Overview
(June 16, 2026, London) – Steptoe announced today that Professor Loukas Mistelis, a globally recognized leader in international arbitration and investment treaty law, has joined the firm as a partner in its International Disputes practice in London.
Loukas combines a strong academic background with decades of experience advising and representing clients in complex, high-value disputes. His practice covers both international commercial arbitration and investor–state arbitration, where he has acted as expert, counsel and arbitrator in significant and sensitive matters before major arbitral institutions worldwide, including ICC, ICSID, LCIA, PCA, UNCITRAL, SCC, DIAC, and others.
Loukas' work covers disputes involving states, state-owned entities, and multinational corporations across Europe, the Americas, the Middle East, Africa, and Asia, with strength in sectors such as energy, infrastructure, finance, aviation, construction, defense, mining, and natural resources. His investor–state experience complements a substantial commercial arbitration practice, giving him a uniquely comprehensive perspective on cross-border disputes.
"Loukas is one of the most respected figures in international arbitration globally," said Amy Lentz, Steptoe's International Disputes practice leader. "His ability to combine top-tier academic insight with extensive practical experience across both commercial and investor–state disputes significantly enhances our offering to clients facing their most complex, high-stakes matters."
In parallel with his practice, Loukas is the Clive Schmitthoff Professor of Transnational Commercial Law and Arbitration at the Centre for Commercial Law Studies, Queen Mary University of London. In this role, he has served as Director of its School of International Arbitration and played a central part in shaping modern arbitration scholarship and training generations of arbitration practitioners, reinforcing his standing as both a thought leader and hands-on practitioner in the field.
"I am delighted to join Steptoe and its outstanding international disputes team," said Loukas. "The firm's strong global platform, combined with its excellence across both commercial and investor–state arbitration, makes it an ideal fit for my practice and my clients, I am particularly pleased that all my key clients are following me to Steptoe."
Loukas serves on the Board of Trustees of the Cairo Regional Centre for International Commercial Arbitration (CRCICA), is a member of the Saudi Center for Commercial Arbitration (SCCA) Court, and sits on the panels of numerous leading arbitral institutions.
About Steptoe
In more than 110 years of practice, Steptoe has earned an international reputation for vigorous representation of clients and innovative thinking before governmental agencies, successful advocacy in litigation and arbitration, and creative and practical advice in structuring business transactions. Steptoe has more than 500 lawyers and other professional staff across offices in Beijing, Brussels, Chicago, Hong Kong, Houston, London, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, and Washington, DC. For more information, visit www.steptoe.com.
