DETAILS

Overview

Valeriya Kirsey is a senior associate in our London office. Her practice focuses on both commercial international arbitration and investment treaty arbitration, with particular focus on energy and telecommunications disputes. For over a decade, Valeriya has advised and represented clients in disputes/institutional and ad hoc arbitrations involving parties from a variety of jurisdictions in Europe, the Middle East and Asia.

In addition to her counsel work, Valeriya has served as tribunal secretary/assistant in LCIA arbitrations and an ICSID arbitration.

Valeriya is trained in both common law (L.L.M. from Harvard Law School) and civil law (Licence en Droit (LLB) and Masters degrees from University Paris II (Pantheon-Assas)). She is a dual-qualified attorney (New York and England & Wales).

Valeriya was recognised as a "UK Rising Star" in Commercial Arbitration by Euromoney's Expert Guides in 2020, 2021 and 2022.

Valeriya is a Member of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators and serves as a board member of the Harvard Law School Association of the UK. She has also served as an Assistant Editor of the Journal of International Arbitration, a leading international arbitration publication, and a teaching assistant in energy and arbitration at Queen Mary University in London.

Valeriya is a native Russian and Ukrainian speaker and is fluent in English and French.

Prior to joining Baker Botts, Valeriya was an associate in a Magic Circle UK firm and in the London office of a large U.S. firm.

Admission & Affiliations

Qualified Solicitor, England & Wales, 2016
New York State Bar, 2012
Member of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators

Master of Laws, Harvard Law School 2011
Harvard Mediation Program, 2011
Master of Laws, Pantheon-Assas Paris II University 2009
Bachelor of Laws, Pantheon-Assas Paris II University 2007

Experience

Public Joint Stock Company Mobile TeleSystems v. Turkmenistan (ICSID Additional Facility arbitration, seated in Stockholm). Representing the claimant, Russia's leading telecommunications provider, in an arbitration arising from the unlawful expropriation of the claimant's investment (and related investment treaty violations)
A major State-owned energy company in relation to arbitration claims against a former oil field operator arising out of a production sharing agreement (UNCITRAL Rules; seated in The Hague)
A licensee in a dispute relating to state interference with the licensee's exclusive rights to extract petroleum resources (UNCITRAL Rules; seated in England and Wales)
A U.S. subsidiary of a major Asian energy company in a dispute arising under a gas supply agreement (ICDR Rules; New York law; seated in Houston, Texas)
A Middle-Eastern energy company in an ICC arbitration in a dispute under an EPC contract
A petrochemicals producer in an UNCITRAL arbitration arising out of termination of an exclusive offtake agreement
An operator of an oil field on force majeure related issues
A major LNG producer on price review discussions with an Asian LNG buyer
A major gas producer on price review discussions with a gas buyer
Importer of organic products in an LCIA arbitration against a supplier
An energy company in connection with potential claims under the Energy Charter Treaty in the renewables sector*
A major LNG producer in a series of LNG price review and price determination claims in relation to six European gas markets (ICC arbitration seated in London)*
A major gas producer in a series of multibillion Euro price review arbitrations under a series of long-term pipeline gas supply contracts with European buyer (ad hoc arbitrations seated in Stockholm)*
A State entity in a London-seated LCIA arbitration against an energy consortium, arising out of a heads of agreement for exploration and development of oil*
An energy trading company in a London-seated LCIA arbitration, arising out of sale and purchase agreement for Kyoto Protocol carbon credits*
A major automobile producer in a dispute arising under a shareholders agreement*
An investor on potential treaty claims against a State involving alleged expropriation of an insurance company*Investors on potential treaty claims against States involving alleged expropriation of land*

*Prior to joining Baker Botts

Thought Leadership

See More Thought Leadership

25 January 2024 Client Updates 2024 Energy Litigation Outlook

08 November 2023 External Article United Kingdom: International Arbitration

10 February 2022 Client Updates 2022 Energy Litigation Outlook

21 January 2022 Speeches & Presentations Valuing Energy in Arbitration Disputes

20 January 2022 Speeches & Presentations Young Lawyers Roundtable

15 July 2021 Client Updates Challenges to Arbitral Awards: Is the Tide Turning in the English Courts?

22 April 2021 Client Updates A Clash of the Courts: Is Paris Still an “Arbitration Friendly” Seat?