Surya Gopalan
Biography
Overview
Surya Gopalan is a member of the Firm's International Arbitration Group, based in New York. He advises and represents sovereign states and private clients in high-stakes disputes across the world. His clients operate in a wide range of industries, including energy, mining and natural resources, infrastructure, financial services, insurance, and telecommunications. He also regularly advises clients on investment protection, including in the context of complex multi-party and cross-border agreements.
Surya is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators and a Fellow of the Australian Centre for International Commercial Arbitration. He serves as Secretary of the Arbitration Committee of the International Institute for Conflict Prevention and Resolution, and previously served as a member of the New York City Bar Association's International Commercial Disputes Committee and International Law Committee. He is a member of the Hydrogen Taskforce of the Association of International Energy Negotiators.
Prior to joining White & Case, Surya practiced at another leading international law firm in New York, where he focused on international arbitration, complex commercial litigation in U.S. state and federal courts, and government investigations.
Experience
Representative experience in arbitration matters includes acting for or advising:
The Republic of Korea in an UNCITRAL arbitration under the U.S./Korea Free Trade Agreement arising out of an investment in Samsung shares (Mason v. Korea).
The Republic of Korea in an arbitration under the Swiss/Korea Bilateral Investment Treaty (Schindler v. Korea).
A Brazilian oil and gas explorer in ICC arbitration against a Singaporean construction firm arising from allegations of bribery and corruption (ICC, New York law, New York seat).
A European aeronautical engineering firm in potential ICC arbitration against its joint venture partner concerning breaches of development and production sharing arrangements (ICC, New York law, New York seat).
A Latin American oil services company in an ICC arbitration in New York in dispute with a joint venture partner over the operation of two drilling rigs, and involving parallel proceedings in the U.S., Brazil and the BVI (ICC, New York law, Singapore seat).
A Bermuda insurer in an ad hoc arbitration over first party claims arising out of an explosion at a Syrian power plant (New York law, London seat).
A Brazilian state-owned bank in ICC arbitration against a European telecommunications company arising out of a joint venture for the provision of banking technology services in Brazil (ICC, Brazilian law, New York seat).
A Latin American telecommunications company in ICDR arbitration with its joint venture partner (ICDR, New York law, New York seat).
A property developer in AAA arbitration and related enforcement proceedings concerning a dispute with its joint venture partner (AAA, Delaware law, New York seat).
An investor in UNCITRAL arbitration against the state of Ecuador arising out of a public works contract (Geneva seat, Ecuadorian law).
