Curtis New York Partner Leads Brussels Expansion

Curtis, Mallet-Prevost, Colt & Mosle LLP announced today that Simon Batifort, a partner in the Firm’s international arbitration and public international law groups, will relocate from New York to Brussels at the end of May 2021 to establish a new Curtis office. The new office, which will be fully integrated with Curtis’ worldwide platform, will focus initially on investment treaty arbitration, international commercial arbitration, and public international law, with plans to expand its offering to include international trade and other practices.

“Opening in the heart of the European Union is a natural next step for Curtis,” said George Kahale, III, the Firm’s Chairman and head of the international arbitration group. “Brussels is a strategic location for several of our practice areas and it will enhance Curtis’ established European presence. Simon came up through the ranks in our New York headquarters where he has represented key clients in many high-profile international arbitrations and has significantly contributed to the development of our practice. He is one of the most talented and driven international lawyers of his generation and the ideal person to lead this expansion.”

Charles Buderi, a London-based partner who heads Curtis’ public international law group, noted: “Our new Brussels office will deepen our public international law and international arbitration offerings in the EMEA region. I’ve worked closely with Simon over the last few years and I’m delighted that he will be bringing his experience and energy to this side of the Atlantic.”

“After 10 years practicing in New York, I’m excited and grateful for this opportunity to lead Curtis’ latest expansion,” said Batifort. “Brussels is a major policy hub for international economic law and investor-State dispute settlement and is perfectly situated at the crossroads of several key jurisdictions for international arbitration and public international law. I look forward to further developing our leading practices in these areas from the ‘capital of Europe’.”

Dual-qualified in Paris and New York, Batifort has represented States, State-owned entities, and private companies in many commercial and investment treaty arbitrations, including in securing the largest annulment in ICSID history in Venezuela Holdings v. Venezuela, obtaining the dismissal of a US$2.76 billion investment treaty claim in Khadamat v. Saudi Arabia, and defending the Republic of India in the quantum phase of Deutsche Telekom v. India. He is also an Adjunct Professor at Brooklyn Law School and a Member of the Executive Council of the American Society of International Law (ASIL). Global Arbitration Review’s sister publication, Who’s Who Legal: Future Leaders, has repeatedly recognized Batifort as one of the “Most Highly Regarded” international arbitration partners under 45 in the Americas, including in its 2021 edition.

Curtis' expansion in Brussels has been featured in leading legal media, including:

• Decideurs
• Global Arbitration Review
• Global Legal Post
• Law.com International
• Lexgo.be