Matthew Coleman

Associate

• mcoleman@steptoe.com
• vCard
• London Office

Matthew Coleman is a Senior Associate and Solicitor Advocate in the London office of Steptoe & Johnson practising in international arbitration, litigation, public international law and regulatory investigations.

Matthew’s arbitration and litigation experience is across a wide range of industries including banking & finance (including development finance), commodities, energy, infrastructure, media and mining, often concerning disputes arising out of transactions in developing and emerging markets. Many of Matthew’s cases involve multi-jurisdictional issues, and have been in favour of, or against, international companies or state agencies. Matthew has acted as counsel, advocate, and adviser on commercial and investment treaty arbitrations in the leading arbitration forums. Matthew has also appeared as counsel in the Courts of England.

His public international law practice has a particular emphasis on advising clients on the ways they can utilise public international law (including bilateral investment treaties) to minimise the effects of political risk when investing in countries where the perceived risk is high, and how clients can ensure that the treatment they receive is in accordance with that as set by public international law.

Matthew's regulatory practice has focused on fraud investigations.

Representative Matters

• Lead counsel to investors in respect of an investment dispute with a Government. ICSID arbitration (pending).
• Co-counsel to investors claiming against a state for alleged expropriation of property, a breach of the fair and equitable treatment standard and a failure to provide full security and protection in breach of a bilateral investment treaty. Funnekotter & Ors v Zimbabwe.  ICSID arbitration.
• Acting for an investor in relation to a $12 billion dollar freezing injunction against a state oil company in support of international arbitration. 
• Advising an investor claiming against a state for alleged expropriation of a business in breach of a bilateral investment treaty.
• Advising a state on its bilateral investment treaty programme.
• Advising a state in the negotiations for the investment chapter of its free trade agreement. 
• Lead counsel to a bank pursuing claims arising out of an alleged fraud concerning a trade finance transaction.  SCC arbitration.
• Lead counsel to a bank in proceedings concerning the breach of a loan agreement.  High Court England.
• Advising a carbon trading company claiming against an Indian company concerning carbon credit sales.  ICC arbitration.
• Lead counsel to shareholders in a shareholder dispute in relation to a commodities business.  Ad hoc arbitration under the UNCITRAL Arbitration Rules.
• Lead counsel to a satellite broadcaster in the Middle East and Africa in proceedings to obtain injunctions in England in support of foreign proceedings.  High Court England. 
• Advising a bank on how to structure its investments across six emerging economies in order to minimise the effects of political risk.
• Advising a mining company on expropriations.
• Responding to a request from the Serious Fraud Office acting on behalf of a state's Attorney-General. 

Select News & Events

• Matthew Coleman Quoted in Global Arbitration Review in relation to the non-ratification by South Africa of the ICSID treaty, 9 May 2008
• Funnekotter & Ors v Zimbabwe, an ICSID case in which Matthew Coleman is co-counsel, reviewed in Investment Treaty News, 30 October, 2007
• Matthew Coleman interviewed on Voice of Africa, 11 October 2007, Regarding Zimbabwe
• Matthew Coleman Quoted in Global Arbitration Review, 5 October 2007 - Regarding the claim brought against South Africa pursuant to the Italian and Benelux bilateral investment treaties
• Matthew Coleman Quoted in Global Arbitration Review, 17 August 2007 - Regarding Zimbabwe's Indigenisation Bill
• Matthew Coleman Quoted in Global Arbitration Review, 10 July 2007 - Regarding what Action British Investors May Take Against Zimbabwe
• Matthew Coleman Speaks at Chartered Institute of Arbitrators Conference, February 25, 2008
• Matthew Coleman Interviewed on Voice of Africa Regarding Zimbabwe, October 11, 2007

Publications

• South Africa's Bilateral Investment Treaties, Black Economic Empowerment and Mining: a Fragmented Meeting?
  February 2008, Business Law International
• Energy Dispute Resolution in Africa, co-authored with Thomas Sprange
  2007, The ICC UK Official Energy Handbook
• Arbitration Nations
  October 26, 2006, Legal Week

  This article analysed efforts made by African governments to encourage investment by entering into bilateral investment treaties and adopting arbitration legislation.

Professional Affiliations

• LCIA
• Chartered Institute of Arbitrators
• International Bar Association
• British Institute of International and Comparative Law