbitration Rules arising out of a Master Product Alliance Agreement,
                                eventually resolved through mediation.  

                                Advising a multinational oil company in connection with the protection of its investments in Kuwait and
                                potential arbitration proceedings under applicable bilateral investment treaties. The representation
                                involved advising the company in connection with the restructuring of its investments.
     
                                Advising an Italian-based energy services company in connection with bringing arbitration proceedings
                                against a Central American state based on that state's foreign investment law.

                                Representing large precious metals mining companies in connection with potential arbitration
                                proceedings against a Sub-Saharan African Government.

                                Successfully represented a group of Lebanese and French nations in connection in arbitration
                                proceedings against a North African government arising out of the expropriation of an investment
                                in the host state's hotel and tourism sector.


                                Education:

                                James received his LL.M. from King's College, School of Law in 1974.      

                                Languages:

    
                                James is fluent in English, German and French. He is also conversant in Arabic, Hindi, Spanish
                                and Portuguese.

                                           




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