Corina Lefter

Corina is an associate in the Global Commercial Disputes Group in London, advising global clients on international arbitration, commercial litigation and cross-border investigations.

Corina’s core practice focuses on international commercial and investor-state arbitration in the oil and gas, mining, energy, food & beverage and hospitality sectors. She has worked on several commercial, investment, and construction disputes arising under the UNCITRAL, ICSID, ICC, LCIA and SCAI arbitration rules. She advises clients on pre-action strategies, initiation of arbitration proceedings, nomination of arbitrators, written phases, instructions to industry experts, disclosure processes and final hearings. Corina also has experience of set aside applications, enforcement of awards, and English High Court proceedings under the Arbitration Act 1996.

Corina’s recent work also involves advising global clients on cross-border investigations, often relating to allegations of bribery and corruption. She has managed allegations of misconduct and compliance breaches through proactive advice and efficient internal investigations.

Corina is leading one of the most successful pro bono initiatives at Reed Smith, a partnership between the firm and Kids in Need of Defense UK (KIND). The project enables teams of Reed Smith volunteers to take on end-to-end immigration cases of undocumented children with a right to remain in the UK. Corina’s pro bono efforts were recognised both internally and externally, having been awarded Reed Smith’s Sean Halpin Pro Bono Star of the Year Award in 2020, an Honourable Mention for Outstanding Pro Bono Service at Reed Smith in 2019 and a High Commendation for the KIND work at the 2019 Law Society Excellence Awards.

Corina has developed a wide range of experience in diverse practice areas and industries, having trained in Reed Smith’s International Arbitration, Energy & Natural Resources, Corporate and Emerging Technology Groups. Prior to joining Reed Smith, she also gained experience in the international arbitration group of a US law firm in London and at the International Bar Association. Corina is an alumnus of the Willem C Vis International Commercial Arbitration Moot (University of Vienna team) and a former coach of the London School of Economics team in this mooting competition.

Experience

Representative matters

Acted for a global operator in the food and beverage travel industry in connection with two SCAI arbitrations brought by two Swiss-based restaurant brands in disputes arising from license agreements for the operation of branded food and beverage units in airports and railway stations

Acted for a South Asian state-owned power purchaser in an ICC arbitration brought by an independent electricity power plant provider, relating to the continuity of power supply arising out of a Power Purchase Agreement, with claims and counter-claims in dispute worth hundreds of million dollars

Acted for an investor in the luxury residential resort sector in initiating arbitration proceedings under the ICC Rules against a majority shareholder in a South-European island resort for breaches under an option agreement and an asset management agreement; acted in subsequent settlement agreements

Acted for an Indian subsidiary of a leading steel and mining company in an LCIA arbitration relating to the purchase of high grade steel slabs from a global steel trader

Acted for a CIS State in set-aside proceedings of an UNCITRAL award before the English court and defended award enforcement proceedings against that State

Advised a U.S. life sciences and medical devices multinational corporation with an FCPA-related internal investigation of potential bribery, misconduct and compliance breaches in Romania

Advised a U.S. life sciences and medical devices multinational corporation in an investigation into alleged corporate misconduct in one of its Asian subsidiaries

Acted for the Republic of Kazakhstan in a dispute relating to uranium in World Wide Minerals Ltd and Mr Paul A. Carroll, QC v. Republic of Kazakhstan, an UNCITRAL arbitration

Advised a global leader in drilling services in an ICC arbitration arising out of a dispute under a contract for transportation of oversized loads by road in the United States and Canada

Advised the Republic of Kazakhstan in a multi-million pound ICSID arbitration brought against it by two Canadian gold mining companies, Alhambra Resources Ltd. and Alhambra Cooperatief U.A. v. Republic of Kazakhstan (ICSID Case No. ARB/16/12)

Acting for the respondent in Big Sky Energy Corporation v. Republic of Kazakhstan (ICSID case no. ARB/17/22), an ICSID arbitration in the oil and gas sector.

Advised a claimant investor on a potential investment treaty arbitration against a Middle Eastern state arising out of a construction dispute

Advised a claimant investor on an investment treaty arbitration against a European state arising out of a licensing dispute

Advised an international engineering Contractor in relation to disputes relating to the design and supply of signalling and train control systems for an Asian rail project

Advising a European high-net-worth individual and its group of investment vehicles in relation to disputes arising from large investments made in a social networking platform, with proceedings initiated in three jurisdictions

Recognitions

Reed Smith Pro Bono Star of the Year for coordinating the firm’s work with Kids in Need of Defense UK (2020)
Highly Commended for Excellence in Pro Bono at the 2019 Law Society Excellence Awards for partnership between Reed Smith (alongside four law firms) and Kids in Need of Defense UK
Reed Smith Sean Halpin Honourable Mention for Outstanding Pro Bono Service (2019)