Tim Foden is co-head of the international arbitration group at Boies Schiller Flexner in London.

In this episode, he joins the podcast to discuss his path into arbitration, his time at Allen & Overy and Quinn Emanuel, and why he believes specialist disputes firms offer something fundamentally different to full-service law firms.

The conversation explores the business of international arbitration, from commercial disputes between companies to high-stakes claims brought by investors against states.

Tim explains how investment treaty arbitration works in practice, why resource nationalism continues to drive disputes around the world, and what it is like handling cases involving governments, mining projects and politically sensitive assets.

Tim also shares his perspective on litigation funding, pushing back on the idea that funders encourage weak claims. He explains how funding has become a critical tool for many claimants, how funded cases are assessed, and why the UK Supreme Court’s PACCAR decision has had less impact on his practice than many predicted.

Finally, we discuss London's position as a global disputes hub, the outlook for arbitration and collective actions, and Boies Schiller Flexner's growth plans in the UK as the firm continues to expand its London disputes practice.

The Non-Billable Podcast is sponsored by Legora. To find out more about Legora, visit: https://legora.com/

Today’s episode is also supported by Definely. To find out more about Definely, visit: https://www.definely.com/nonbillable

Chapters

00:01 Introduction

01:34 From courtroom dramas to international arbitration

03:10 Allen & Overy, Quinn Emanuel and life at a disputes boutique

05:06 Why specialist disputes firms think differently

10:48 Joining Boies Schiller and rebuilding the London office

16:16 The business of international arbitration and investor-state disputes

22:30 Litigation funding, PACCAR and access to justice

30:59 Why London remains the world's leading disputes hub

33:55 The future of disputes and Boies Schiller's growth plans in London

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The business of international arbitration with Boies Schiller’s Tim Foden

The Non-Billable Podcast

The business of international arbitration with Boies Schiller’s Tim Foden