Gaillard Banifatemi Shelbaya Disputes

What Gaillard Banifatemi Shelbaya Disputes does

Gaillard Banifatemi Shelbaya Disputes is a specialised international arbitration law firm operating exclusively in the resolution of cross-border disputes. Founded by former Shearman & Sterling partners, the firm is headquartered in Paris and operates through affiliated legal entities in five jurisdictions (Delaware LLP, French A.A.R.P.I., UK LLP, Egyptian law office and UAE LLC), with offices in Paris, London, New York, Cairo and Abu Dhabi. The practice comprises 14 partners, two counsel and 40 associates - all dedicated to international dispute management - giving a total headcount of 56 lawyers. The firm is privately held as a partnership with no external investors, parent company or public listing.

The firm represents companies, sovereign States and State-owned entities in investment treaty and commercial arbitrations under all major arbitration rules (ICSID, ICC, UNCITRAL, LCIA, CRCICA, arbitrateAD), covering disputes governed by international, English, French, US, Egyptian, Middle Eastern, Colombian and Brazilian law. Service lines include investment treaty arbitration, commercial arbitration, setting-aside and enforcement proceedings, asset tracing and collection, and dispute-minded contract drafting. Notable case outcomes include the US$50bn Yukos award (largest investment arbitration award in history, now valued at US$66bn), the US$2.47bn Dow Chemical award (then-largest commercial award ever), dismissal of US$4bn claims against Algeria, dismissal of US$30bn claims against Egypt, and a US$1bn award for Mubadala.

The business model is a professional services fee structure on a case-by-case, negotiated basis for high-stakes mandates; the firm does not disclose pricing, billable hours or revenue. Client acquisition is driven by partner reputation, landmark case outcomes, rankings in Chambers Global, Legal 500, Lexology Index (Who's Who Legal) and Lawdragon 500, and intellectual leadership through conferences, partner teaching positions at Sciences Po, Harvard and Oxford, and academic publications. The firm operates with no proprietary technology platform, no AI/ML capabilities and no disclosed external funding.

Name

Gaillard Banifatemi Shelbaya Disputes

Legal name

Gaillard Banifatemi Shelbaya Disputes LLP

Website

https://gbsdisputes.com

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Gaillard Banifatemi Shelbaya Disputes is a specialised international arbitration law firm with 56 lawyers across five offices (Paris, London, New York, Cairo, Abu Dhabi), representing companies, sovereign States and State-owned entities in investment treaty and commercial arbitrations worldwide.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Paris

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Legal Services - International Arbitration: GBS Disputes generates revenue through legal fees for representing clients in international commercial arbitrations, investment treaty arbitrations, enforcement proceedings, and related advisory services. The firm handles high-stakes disputes across multiple industries and jurisdictions, including landmark multibillion-dollar cases.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

GBS Disputes is an international arbitration law firm that represents companies, States, and State-owned entities in investment treaty and commercial arbitrations under all major arbitration rules (ICSID, ICC, UNCITRAL, LCIA, CRCICA, arbitrateAD). Its services cover the full dispute management lifecycle — representation in arbitral proceedings, setting-aside and enforcement proceedings, asset tracing and collection, negotiated settlements, and dispute-minded contract drafting and advisory — across multiple industries and applicable laws.

Product overview

Gaillard Banifatemi Shelbaya Disputes is a specialized international arbitration law firm offering a unified suite of legal services centered on managing international disputes. The firm's core offering is its international arbitration practice, which encompasses investment treaty arbitration, commercial arbitration, enforcement and setting aside proceedings, dispute-minded contract drafting, and asset tracing services. The firm represents companies, States, and State-owned entities in proceedings under all major arbitration rules (ICSID, ICC, UNCITRAL, LCIA, CRCICA, and arbitrateAD), covering disputes across all industries governed by international law, English law, French law, US law, Egyptian law, Middle Eastern law, Colombian, and Brazilian law. The practice can conduct arbitral proceedings in 24 languages. Rather than a platform-plus-modules architecture, the firm operates as a cohesive full-service arbitration practice with complementary specialized service lines that work together to provide comprehensive dispute management.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Investment Treaty Arbitration Representation of investors and sovereigns in investment treaty disputes under bilateral and multilateral investment treaties, handling claims for expropriation, fair and equitable treatment, and other treaty protections. Available to multinational corporations, sovereign States, and State-owned entities.
• Commercial Arbitration Resolution of commercial disputes between private parties through institutional and ad hoc arbitration proceedings, covering industries including energy, construction, mining, telecommunications, and finance. Available to multinational corporations and commercial counterparties under ICSID, ICC, UNCITRAL, LCIA, CRCICA, and arbitrateAD rules.
• Setting Aside and Enforcement Proceedings Counsel in proceedings to set aside or challenge arbitral awards before national courts, and enforcement proceedings to recognize and execute arbitral awards across jurisdictions. For companies, States, and State-owned entities seeking to challenge or enforce arbitral awards.
• Asset Tracing and Collection Strategies Devising asset tracing strategies and representing clients in collection proceedings to locate and recover assets across jurisdictions, including through complex money-laundering schemes and corporate structures. For clients needing to enforce arbitral awards or judgments against evasive counterparties.
• Dispute-Minded Contract Drafting and Advisory Advisory services on liability and risk management through dispute-minded contract drafting and optimization of corporate structures to minimize future disputes. Includes negotiated settlements where appropriate. For clients seeking to prevent or strategically resolve disputes before formal proceedings.

Quantifiable outcome

• USD 50 billion award (now valued at USD 66 billion) for Yukos majority shareholders - largest investment arbitration award in history
• +6 more outcomes

Named customers13 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Three Crowns: Specialist international arbitration firm founded in 2014 by former Freshfields partners. Closest structural peer to GBS Disputes: elite boutique model, partner-only focus on arbitration, offices in major hubs (London, Paris, Washington DC, Singapore, Madrid).
• Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan: Largest litigation-only firm globally, with a major international arbitration practice. Competes with GBS on bet-the-company commercial disputes and investor-State matters, though broader in scope (also covers US litigation).

Broad incumbents

• King & Spalding: Major international arbitration practice particularly active in energy, construction, and investor-State disputes. Direct competitor for sovereign representation and complex treaty arbitration mandates.
• Hogan Lovells: Global firm with a substantial international arbitration practice serving both investors and States. Competes with GBS for complex treaty disputes and has particular strength in Latin America and emerging markets.
• Clifford Chance: Global elite firm with a substantial international arbitration practice, particularly strong in energy and construction disputes. Direct competitor for high-value investor-State and commercial arbitrations.
• Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer: Global elite law firm with one of the largest international arbitration practices worldwide. Directly competes with GBS Disputes for high-stakes investor-State and commercial arbitration mandates, particularly under ICSID and UNCITRAL rules.
• Herbert Smith Freehills: Top-tier global firm with a highly regarded international arbitration group, particularly in energy and infrastructure disputes. Directly comparable for sovereign and corporate representation in high-value treaty arbitrations.
• Allen & Overy (A&O Shearman): Mega-firm formed through A&O's 2024 merger with Shearman & Sterling (GBS founders' former firm). Competes for international arbitration mandates and benefits from deep transactional cross-sell into disputes work.
• White & Case: Major international firm with a leading international arbitration practice handling complex investor-State and commercial disputes. Competes head-to-head with GBS for sovereign representation and energy disputes, including matters against Russia.
• Geneva Arbitration & Dispute Resolution (Baker McKenzie Geneva): Baker McKenzie's international arbitration practice, with strong Geneva presence and competing for ICSID/UNCITRAL mandates. Represents an alternative for clients seeking global-firm arbitration counsel.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/gaillard-banifatemi-shelbaya-disputes

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles15 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Gaillard Banifatemi Shelbaya Disputes