Life in International Arbitration

Associates Isabelle Wenger and Ellen Dixon, along with Trainee Phoenix Gay, share their experiences in the International Arbitration team and reflect on their paths into law.

What attracted you to a career in law?

IW: A trip to the Hague as part of my school’s Model United Nations programme gave me an opportunity to visit the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia and watch parts of the trial of Ratko Mladić, who was charged with committing war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide during the Bosnian War. I remember looking at the judges, the lawyers, the people doing the work, and thinking: I don't want to just sit here and watch this, I want to be in there and be part of it. And that one moment sparked something that would shape everything I did next. One minute, I was pretending to represent the USA and 12 years later I am an international arbitration lawyer.

ED: My path to law was not obvious. I initially pursued careers as an international springboard diver and a doctor. A school visit from a family lawyer highlighted the opportunities that practising law held for me. Inspired by Tom Bingham’s The Rule of Law, I fell in love with the logic, pragmatism and nuances associated with being a lawyer. Debating, public speaking and attending Court, where I was blown away by the judges' skill, led me to study law at the University of Bristol. Ultimately, law requires ongoing study and innovation – as someone who is curious, analytical and driven, I am at my best when working as a lawyer. 

PG: I was always drawn to law by the discipline of it - the way words could be sharpened into arguments, and arguments could change outcomes. Law felt like the place where thinking hard actually mattered, where precision had consequences, and where curiosity could be put to work to move real lives in real directions. I won a place to the University of Bristol, where I was fortunate to study law on a scholarship and honed my skills through mooting: hours of legal research distilled into minutes of oral advocacy to test not just what I knew, but how clearly and persuasively I could think on my feet. That mix of intellectual challenge and human impact continues to hold my attention.

What does a typical day look like as an Associate in the Arbitration team?

ED: A "typical" day is rare as an international arbitration associate, which I enjoy. My day-to-day tasks depend on the number of cases that I am working on, the stage that they are at, any business development events that we are attending or hosting, and any emergency work, and may include calls or emails with our client and counsel discussing strategy, drafting letters to the other side to persuade or counter them on a point of law, and researching and preparing legal submissions such as applications to be filed before a Tribunal. I may also speak with expert witnesses, conduct witness proofing interviews, or prepare for and attend hearings. We work as a team to discuss strategy, usually comprising of a trainee, junior associate, senior associate, and partner.  

Are there are any particular work or team highlights that you can share?

ED: Two instances spring to mind. First, receiving my first arbitration award on a case where I had joined at its initiation as a trainee and completed it as a qualified associate. The team had dedicated hours of work to this case which had been particularly contentious, connecting with the client and counsel over two and a half years. This was the first time that we could read the Tribunal's decision on our legal arguments and we were thrilled to have great success. Second, as a trainee I aggressively reviewed the other side's privilege claims and prepared a successful privilege challenge, which armed our client with the information to request further documents and resulted in a favourable settlement for our client. This was the first time that I saw how my work affected the case and our client's business, giving me early confidence to continue thinking critically and independently with the support of my team.

PG: Two trainee experiences stand out. First, in my first month on the team, I drafted part of the Rejoinder in a major arbitration, going from barely knowing the case in any real depth to producing a section grounded in solid authority that ultimately formed part of the Rejoinder as filed. Seeing my work move from a blank page to the final pleading was deeply satisfying — it made the impact of good legal analysis feel immediate and real, and showed me how even junior contributions can meaningfully shape the record.

Second, while assisting with a pitch and proposal to an African government, one small detail in a task that seemed straightforward proved elusive: the correct address of the ambassador in London. What followed involved sending the courier twice, careful coordination with office services, clear communication, and a fair amount of persistence. Eventually the document reached its destination, and the ambassador subsequently arranged a meeting with us resulting in a formal proposal. That experience reinforced an important lesson: in law, precision matters at every level, and taking ownership of even the simplest tasks can create a marked difference. 

Is your work quite broad, or do you specialise in a particular area of International Arbitration?

IW: One of the great things about practising International Arbitration at Stephenson Harwood is that one day you are learning how oil pipelines are constructed on a seabed and the next day you are getting to grips with how the Islamic State invasion of Iraq impacted energy supplies in the region. We do everything from banking and finance to energy and infrastructure, shipping and aviation, technology and telecoms, and commodities. In terms of the type of arbitrations we do, these are predominantly commercial arbitrations, though we have a growing investor-State arbitration practice and we also do a lot of arbitration-related litigations and enforcement work. We are a geography-driven team; a lot of our instructions come from East and West Africa as well as the Far East and the Middle East. 

What made Stephenson Harwood stand out to you?

IW: Stephenson Harwood's unique focus on emerging markets, especially in Africa, appeals to me on a personal level as I was born and raised in Kenya. That cultural fluency is a fulfilling part of the work that I do. The arbitration partners and senior lawyers invest in your growth, give you meaningful responsibility early on, expect you to have a point of view, and back you in client‑facing roles. The culture is collaborative, open and unpretentious, and convinced me that Stephenson Harwood was a place where I could do meaningful work in emerging markets with a fantastic team behind me.

PG: Stephenson Harwood stood out to me because complex work genuinely starts early, and trainees are trusted to get stuck in straight away. The firm’s strength in both disputes and transactional work worldwide mirrors the kind of law that first drew me in — intellectually demanding, commercially grounded, and with an international focus. This is a people-first firm. Everyone here is understanding, helpful and friendly and no one is afraid to be themselves. There is a willingness to invest time in developing juniors. Partners, associates, and trainees share a single room, and this really makes it feel like a second home.  

How is Generative AI impacting the work you do day to day?

ED: Generative AI, including the firm’s own Generative AI model, SHarper AI, is ever-present in our work. I find it helpful for analytical tasks, reviewing large quantities of data and preparing chronologies, absorbing the information of multiple applications and drafting template applications, and assisting with disclosure by analysing what documents are marked as ‘relevant’.. However, all work prepared by Generative AI must be reviewed and while Generative AI is good at factual analysis, it is not creative nor does it think independently, meaning lawyers continue to drive legal innovation and work for our clients. It will be interesting to see how it is adopted in the international arbitration sector. The space is developing and I continue to follow the area with interest.

Are there any top tips you can share with prospective applicants?

IW:

• Pay attention to what excites you. You don’t need to know what department you will choose to qualify into in several years' time, but those little sparks of interest will help you pick the right firm for you.
• Be patient. It is fine to take your time deciding your career path, even if it is trial by error. I didn’t come from a family of lawyers and neither of my parents went to university so I had to figure out my path for myself, which included being patient when it didn't work out.
• Rejection hurts — but there’s always something to learn from it. I faced several rejections when applying for training contracts and barrister pupillages. When I finally took a step back to understand why I was being rejected and started putting real thought into each application, everything changed. The very next and only application I submitted led to me landing a place at my dream firm. The rest is history.

ED:

• Take time to consider why you want to practice law and value the non-law experiences that you have. If you have experience as an athlete, a musician, an academic, or otherwise, you have developed skills that will be a valuable asset in any application.
• Try not to be too concerned by preconceptions you may hold on how a lawyer should be. My colleagues are diverse with common traits of respect and integrity. The CEO of a law firm once approached me at a networking event because I was the only vacation schemer wearing colour – while a silly example, difference certainly does not mean that you do not fit the career.
• Present your authentic self in your applications and shout about your achievements. Applications and interviews are your opportunity to show why a law firm should want you working for them. It can feel awkward, but imagine you’re drafting the application on behalf of your best friend. Treat yourself as you would them.

PG: Preparation starts from small things. From being alert to commercial and political current affairs, to communicating with the people around you with persuasion and clarity, these all help to shape you as an outstanding candidate.

Regarding applications, first, read, reflect, and revise your personal statement. Focus on clarity, structure, and coherence. Second, a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. Apply early. Each application, successful or not, offers lessons that make you a stronger candidate over time.