Preeti Bhagnani
Biography
Overview
Preeti Bhagnani is a partner in White & Case's top-ranked international arbitration practice. She assists private and sovereign clients around the world in resolving high-stakes disputes effectively and efficiently. With nearly two decades of experience in commercial and investment treaty arbitration, she has handled dozens of arbitrations under all major arbitration rules (including ICC, AAA/ICDR, SIAC, UNCITRAL, LCIA and ICSID Rules).
Preeti's practice spans a broad range of sectors (including energy, mining, insurance and reinsurance, life sciences, technology and telecommunications, real estate development, water supply, and construction). She counsels clients in disputes involving M&As, joint ventures, shareholder agreements, licensing and collaboration agreements and manufacturing, supply and distribution agreements, as well as strategic drafting of dispute resolution clauses and investment treaty planning.
She has been recognized for her "diligent" and "commercial approach," and for having a "major tier-one arbitration practice focused on the life sciences" (Who's Who Legal). She has been recognized in The Best Lawyers in America (International Arbitration – Commercial) and by the Lawdragon 500 as a Leading Global Litigator.
Preeti previously worked as a legal counsel at one of the world's leading energy companies, where she led the negotiation and structuring of cross-border project agreements and advised on foreign investment and strategic business issues in the energy value chain. She has developed a client-focused perspective and has successfully secured early and favorable negotiated resolutions of several disputes.
She maintains an active international law pro bono practice, and has led international arbitration capacity building training in Africa and advised on public international law issues related to the international war crimes, peace agreements and transitional justice.
Preeti is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators. She is listed on the ICDR Panel of Arbitrators and accepts appointments as arbitrator.
She has served in a number of leadership and advisory roles in the international legal community, including serving as a delegate of the US National Committee to the ICC Commission on Arbitration. She also has served on the ICC Task Force on Disability Inclusion in International Arbitration, the International Institute for Conflict Prevention and Resolution's (CPR) Task Force on Arbitrating Life Science Disputes, Law360's 2024 Editorial Advisory Board for International Arbitration, the Advisory Board of the Institute for Transnational Arbitration, the New York International Arbitration Center's Program Committee, the Board of the International Center for Dispute Resolution Young & International, and the Steering Committee for Columbia Law School's Alumni Association in International Arbitration. She is the past North America Representative of the London Court of International Arbitration (LCIA) Young and International Arbitration Group and the Asia-Pacific Forum for International Arbitration.
Preeti holds degrees in New York law, English law and Singapore law and is qualified to practice in New York and Singapore.
Experience
Representative experience by sector*
Energy and power
ICSID arbitration concerning an electric power company in Grenada (Grenada Private Power Limited and WRB Enterprises, Inc. v. Grenada, ICSID Case No. ARB/17/13)
Canadian Province in UNCITRAL arbitration against multinational oil companies in connection with a gas development project
Billon-euro ICSID arbitration concerning a fuels distribution company in Bulgaria (Energy Charter Treaty)
State-owned oil company in a dispute against a multinational oil and gas company related to shipping and marketing of LNG cargoes (ICC Rules, under New York law)
Global investment firm in a dispute under an LLC Agreement concerning a natural gas transportation joint venture (AAA Rules seated in Houston under Delaware and Texas laws)
Malaysian independent power producers in KLRCA arbitrations against a national utility company concerning long term power purchase agreements
Various ad hoc Bermuda insurance coverage arbitrations concerning liability for oil and chemical pollution (seated in London under New York law)
Mining and metals
Hong Kong mining company in a multi-billion-dollar investment treaty dispute over tax measures concerning a copper mining project in Peru.
UNCITRAL Rules arbitration concerning a joint venture to develop a mining facility in the Philippines (seated in Singapore under Philippine law)
Life Sciences
US pharmaceutical company in ICDR arbitration against a French pharmaceutical company concerning a manufacturing services and supply agreement (seated in New York under Massachusetts law)
ICDR arbitration relating to a medical device collaboration and licensing agreement (seated in New York under New York law)
A European biotechnology company in a dispute concerning a development and licensing agreement and related manufacturing and supply agreements (seated in New York under New York law)
JAMS arbitration under a collaboration and supply agreement concerning supply of a drug for clinical trials (seated in Boston under New York law)
Technology and telecommunications
European telecommunications company in ICC arbitration concerning indemnities in a Share Purchase Agreement (seated in New York under New York law)
US multinational technology company in ICC arbitration against a European multinational telecommunications company arising out of a cross-license agreement concerning mobile devices and network infrastructure equipment (seated in New York under New York law)
Global telecommunications company in a dispute concerning antitrust regulatory measures in Indonesia.
Post M&A disputes
A FTSE 250 listed global professional services business in an ICC arbitration related to the acquisition of a US based alternatives fund administrator (seated in New York under New York law)
ICC arbitration between two Latin American companies arising out of the sale of a retail business (seated in New York under New York law)
AAA arbitration arising out of the sale of a Swedish industrial technology solutions company (under Swedish and Ohio laws)
UNCITRAL Rules arbitration arising out of the sale of a glass production company (seated in Singapore under Singapore law)
Other matters
ICSID arbitration concerning a large-scale desalination plant in Mexico (Netherlands-Mexico BIT)
ICSID arbitration concerning a real estate development project in Bulgaria (Israel-Bulgaria BIT)
Leading investment firm in LCIA arbitration concerning breach of Aircraft leases and Aircraft repossessions (seated in London under English law)
Leading investment firm in ICDR arbitration concerning breach of Aircraft leases and Aircraft repossessions (seated in New York under New York law).
Ad hoc arbitration of reinsurance coverage dispute (seated in London under New York law)
ICSID arbitration concerning two cement plants in Uzbekistan (Uzbekistan-Kazakhstan BIT)
ICDR arbitration concerning contracts for the supply of advanced sapphire furnaces (seated in New York under New York law)
SIAC arbitration concerning a cable tunnel project (seated in Singapore under Singapore law)
*Includes matters handled at a previous firm
Global Dispute Trends and Strategies for Effective Resolution in Life Sciences Disputes, 10th Annual IBA World Life Sciences Conference, May 2024 (Moderator)
Procedural Toolkit for Efficient and Cost-Effective Arbitration, Columbia Arbitration Day 2024, March 2024 (Panelist)
Enforcement Challenges in International Arbitration, 10th Harvard International Arbitration conference, February 2024 (Panelist)
Domestic and International Life Sciences Arbitration Conference, December 2023 (Panelist)
International Arbitration and Corporate Governance, Rock Center for Corporate Governance and the Stanford International Arbitration Association Webinar, November 2023 (Panelist)
Seventeenth Annual Investment Treaty Arbitration JURIS Conference, Washington DC, October 2023
Seventeenth Annual Investment Treaty Arbitration JURIS Conference, October 2023 (Panelist)
"International arbitration and the life sciences sector," GAR Live: New York 2023 (Panelist)
Trainer, International Commercial and Investment Arbitration Practitioner Training for Office of Attorney General and Department of Justice, Kenya (March 2023)
"How to Prepare for and Conduct Cross-examination of an Expert," Young MUTE OFF Thursdays, September 2022
"Arbitration in 2 Worlds: U.S. and Brazilian Perspectives on the Future of International Arbitration," August 2022 (Panelist)
"Energy Transition and Regulatory Risk: What you Need to Know About Investment Treaty Protections," 68th Annual Institute, the Foundation for Natural Resources and Energy Law
"Damages, Valuation, and Costs in International Arbitration," University of Pennsylvania International Arbitration Conference, April 2022
"Getting It Right – Choosing the Right Arbitrator," CPR Program for New York Arbitration Week, November 2021
"Case Management Conferences," ARBinBRIEF Episode 3, November 2021
"Confidentiality, Transparency, and In-Person Hearings – Does a right to an In-person Hearing Exist in International Arbitration?" Columbia Arbitration Day Debate, March 2021
"Resilience in Times of Crisis: A Look Beyond New York's Borders," Young International Arbitration Practitioners of New York Program for New York Arbitration Week, November 2020
"NYIAC Talks Podcast: Spotlight on Life Sciences Disputes—Deep Diving into Types of Agreements," October 2020
"Legal, Regulatory and Ethics Developments," Litigation Finance Dealmakers Forum, October 2020
"Strategic Considerations in Obtaining Discovery in Aid of Arbitration under Section 1782 in the U.S.," MUTE OFF Thursdays, October 2020
"NYIAC Virtual Talks Series: Spotlight on Life Sciences Disputes, Episode 1: Foundational Elements," NYIAC webinar, September 2020
"Artificial Intelligence and the Changing Face of International Arbitration", ICDR Y&I webinar, July 2020
"The Road to 'Business As Usual' for America's Pharma Industry," White & Case Client Webinar, June 2020
"Potential Investor-State Claims and COVID-19, with a special focus on South Asia", South Asian Bar Association (SABA) of North America, June 2020
"Legislative Changes during COVID-19 - A Transnational Perspective on its Commercial Impact," NKM Law Chambers and the Asia-Pacific Forum for International Arbitration, June, 2020
"Damages in Early-State Investments", ICC Young Arbitrators Forum, February 2020
"Rising Stars: Perspectives from a New Generation of Practitioners," Harvard International Arbitration Conference, February 2020
"This House Believes that Arbitral Tribunals Should Regulate Ethical Conduct in International Arbitration," NYIAC Talks, November 2019 (Debater)
"Past, Present, and Future of the Equal Representation in Arbitration Pledge" New York University School of Law, April 2018
"Private Sector Career Symposium Dispute Resolution Panel," Columbia Law School, February 2018
"Best Practices in International Arbitration and Recent Developments," ICDR Y&I Seminar, Harvard Law School, October 2016
"JAMS unveils new arbitration rules for artificial intelligence disputes," 2024 (Co-author)
CPR Manual for Mitigating Risk in Life Sciences Transactions, 2023 (Editor and Co-author of Chapters on Term and Termination)
"Reflections on the Progressive Development of Investment Arbitration to Meet Climate Change and ESG Imperatives," in Pro-Arbitration Revisited: A Tribute to Professor George Bermann From His Students Over The Years (Book Chapter author)
"Strong Medicine: Using Investment Treaties to Mitigate Foreign Regulatory Risk in the Life Sciences," White & Case LLP, November 2022 (Co-author)
"Energy Transition and Regulatory Risk: What you Need to Know About Investment Treaty Protections," 68th Annual Institute Proceedings, the Foundation for Natural Resources and Energy Law (Co-author)
United States Country Rapporteur for "Local Requirements for the Extension of an Arbitration Clause To, and Enforcement of an Arbitral Award Against, a Non-Signatory," IBA Subcommittee on the Recognition and Enforcement of Foreign Arbitral Awards, August 2021
"The Year in Review: an Annual Survey of International Legal Developments and Publication of the ABA/Section of International Law," 2020 and 2021 (United States contributor)
"Trends in International Commercial Arbitration Damages Awards: Insights from the 2020 Queen Mary / PwC Study," New York Dispute Resolution Lawyer, April 2021, Vol. 14, No. 1 (Co-author)
"The 2021 ICDR Arbitration Rules, Co-Author, White & Case LLP," March 2021
"Second Circuit Confirms That § 1782 Discovery Does Not Extend To Private International Commercial Arbitrations," White & Case LLP, July 2021 (Co-author)
"Revisiting the Countermeasures Defense in Investor-State Disputes: Approach and Analogies," Yearbook on International Investment Law & Policy, 2013-¬2014
"The EU's Proposal for an Investment Court System: The ABA Investment Treaty Working Group Weighs In," Young ICCA Blog (Co-author)
"Highlights of the Draft SIAC Arbitration Rules 2016," AFIA Blog (Co-author)
Shortlisted for Commercial Arbitration Lawyer of the Year, Women in Business Law Americas Awards, 2024
Who's Who Legal - Future Leaders, 2021-2024
The Best Lawyers in America, International Arbitration – Commercial (2024)
Lawdragon's Global Litigation 500, 2021-2024
