David Turner

David 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 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 (formerly Who’s Who Legal) for 2025. 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 (native), French (fluent), Spanish (proficient), Italian (intermediate) and German (intermediate).

• 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.

Master of Laws, Harvard Law School 2013

Bachelor of Laws, University of Canterbury 2010

B.A., History & English Literature, University of Canterbury 2010

Qualified Solicitor, England & Wales, 2024

Qualified Barrister and Solicitor, New Zealand, 2011