Stuart Dutson
Partner
Stuart is a leading international arbitration expert, guiding clients through complex disputes in TMT, energy, and infrastructure sectors.
Partner
Stuart is a leading international arbitration expert, guiding clients through complex disputes in TMT, energy, and infrastructure sectors.
Language - English
Jurisdictions - England & Wales, Australia
Stuart Dutson is a seasoned partner in the International Arbitration team, renowned for his strategic guidance in high-stakes commercial and investment treaty disputes. With over 25 years of experience, Stuart supports clients defending or prosecuting claims across diverse sectors including TMT, energy, infrastructure, aviation, and financial services. Stuart also acts for and against States and State-owned entities before the leading dispute resolution forums and arbitration institutions.
His global reach spans England, mainland Europe, Asia, the Middle East, Africa, and Australia, making him a trusted advisor for businesses navigating international arbitration challenges. Stuart's expertise lies in ensuring clients receive tailored solutions that align with their strategic goals.
Stuart's clients benefit from his ability to transform intricate legal matters into actionable strategies, enabling them to focus on their core business objectives.
His reputation for excellence and commitment to client success makes him a sought-after advisor in the international commercial arbitration and investment treaty disputes fields. Stuart is recommended in Legal 500 and Chambers (for 17 years) for international arbitration and public international law and is a member of the Legal 500 International Arbitration Hall of Fame.
Prior to Stephenson Harwood, Stuart led the International Arbitration teams at both Simmons and Simmons and Eversheds. He has also held positions in the Ministry of Justice, Malawi as State Advocate and the London School of Economics as a Fellow. Stuart acts as Chair or Arbitrator under the ICC, LCIA, UNCITRAL arbitration rules. Stuart was Malawi's State Advocate based in Lilongwe in 2000-2001 and he is an emeritus member of the ICC Court of Arbitration.
Stuart has a PhD in private international law and public international law from the University of Cambridge. His practice includes international commercial arbitration, investment treaty arbitration and public International law disputes. The sectors he works in include energy, natural resources and infrastructure, financial services, health sciences, and aviation.
Investor State dispute successfully defending Indonesia
Successfully defended Indonesia in an investment treaty claim brought by an Indian investor under the Indonesia-India BIT for over $500M in respect of mining licences on Borneo.
Investor State dispute successfully suing Central European state
Successfully represented a Dutch global telecoms company in claims under a multilateral investment treaty, the host state's investment laws and general principles of public International law
Investor State dispute defending the enforcement of ECT, ICSID, BIT awards
Represented Spain in defending against the enforcement of investment treaty awards against Spain's assets in the UK.
Investor State dispute successfully enforcing an award in the UK
Representing a European investor in successfully enforcing an ICSID award against Hungary in the English courts.
ICC arbitration concerning the cancellation of supply contracts
Representing Vattenfall a multinational renewables energy producer, against one the world’s leading providers of equipment for renewables projects in an ICC arbitration concerning the cancellation of supply contracts in relation to one of the largest offshore wind projects globally and the subsequent losses and damages suffered by the client. The relevant agreements are governed by English law and the arbitration is seated in London.
Scatec
Representing Scatec, a Scandinavian renewable energy producer, in 4 LCIA arbitrations under English law governed supply contracts with a Chinese global supplier of renewables products. The contracts are governed by English law and relate to huge solar power farms based in Central America. Damages claimed are in excess of $20m.
Fraud and conspiracy allegations
Successfully represented a leading international bank based in the UK in relation to claims made against it of fraud and conspiracy regarding the sale of its shares in an ICC arbitration governed by English law and seated in London. Successfully defeated the arbitration at the initial stages relying upon limitation defences.
High Court proceedings relating to the sale of an aircraft
Successfully represented Hi Fly Limited in defence of claims brought against it by SATA arising out of the sale of an aircraft, these were High Court proceedings in which he successfully argued for and obtained rectification of an English law tripartite contract such that the client defeated the claim made against it and was able to counterclaim successfully.
Pan-African telecommunications company
Representing a pan-African telecommunications company against an African State in an UNCITRAL arbitration in London concerning the State’s attempts to enforce security over shares in the privatised fixed line telephone operator. The dispute related to the accounts of the target company
