Our People

Leigh Crestohl

Partner

Career Summary

Leigh has 20 years of experience advising clients across a broad range of commercial disputes including: contract claims; shareholder remedies and joint venture agreements; property disputes; international sales and distribution agreements; construction and engineering; intellectual property, and banking and financial regulatory matters. He practiced for several years with Ogilvy Renault (now Norton Rose Fulbright Canada), followed by seven years in the Paris and London offices of international law firm Clifford Chance. He is qualified as an English solicitor and admitted as a lawyer in Quebec and Ontario. He is familiar with both common law and civil law.

In addition to international and cross-border disputes, Leigh’s practice also includes a focus on international commercial arbitration and investment disputes. He represents clients in proceedings before arbitration tribunals constituted either ad hoc or under the auspices of arbitration institutions. He is a member of the London Court of International Arbitration (LCIA); Chartered Institute of Arbitrators and he is on the panel of arbitrators of the ICC Canada National Committee.

Cases

Acting for the Defendants in a claim brought before the High Court (Chancery Division) by a Russian oligarch for circa US$150 million alleging misrepresentation, deceit and breach of fiduciary duty arising out of the sale of a majority interest in a Russian property and real estate business.
Acting for a Dubai based media house in an ICC arbitration in a US$ 2 billion claim against a State broadcaster for the breach of a joint venture agreement in relation to the introduction of digital terrestrial television.
Acted for Defendants to an ICC arbitration claim for circa US$ 80 million arising out of a petroleum concession in Pakistan to seek from the English Commercial Court, and subsequently the Court of Appeal, a declaration under the Arbitration Act 1996, s. 72 that there was no jurisdiction for ICC arbitration.
Acting for a major UK-based company in a multi-jurisdictional trade mark dispute, including before the European Court of Justice.

Specialist Areas

International Arbitration
Cross-border commercial disputes
Intellectual Property

Languages

English
French (fluent)
Polish (intermediate)

Awards/Scholarships

Canadian Forces Decoration
F.R Scott Prize in Constitutional Law (McGill University)
Louis H Rohrlick Prize in Public International Law (McGill University)

Professional Memberships

London Court of International Arbitration
Chartered Institute of Arbitrators
Barreau du Québec
Law Society of Upper Canada

Education

B.A. Joint Hons. (McGill, Canada, 1990)
B.C.L (McGill, Canada, 1994)
LL.B (McGill, Canada, 1994)

Our People

Leigh Crestohl

Partner

Recent News

Leigh Crestohl discusses Brexit and a new era for commercial arbitration in The Times

Stephanie Limaco discusses unfair terms in consumer contracts and the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic

Russell Strong examines the UK Supreme Court judgment in Halliburton Company v Chubb Bermuda Insurance Ltd

Leigh Crestohl's News, Cases & Articles

Leigh Crestohl and Petar Petkov discuss the proposed amendments to the ICSID Arbitration Rules in Law360

Partner Leigh Crestohl comments on the UK Supreme Court ruling in Halliburton Company v Chubb Bermuda Insurance Ltd

A BIT too late

Leigh Crestohl comments on Unaoil bribes $6m to profit from Iraq oil project in Arabian Industry and Oil & Gas Middle East

Zaiwalla & Co announce promotion of Leigh Crestohl to Partner

Leigh Crestohl discusses Brexit and a new era for commercial arbitration in The Times

Leigh Crestohl examines the role of international arbitration in offering greater investor confidence in Sub-Saharan Africa in World Pipelines Magazine

International arbitration can help Africa's energy sector - Leigh Crestohl writes for Law360

Leigh Crestohl comments on the SFO securing convictions against two former Unaoil executives

Arbitration Update: LCIA Rules 2020 Coming Into Force

Exercising discretion when granting a stay of proceedings

Partner Leigh Crestohl joins UK Government's legal trade delegation to Nigeria

Leigh Crestohl and Stephanie Limaco examine US efforts to “snapback” sanctions on Iran in Law360

Petar Petkov and Leigh Crestohl discuss the World Bank’s ICSID proposes amendments regarding third-party funding in Lawyer Monthly

Zaiwalla & Co featured in the media in relation to Venezuela filing a $1bn lawsuit against the Bank of England

The Times writes about the High Court case led by Zaiwalla & Co dubbed 'the Bollywood drama'

Zaiwalla & Co litigation team have been recognised in the Legal 500, UK Edition.

Judgment in the case of Sergei Polonskiy v Alexander Dobrovinsky & Partners LLP and Others

The role of Trade and Investment in a changing world – 5/6 March 2019, New Delhi

The Global Legal & IP Confex, 15 November 2017, Dubai

Zaiwalla & Co receives a commendation for Law Firm of the Year (small) at the prestigious Law Society Excellence Awards 2018

Case Update: Sheikh Mohamed Bin Issa Al Jaber & anr v Sheikh Walid Bin Ibrahim Al Ibrahim & anr

Zaiwalla & Co ranked in The Legal 500 2021 UK edition

Zaiwalla & Co LLP are sponsoring The Global Legal & IP Confex on 15 November 2017, Dubai

London Legal Walk 2018

Kaneria -v- Kaneria [2014] EWHC 1165

Kazakhstan Kazagy Kazakhstan Kagazy plc and others v Arip [2014] EWCA Civ 381

United Kingdom Parliament to reform the law of Unjustified threats of infringement of Intellectual Property rights

Some International Arbitration Developments to Watch for in 2017

Are you appointing the same Arbitrator, yet again?

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