Alexander Leventhal is a Partner in Quinn Emanuel’s Paris office.
Trained in both common law and civil law jurisdictions, Alexander is an attorney at law (New York), an avocat à la Cour (Paris), and a solicitor (England & Wales). He works in English, French, Portuguese, Spanish, and Arabic.
Alexander has been recognized by The Best Lawyers in France: Ones to Watch International Arbitration; Euromoney’s Rising Stars for Commercial Arbitration; and Who’s Who Legal Future Leaders in Arbitration. According to Who’s Who Legal, peers and clients call Alexander “a brilliant lawyer with an impressive track record” and “a very thorough and wise lawyer,” noting that “he has a sharp mind and encyclopaedic knowledge of arbitration law.” Clients also commend the fact that “his practice is client focused and he is a great leader.” Alexander is a thought-leader in the field of arbitration, a topic on which he writes and speaks frequently. Alexander sits on the boards of Paris Place de l'Arbitrage, an association created to promote Paris as a seat of arbitration and the artificial intelligence (AI) working group of the Paris International Arbitration Chamber
Alexander has acted for clients under the Rules of the ICC, LCIA, ICSID, UNCITRAL, AAA, DIAC, SCAI, LMAA, and SCMA. His experience cuts across commercial, construction and investment arbitration.
Alexander’s broad commercial experience includes achieving a successful result for a telecommunications company in the sale of its business in an African company (English law, London seat); acting in Brazil’s most hotly contested M&A dispute (Brazilian law, São Paulo seat); acting for investment companies held by a relative of a former African head of state against an African state owned energy and mining company in the wake of a change of government (Angolan and English law; Paris and London seats); acting for a leading renewables manufacturer in a high-stakes defects dispute (New York law, Paris seat); acting for Mexico’s leading online gambling company in a high-stakes joint-venture dispute (Mexican law, London seat); acting for a European shipbuilder against a Libyan-state entity in respect of the sale of a cruise vessel for the son of Moammar Ghadaffi (English law, London seat); acting for a leading European energy company in a gas swap dispute (New York law, New York seat); and acting for Luxembourg-based fund in a high-stakes partnership dispute (Luxembourg law, Paris seat).
Alexander has acted for owners and contractors in construction disputes in relation to projects the Middle East and Latin America under English law as well as New York law, French law, Qatari law, Saudi law, and Brazilian law.
Alexander is particularly well-known for his expertise in investment arbitration. He helped lead the team in Hydro v. Albania that achieved a successful result on the merits as well as a landmark interim measures order ordering Albania to put an end to all criminal proceedings and withdraw its extradition request and INTERPOL Red Notice against certain claimants. Alexander is the author of the leading treatise Threading the Sovereign's Needle: A Philosophical Deconstruction of an Investor-State Tribunal's Authority to Award Interim Relief in Relation to Criminal Proceeding. He also drafted submissions on behalf of the European Federation of International Law and Arbitration (EFILA) to Working Group III of the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL).
In addition to acting in arbitrations, Alexander has acted in set aside proceedings before English, U.S., and French courts. He helped achieve a precedent-setting for a client in Dangelas and others v. Vietnam, in which the Paris Court of Appeal confirmed that arbitral tribunals could not imply additional terms in an arbitration agreement where such terms are not expressly provided.
Alexander also sits as arbitrator and founded the Rising Arbitrators Initiative, an organization providing support for arbitration practitioners receiving their first nominations as arbitrator that today numbers over 500 members.
- Counsel to the holding company of a Brazilian company in the largest joint venture arbitration in Brazil.
- Counsel to a Middle Eastern state energy company in a construction dispute regarding a gas facility.
- Counsel to a Middle Eastern state energy company in a construction dispute regarding gas transportation facility.
- Counsel to a European construction company in a Saudi law dispute regarding the construction of a petroleum facility.
- Counsel to a Luxembourg fund in a joint venture dispute.
- Counsel to a Mexican gambling company in a Mexican law, London-seated arbitration regarding a joint venture dispute.
- Counsel to an energy company in a dispute in relation to a gas swap transaction under the UNCITRAL Rules.
- Counsel to energy major in gas price review dispute under the ICC Rules.
- Counsel for a commodity trading company in a dispute under the SCAI Rules against a local agent.
- Counsel for an energy company in a commercial dispute with consortium members in respect to a gas exploration project off the coast of Africa under LCIA Rules.
- Counsel to project developer against equipment manufacturer in renewables dispute.
- Counsel to Hydro S.r.l in an arbitration against the Republic of Albania in an arbitration under the Italy-Albania BIT, which led to the first ever provisional measures order enjoining a sovereign state to withdraw an Interpol Red Notice and extradition request and also led to a successful award on the merits.
- Counsel to Dr. Maya Dangelas and others against Vietnam in an investment arbitration under the UNCITRAL Rules arising out of the termination of a coal power plant project.
- Counsel for a major Middle Eastern contractor in respect to construction of the world’s largest LNG pipeline in the Middle East under the ICC Rules.
- Counsel for a major Middle Eastern contractor in respect to construction of hotel in Middle Eastern country under CRCICA Rules.
- Counsel to European construction major in relation to construction of energy facility in North Africa under ICC Rules.
- Counsel to European contractor in arbitration in relation to the construction of an infrastructure transportation project under the ICC Rules.
- Counsel to Dr. Maya Dangelas and ITACO against Vietnam regarding industrial park projects in an investment arbitration under the UNCITRAL Rules.
- Counsel for an African telecommunications company in a commercial dispute under the ICC Rules against its JV partners.
- Counsel to telecommunications investor in dispute arising out of termination of telecommunications license.
- Counsel to United Group in arbitration against the Republic of Serbia in ICSID Arbitration under the Netherlands-Serbia Treaty.
- Counsel to international telecommunications investor in dispute regarding sale of subsidiary in African country under the ICC Rules.
- Counsel for hotel operators in various arbitrations against hotel owners arising out of management agreements under the ICC and other rules.
- Counsel for UP Holding in annulment proceedings under the ICSID Convention against Hungary, leading to a favorable result.
- Counsel for B-Mex and various other U.S. claimants in a NAFTA ICSID Facility Rules investment treaty arbitration against the United Mexican States.
- Counsel to pharmaceutical company in claim under the ICC Rules arising out of a collaboration agreement.
- Counsel to pharmaceutical company in claim under the ICC Rules arising out of a licensing agreement.
- Counsel to an Indian sub-charter against charter in concurrent proceedings under the SCMA Rules.
- Counsel to French shipbuilder in ICC arbitration against national shipping company of North Africa under the ICC Rules.
- Counsel for various U.S. claimant investors in the Mexican company Oro Negro in a NAFTA UNCITRAL investment treaty arbitration against the United Mexican State.
- Counsel to owners of Cypriot Bank in arbitration against the Republic of Cyprus under the ICC Rules.
- Counsel to Brazilian bank in annulment proceedings before French courts.
- Counsel to European car manufacturers in disputes with suppliers and dealers.
- Counsel to European parts supplier in arbitration against Asian joint venture partner under ICC Rules.
- University of Pennsylvania Law School
(J.D., 2011) - Institut d’Etudes Politiques de Paris
(Master 2, 2011) - Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne
(Master 2, 2011) - Harvard University
(B.A., 2008)
- The New York State Bar
- The Paris Bar
- Solicitor, England and Wales
- English
- French
- Arabic
- Portuguese
- Spanish
- Recognized for International Arbitration, Transnational Litigation by Lawdragon in the 2025 Lawdragon 500 Leading Global Litigators
- Ranked by Chambers Global France – International Arbitration Up and Coming
- "Alexander Leventhal is a very active, up-and-coming lawyer in this area."
- "Alexander Leventhal is a very impressive lawyer."
- "Alexander Leventhal is a really good, smart counsel who analyses cases well."
- Recognized by Lexology Index: Arbitration, Global Thought Leader, 2025
- Recognized by Lexology Index: Arbitration, Recommended, 2025
- Ranked by The Best Lawyers in France: Ones to Watch International Arbitration, 2024, 2025
- Recognized by Euromoney’s Rising Stars for Commercial Arbitration, 2022
- Ranked in International Arbitration by The Best Lawyers in France: Ones to Watch, 2022, 2023
- Listed in Lexology (formerly Who’s Who Legal) Global Elite Thought Leaders Future Leaders in Arbitration, Under 45, 2024
- Listed in Lexology (formerly Who’s Who Legal) Future Leaders in Arbitration - Partners, 2021, 2022, 2023, and 2024
- “Alexander is an excellent arbitration practitioner in both commercial and investment arbitration”
- “His ability to simplify complex matters is second to none”
- “He really knows his stuff and works incredibly hard”
- “Alexander is able to keep his cool even in trying circumstances. His ability to simplify complex matters is second to none.”
- “He has an encyclopaedic knowledge of arbitration and contract law in the Americas, Middle East and Europe”
- 2018 CIArb (Singapore Branch) Competition
- 2018 CPR Y-ADR Award for Efficient and Effective Collaboration between Corporate Counsel and Outside Counsel
- Special Award, 2014 Young Arbitrators Match
Lectures
- Speaker, “Silence and Evidence”, XIX Rio International Arbitration Conference, 13 May 2025, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
- Moderator, “Ayudas de estado y arbitraje: ¿Choque de trenes? Protección de la inversión versus cambios regulatorios”, Open de Arbitraje, 8 May 2025, Madrid, Spain.
- Speaker, “Trends in Investment Arbitration”, EFILA Annual Conference, 29 April 2025, London, UK.
- Speaker, “Everything You Wanted To Know About Renewables Disputes”, Paris Arbitration Week, 10 April 2025,
- Moderator, “Saudi Arabia: The Next Hub for International Arbitration?”, Paris Arbitration Week, 8 April 2025.
- Speaker, “Developing a Career as Arbitrator”, Arbitral Women India, 26 February, 2025, Mumbai, India.
- Speaker, “Arbitrating in the MENA Region”, Rising Arbitrators Initiative, Dubai Arbitration Week, 10 November 2024, Dubai, UAE.
- Moderator, “Exploring Legal Frontiers in ADR and KSA”, Saudi Center for Commercial Arbitration Symposium, 16 November 2023, Dubai, U.A.E.
- Speaker, “Procurement Models and Dispute Resolution Approaches to Support the Energy Transition”, International Bar Association Annual Meeting, 1 November 2023, Paris, France.
- Presenter, “Almoço de Arbitralistas Lusófonos”, Rising Arbitrators Initiative, Congresso do CBAr, 22 September 2023, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
- Panelist, “Written and Oral Advocacy in Investment Arbitration”, ICDR Y&I Workshop, 29 July 2023, Athens, Greece.
- Speaker, “O que e quando revelar?”, 6ª Edição do Encontro de Arbitralistas Lusófonos, 29 March 2023, Paris, France.
- Speaker, “Economic Harm in International Arbitration”, NERA Consulting, 29 March 2023, Paris, France.
- Speaker, “Artificial Intelligence in International Arbitration”, Paris Arbitration Week, 28 March 2023, Paris, France.
- Panelist, “Climate Change and International Investment Law and Arbitration: Challenges and Uncertainties”, European Federation of Investment Law and Arbitration (EFILA) Annual Conference, 16 March 2023, Madrid, Spain.
- Speaker, “Next Frontiers in Renewable Energies and Arbitration”, Conflict Prevention and Resolution (CPR) Annual Conference, 1 March 2023, New Orleans, LA, USA.
- Speaker, “Challenges Facing Arbitration in the Middle East”, Saudi Center for Commercial Arbitration Symposium, 17 November 2022, Dubai, U.A.E.
- Moderator, “Arbitrating in the MENA Region: Dos and Don’ts”, Dubai Arbitration Week, 14 November 2022, Dubai, U.A.E.
- Speaker, “Bankruptcy & International Arbitration”, Mahmood Hussain Law Firm, 14 November 2022, Dubai, U.A.E.
- Panelist, “Experience with the Use of Damages Experts in Investment Arbitration”, 12th International Treaty Arbitration Conference, Czech Ministry of Finance, 20 October 2022, Prague, Czech Republic.
- Panelist, “The Future of International Arbitration”, ICC YAAF, 18 October 2022, Athens, Greece.
- Panelist, “Written and Oral Advocacy in Investment Arbitration”, ICDR Y&I Workshop, 28 July 2022, Athens, Greece.
- Moderator, “CPR Arbitration & Energy Program on Energy Transition Disputes”, Conflict Prevention and Resolution (CPR), 28 June 2022.
- Moderator, “Navigating the Challenges of a Career in Arbitration”, Italian Arbitration Day, 8 June 2022, Rome, Italy.
- Panelist, “The Next Generation: What Young and Rising Arbitrators Need to Know”, London International Disputes Week, 11 May 2022, London, U.K.
- Moderator, “Young ITA Talks UK and Continental Europe - After Brexit”, Young ITA, 11 December 2020.
- Moderator, “Arbitration and the Energy Transition”, European Federation of International Law and Arbitration (EFILA), 22 September 2020, Paris, France.
- Moderator, “Young ITA Talks Portugal, Brasil, e Europa: Olhares Cruzados Europa-Brasil: Um Bate-Papo sobre o Admirável Mundo Novo da Arbitragem”, Young ITA, 23 July 2020.
- Speaker, “A Tour Around the Arbitration World - Commonalities and Divergences in a Time of Disruption”, 32nd Annual ITA Workshop and Annual Meeting, 17 June 2020.
- Moderator, “The Future of Intelligence in International Arbitration – Artificial Intelligence & Arbitrator Intelligence”, Young ITA, 5 March 2020, Geneva, Switzerland.
- Speaker, “Tel Aviv Arbitration Day: Young Arbitration Practitioners’ Symposium”, Tel Aviv Arbitration Day, 4 March 2020, Tel Aviv, Israel.
- Moderator, “2019 – A Year in Review”, 16 January 2020, Paris, France.
- Speaker, “Young ICCA Skills Training Workshop on Document Management and Production in International Arbitration: Perspectives from Civil and Common Law” Young ICCA, 17 November 2019, Dubai, UAE.
- Moderator, “International Arbitration(s): Legal Culture and the Prague Rules”, CIArb, 3 April 2019, Paris, France.
- Speaker, “Ongoing Challenges to International Investment Arbitration,” Penn Law International Arbitration Conference, 22 March 2019, Philadelphia, PA.
- Moderator, “Arbitration and Mediation at a Crossroads”, CIArb YMG, 6 February 2019, Paris, France.
- Panelist, “2018 Year-In-Review”, Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (CIArb) Young Members Group (YMG), 19 December 2018, Paris, France.
- Speaker, “Mid-Year Meeting”, American Society of International Law (ASIL) 10 November 2018, Los Angeles, California.
- Faculty Member, “Young ICCA Skills Training Workshop on Cross-examination in International Arbitration”, ICCA, 14 September 2018, Brussels, Belgium.
- Speaker, “ICC YAF Event on Conflicts of Arbtirators”, Belgrade Arbitration Conference,” ICC YAF, 17 March 2018, Belgrade, Serbia.
- Panelist, “ICC YAF: The Global Supply Supply Chain of Arbitration: Is It a Saturated Profession?”, ICC YAF, Cambridge Arbitration Day, 2 March 2018, Cambridge, UK.
- Speaker, “International Arbitration, between Innovation & Tradition: Rethinking Cultural and Legal Diversity in Light of the Internationalization and Standardization of the Arbitration Practitioner,” Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (CIArb) Young Members Group (YMG), Annual Conference, 6 December 2017, Paris, France.
- Moderator, “Arbitrator’s Studio: Bernard Hanotiau,” Paris Very Young Arbitration Practitioners (PVYAP), 17 November 2016, Paris, France.
- Moderator, “Arbitrator’s Studio: Brigitte Stern,” PVYAP, 23 April 2015, Paris, France.
- Panelist, “Pathways into a Career in International Arbitration,” ICC Court Symposium, 30 March 2014, Vienna, Austria.
- Speaker, “The Dodd-Frank Reform in Light of EU Law,” Italian Society of Law and Economics, 16 December 2011, Turin, Italy.
- Speaker, “Retooling Corporate Governance,” Bocconi University School of Law, 10 March 2010, Milan, Italy.
- Speaker, “Regulating Islamic Finance,” OECD-MENA Islamic Finance Technical Workshop, 5 July 2007, London, UK.
- Speaker, “Convergence in Recent Trends of Islamic Finance,” Arab Financial Forum/Cambridge University Interfaith Initiative, 4 July 2007, London, UK.
Publications
- Chapter 18: Objections to Jurisdiction in LEADING ARBITRATORS GUIDE TO ARBITRATION (2025, Eds. Lawrence W. Newman and Richard D. Hill).
- “Espíritu Santo Holdings, LP and L1bre Holding, LLC v Mexico:A New Piece of the Corpus of Interim Measures Orders in Relation to Criminal Proceedings”, ICSID Review - Foreign Investment Law Journal, Volume 39, Issue 3, Fall 2024.
- “French International Arbitration Law Reports” (2021 ed. with T. Clay and P. Pinsolle).
- Threading the Sovereign’s Needle: A Philosophical Deconstruction of an Investor-State Tribunal’s Authority to Award Interim Relief in Relation to Criminal Proceedings (2021).
- “Etats-Unis: Vers l’atténuation de la place du consentement en droit américain de l’arbitrage ?”, Revue de l’arbitrage, Revue de l’arbitrage, 2020 No. 3.
- “L’influence du droit français dans la zone MENA”, Revue internationale du droit comparé, forthcoming (with A. Makhlouf, A. Ben Mansour, and J. Hage Chahine).
- “The European Commission – Ami Fidèle or Faux Ami? Exploring Decisions on the Commission’s Applications to Intervene as a Non-Disputing Party under ICSID Arbitration Rule 37(2)”, EU Investment Law and Arbtiration Review, 2020.
- “Ensuring Equitable Access to All Stakeholders: Critical Suggestions for the MIC”, Submission by the European Federation for Investment Law and Arbtiration (EFILA) to the UNCITRAL Working Group No. III on ISDS Reforms, 15 July 2019.
- Co-Author, “Ensuring Equitable Access to All Stakeholders: Critical Suggestions for the MIC”, Submission by the European Federation for Investment Law and Arbtiration (EFILA) to the UNCITRAL Working Group No. III on ISDS Reforms, 15 July 2019.
- The Federal Arbitration Act and American competence-competence: demystifying the Supreme Court decisions in Schein and New Prime, International Bar Association Arbitration Committee Newsletter (March 2019).
- Back to the Future: Young Voices Reflect on How the Past Year in International Arbitration Will Inform Upcoming Years at CIArb, YMG and Young ITA Event, Kluwer Arbitration Blog (26 January 2019) (with A. Gerdau de Borja and R. Digon).
- The 2018 Proposals for Amendments of the ICSID Rules: ICSID Enters the Era of Trump, Populism, and State Sovereignty, 22 ASIL Insights (19 October 2018).
- Towards an Exceptio Fundati? Assessing a (Potentially) Emerging Exception for Third Party Funding in Investment Treaty Decisions on Security for Costs in the Wake of Armas v. Venezuela, Kluwer Arbitration Blog (18 September 2018).
- Ordre Arbitral, Ordre Souverain : Le juge de l’exequatur devant la sentence internationale et la décision d’annulation – Une lecture de la jurisprudence aux Etats-Unis, CAHIERS DE L’ARBITRAGE .
- Jurisprudência Internacional: Corrupção e Arbitragem, 59 REVISTA BRASILEIRA DE ARBITRAGEM 167.
- Corporate Counsel Are from Mars, Outside Counsel Are from Venus: Building a Successful Attorney-Client Relationship through Communication, 36 ALTERNATIVES 116 (2018).
- What to Expect When Arbitrating in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in Arbitration in the Middle East – Expectations and Challenges for the Future (TDM 2 2015) (with Jean-Pierre Harb).
- Chapter 22: Objections to Jurisdiction in LEADING ARBITRATORS GUIDE TO ARBITRATION (2014, Eds. Lawrence W. Newman and Richard D. Hill) (with Sigvard Jarvin).
- Jurisprudência Internacional: Impugnacão do Árbitro, 39 REVISTA BRASILEIRA DE ARBITRAGEM 151 (2014).
- Why Venezuela Ought to Reconsider its Withdrawal from ICSID, CARIBBEAN J. (2013).
- The New Saudi Arbitration Law, 30 J. OF INT’L ARB. 113 (2013) (with Jean-Pierre Harb).
- Inside-Out Corporate Governance, 32 J. OF CORP. L. 147 (2012) (with Prof. David Skeel).
- CONVERGENCE TRENDS IN ISLAMIC FINANCE (Arab Financial Forum 2007, Ed.).
- Founder, Rising Arbitrators Initiative.
- Member, Working Group on AI of Paris International Arbitration Chamber.
- Member, Executive Committee, Paris Place de l’Arbitrage.