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David Turner
David Turner
David Turner
Partner
[email protected]
DETAILS
Practices
International Disputes
Litigation
Details
Overview
Overview Admissions & Affiliations Experience News Thought Leadership
Practices
International Disputes
Litigation

Overview

David Turner is an experienced practitioner and advocate in international arbitration, litigation and public international law, with particular experience in investor-State arbitration. He has acted as counsel in numerous international disputes under the ICC, LCIA, ICSID, SCC, DIAC, ICDR and UNCITRAL arbitration rules.

A dual-qualified English Solicitor Advocate and New Zealand Barrister & Solicitor, David has worked in the United Kingdom, the United States, New Zealand and Australia. He obtained his Master of Laws (LL.M.) degree from Harvard Law School in 2013.

David has been recognised as a recommended practitioner in international arbitration by Lexology Index (2025, formerly Who's Who Legal) and The Legal 500 UK (2025). David is also a member of the editorial board of the Journal of International Arbitration. Prior to joining Baker Botts, David clerked at the Supreme Court of New Zealand and served as legal advisor to leading international arbitrator Sir David Williams KC.

David speaks English, French and Spanish, with a working knowledge of Italian and German. 

Publications, Speeches and Presentations

  • Investor-State Annulments - Stark Differences Between ICSID and National Courts, Law.com, October 2025
  • The Arbitration Act 2025: A Welcome Fine-Tuning of England's Arbitration Law, International Disputes Update, March 2025
  • The ECT Reform Finally Moves Forward: Fossil Fuels Phased Out and Intra-EU Disputes Excluded, International Disputes Update February 2025
  • Does the ICSID Annulment System Need Reform?, GAR: Live Dubai 2024
  • The English Court of Appeal Confirms Sovereign Immunity is No Defence to ICSID Award Enforcement, International Dispute Update, December 2024
  • UK Supreme Court Confirms Power to Issue Anti-Suit Injunction in Support of Foreign-Seated Arbitrations and Clarifies Enka Test for Determining Governing Law, International Disputes Update, October 2024
  • 2024 Energy Litigation Outlook, Energy Litigation Update, January 2024
  • "Tough But Not Irrational": The English Courts Confirm the Importance of Strict Compliance with the Statutory Requirements for Contingency Fee Agreements, International Disputes Update, November 2023
  • Codes of Conduct and Middle Eastern Arbitral Practice, Panelist, GAR Live: Dubai 2023, November 2023
  • "Awards were obtained by fraud": UK High Court sets aside US$11 billion arbitral award against Nigeria, International Disputes Update, October 2023
  • 2023 Energy Litigation Outlook, Energy Litigation Update, January 2023
  • Energy Transition Disputes, GAR Live: Dubai 2022
  • Revamped ICSID Rules Give Parties Expanded Options, International Disputes Update, June 2022
  • A Massive Fire and a Mass of Confusion: Enka v. Chubb and the Need for a Fresh Approach to the Choice of Law Governing the Arbitration Agreement, Journal of International Arbitration, 2021
  • Empirical Study: Annulment in ICSID Arbitration, Contributing Editor, Baker Botts/British Institute of International and Comparative Law Joint Study, 2021

Admissions & Affiliations

  • Qualified Solicitor Advocate, England & Wales, 2025
  • Qualified Solicitor, England & Wales, 2024
  • Qualified Barrister and Solicitor, New Zealand, 2011

Education

  • Master of Laws, Harvard Law School 2013
  • Bachelor of Laws, University of Canterbury 2010
  • B.A., History & English Literature, University of Canterbury 2010

Experience

  • Acting for a Middle Eastern State in an UNCITRAL arbitration seated in The Hague, Netherlands against a major European energy company.
  • Acting for PJSC Mobile TeleSystems (“MTS”), one of Europe’s largest mobile network operators, in an ICSID Additional Facility arbitration, seated in Stockholm, Sweden, against the State of Turkmenistan.
  • Acting for a leading Asian energy company in a dispute with a European energy company in an ICDR commercial arbitration seated in Houston, Texas.
  • Advising one of America’s leading energy services companies with respect to a dispute with a Middle Eastern NOC.
  • Acting for a major international financial and development institution in a shareholders’ dispute concerning a Russian bank.
  • Acted for the Republic of Iraq in defending an ICSID arbitration brought by German transport company AHG Industry GmbH & Co. KG, obtaining summary dismissal of the investor's claims under Rule 41(5) of the ICSID Arbitration Rules.
  • Acted for a major European energy company in an SCC commercial arbitration, seated in Stockholm, Sweden, concerning liability under a joint venture agreement.
  • Acted for the developer of a landmark Egyptian petrochemical facility in an LCIA commercial arbitration seated in London.
  • Acted for an American energy company in an LCIA commercial arbitration, seated in Houston, Texas, against a Mexican State-owned utility operator.
  • Acted for a BVI investor in an investor-State arbitration under the UNCITRAL arbitration rules concerning the alleged expropriation of a telecommunications investment in a Central Asian State.
  • Acted for a Dutch investor in an ICSID arbitration concerning the alleged expropriation of an industrial investment in a Southern European State.
  • Acted for a Russian investor in an investor-State arbitration under the UNCITRAL arbitration rules concerning the alleged expropriation of an industrial investment in a Southern European State.
  • Acted for a Canadian investor in an ICSID arbitration concerning the expropriation of a mining investment in South America.
  • Advised a state-owned GCC energy company on investment protection issues relating to a contemplated investment in another Middle Eastern State.
  • Acted for a major Dubai property developer in a DIAC commercial arbitration against a state-owned development entity.
  • Acted for shareholders in a major Spanish multinational gaming company in a shareholders’ dispute under the ICC arbitration rules.
  • Acted for a British bank in litigation in the English High Court concerning a dispute over creditors’ claims in a major international insolvency estate.
  • Acted for a Czech company in an ICC commercial arbitration against the government of a Southern European State concerning the gaming industry.
  • Acted for a British investment fund in shareholders’ litigation concerning a major Spanish fashion retailer.
  • Acted for two international arbitrators in litigation in the English High Court concerning a challenge under the Arbitration Act 1996 in connection with an LCIA commercial arbitration.
  • Acted for a high-net-worth Italian investor in a property dispute concerning a major Italian retailer.
  • Acted as tribunal secretary in a major inter-State arbitration under the ICC arbitration rules concerning a dispute between two Middle Eastern States over access to energy resources.
  • Acted as tribunal secretary in a medico-legal dispute under the ICC arbitration rules between a GCC investor and a U.S. multinational.
  • Acted as tribunal assistant in an ICC commercial arbitration concerning a dispute over a joint venture between two of the world's largest motor vehicle companies.
  • Acted as tribunal assistant in an ICSID arbitration between European investors and a Southern African State concerning the expropriation of their farmland.
  • Acted as tribunal assistant in an ICC commercial arbitration between an Indian investor and a regional government in South Asia.
Thought Leadership
See More Thought Leadership
17 October 2025 External Article Investor-State Annulments - Stark Differences Between ICSID and National Courts
20 March 2025 Client Updates The Arbitration Act 2025: A Welcome Fine-Tuning of England’s Arbitration Law
10 February 2025 Client Updates The ECT Reform Finally Moves Forward: Fossil Fuels Phased Out and Intra-EU Disputes Excluded
20 January 2025 External Article Does the ICSID Annulment System Need Reform?
09 December 2024 Client Updates The English Court of Appeal Confirms Sovereign Immunity is No Defence to ICSID Award Enforcement
16 October 2024 Client Updates UK Supreme Court Confirms Power to Issue Anti-Suit Injunction in Support of Foreign-Seated Arbitrations and Clarifies Enka Test for Determining Governing Law
25 January 2024 Client Updates 2024 Energy Litigation Outlook
28 November 2023 Client Updates "Tough But Not Irrational": The English Courts Confirm the Importance of Strict Compliance with the Statutory Requirements for Contingency Fee Agreements
15 November 2023 Speeches & Presentations Codes of Conduct and Middle Eastern Arbitral Practice
31 October 2023 Client Updates "Awards were obtained by fraud": UK High Court sets aside US$11 billion arbitral award against Nigeria
24 January 2023 Client Updates 2023 Energy Litigation Outlook
16 November 2022 Speeches & Presentations Energy Transition Disputes
17 October 2025 External Article Investor-State Annulments - Stark Differences Between ICSID and National Courts
20 March 2025 Client Updates The Arbitration Act 2025: A Welcome Fine-Tuning of England’s Arbitration Law
10 February 2025 Client Updates The ECT Reform Finally Moves Forward: Fossil Fuels Phased Out and Intra-EU Disputes Excluded