Sophie J. Lamb KC is a leading international disputes lawyer with over 25 years of experience in international arbitration, complex cross-border litigation and investment treaty disputes.
Renowned for her strategic leadership and advocacy, Lamb regularly acts for boards of public companies, sovereign states, private equity houses and major corporates across the energy, technology, mining, infrastructure and life sciences sectors. She is widely recognized for her ability to navigate politically sensitive, multijurisdictional matters and has appeared as counsel in some of the most significant and high-profile disputes in recent years, including in proceedings before the U.K. Supreme Court and all major arbitral forums.
Lamb’s practice encompasses the full spectrum of international arbitration (commercial and investment treaty), public international law, class actions, parent company and corporate litigation, and climate and ESG-related disputes. She has acted as counsel under all principal institutional rules, including UNCITRAL, LCIA, ICC, ICSID, HKIAC, SIAC, AAA-ICDR and Swiss Rules. Lamb is frequently sought after for her extensive experience in disputes involving complex contractual structures, regulatory issues and market-shaping events.
Lawdragon Honors
| Honor | Year | Practice |
|---|---|---|
| The 2026 Lawdragon 500 Leading Global Litigators | 2026 | International Arbitration |
| The 2025 Lawdragon 500 Leading Global Litigators | 2025 | International Arbitration |
| The 2024 Lawdragon 500 Leading Global Litigators | 2024 | International Arbitration |
| Lawdragon 500 Leading Global Litigators | 2023 | International Arbitration |
| The Lawdragon Global Litigation 500 | 2021 | International Arbitration |
Lamb’s experience prior to joining Skadden includes:
International Arbitration
- Mason Capital Partners in a landmark investment treaty arbitration against the Republic of Korea under KORUS, following revelations of government corruption in connection with a proposed merger between prominent Korean conglomerates; Ms. Lamb successfully resisted set-aside proceedings in the Singapore International Commercial Court, leading to favourable settlement
- a sovereign party in an investor-state dispute concerning a bank rescue program
- Ipek Investments in investor-state arbitration and related corporate litigation in the English courts against Turkey, following the expropriation of a gold mine and other high-value assets
Complex Commercial Litigation and Class Actions
- Shell plc and Shell Petroleum Development Company in a landmark ESG class action and parent company defense before the U.K. Supreme Court, including the jurisdictional phase of Nigerian oil spill mass tort class actions
- Total Energies in a Paris Agreement-based judicial review by Friends of the Earth, seeking to block U.K. Government credit support for a $20 billion LNG project in Mozambique
Energy, Mining and Infrastructure
- the Angolan national oil company in multibillion-dollar unfair prejudice actions and related litigation in Hong Kong
- a U.S. drilling company in an LCIA arbitration seated in London, with parallel proceedings in the Saudi courts and ancillary proceedings in the English courts
- as counsel in a dispute over the commissioning of an onshore LNG terminal in the Philippines
Health Care and Life Sciences
- a Colombian distributor in a long-term distribution and commercialization agreement dispute with a leading biotechnology firm
Heavy Industry and Technology
- a multinational conglomerate in various gas turbine and aviation engine-related disputes with customers and partners
- a national airline carrier in a defective helicopter gear engine dispute with an airline company following the prolonged grounding of its entire fleet
- a Japanese automotive group in the unwinding of a technology transfer venture
High-Net-Worth and Asset Recovery
- the estate of a prominent Georgian billionaire in trusts, estates and asset identification proceedings in the U.K., Gibraltar, Cayman Islands and British Virgin Islands
- an ultra-high-net-worth individual in divorce, joint venture and asset protection proceedings across multiple jurisdictions