“They are very efficient and effective.”

The Legal 500 UK 2022

“The team is very well co-ordinated, and able to work with large and complex matters.”

The Legal 500 UK 2022

“Excellent commercial drive and technical ability on complex international arbitration cases.”

The Legal 500 UK 2022

“One of the very best litigation boutiques in London.”

The Legal 500 UK 2022

“Signature Litigation is a market-leading boutique litigation firm. It has extremely strong background in big ticket litigation, with quality personnel and an unparalleled degree of focus and determination.”

The Legal 500 UK 2022

“Exceptionally good at building up the dispute strategy.”

The Legal 500 UK 2022

“Signature is a very professional team managing a complex international case across many jurisdictions. They have a very strong standing in managing multiple parties across different jurisdictions with different law.”

The Legal 500 UK 2022

“Excellent banking team with real experience in claimant-led litigation. Senior Associates are particularly impressive: thorough, efficient and very sensible.”

The Legal 500 UK 2022

“Great specialist knowledge with a pragmatic and commercial outlook.”

The Legal 500 UK 2022

“The amount of deep thought that goes into each piece of work is quite extraordinary – I don’t know quite where the headspace comes from to do this time and time again.”

The Legal 500 UK 2022

“They provide brilliant client care coupled with very sound legal judgment.”

The Legal 500 UK 2022

“Experts in their specialist field. Nobody better.”

The Legal 500 UK 2022

“Every member of the team is valued and as a result they provide a much higher quality of service to their clients than their competitors.”

The Legal 500 UK 2022

“Signature is not afraid to look for solutions outside the box to get results for its clients.”

The Legal 500 UK 2022

“The team is very well coordinated and able to work with large and complex matters.”

The Legal 500 UK 2022

“The dispute resolution experts at Signature Litigation LLP have a particular focus on complex, cross-border civil fraud claims.”

The Legal 500 UK 2022

“Signature Litigation is the only pure litigation specialist in Gibraltar, setting the firm apart from others in Gibraltar. The firm is very professional, knowledgeable and efficient, an ideal choice for litigation in the jurisdiction.“

The Legal 500 EMEA 2021

“The practice unites an impressive bench of stellar litigators.“

The Legal 500 EMEA 2021

“The boutique specialises in complex litigation, both in France and internationally, with the majority of matters multi-jurisdictional in nature, with the firm’s London presence a key asset for cross-border work.“

The Legal 500 EMEA 2021

Signature Litigation Paris “quickly established itself as one of France’s finest dispute resolution practices and consistently attracts high-stakes, often headline-grabbing matters.”

The Legal 500 EMEA 2021

“The team is attentive, available, very friendly, and provides unfailing follow-up to cases.“

The Legal 500 EMEA 2021

“Great ability to establish a strategy and a very clear, structured and impactful line of defense or attack, based on a real mastery of legislation and procedures.“

The Legal 500 EMEA 2021

“Excellent expertise combined with the ability to explain idiosyncratic concepts of French jurisdiction to foreigners.“

The Legal 500 EMEA 2021

“The team is also highly regarded for its know-how in defending companies against toxic tort claims and deals with a high amount of claims brought by employees regarding asbestos and other chemical substances.“

The Legal 500 EMEA 2021

Signature Litigation Paris is “the market’s go-to-firm for domestic and cross-border product liability cases.“

The Legal 500 EMEA 2021

“The firm’s focus on dispute resolution and insurance matters makes it a popular choice for a range of clients in the aviation industry including airlines, constructors, and insurers who benefit from the department’s ability to advise on cross-border matters.“

The Legal 500 EMEA 2021

“The team is very responsive – we would normally receive a response on the same day or early the day after. They keep us updated regularly, and are knowledgeable in their fields of expertise.“

The Legal 500 EMEA 2021

“The team at Signature is highly talented, experienced and dedicated.“

The Legal 500 UK 2021

Signature Litigation is described as a “quality team at every level“.

The Legal 500 UK 2021

“Extremely bright and dedicated team. A willingness to go the extra mile and find a solution to whatever problem comes along however simple or complex.“

The Legal 500 UK 2021

Signature Litigation has “‘the agility to deal with matters of all kinds’ and has particular experience in multiparty and multijurisdictional disputes.”

The Legal 500 UK 2021

“The amount of deep thought that goes into each piece of work is quite extraordinary.“

The Legal 500 UK 2021

“I am confident that they would always deliver a peerless service to the client, whoever that may be.“

The Legal 500 UK 2021

“They are quite commercial in their approach and don’t escalate matters; rather they find the most efficient way to deal with things”

Chambers UK 2020

“A highly respected litigation boutique with expertise in a wide range of contentious corporate matters”

Chambers UK 2020

“They can really go toe to toe with magic circle firms”

Chambers UK 2020

“An excellent boutique litigation firm”

Chambers UK 2020

“They have really had our backs in a very innovative way”

Chambers UK 2020

“They are absolutely brilliant – very good at the big picture, very effective communicators and very easy to get on with.”

Chambers UK 2020

“Signature has provided us with steady-handed advice and I can honestly recommend their tightly-knit team to anyone in need of sound legal advice”

Chambers UK 2020

“Noted expertise in handling cases related to alleged benchmark manipulation and mis-selling, as well as significant shareholder disputes”

Chambers UK 2020

“Well known for its representation of high net worth individuals”

Chambers UK 2020

“Prominent dispute resolution boutique with a strong record acting on behalf of claimants against major banks and financial institutions in complex litigation matters”

Chambers UK 2020

“The amount of deep thought that goes into each piece of work is extraordinary”

Chambers UK 2020

“Brilliant client care coupled with sound legal judgement”

Chambers UK 2020

Signature “has developed a deep bench of talent, which means even with the high demand for their services they consistently maintain a high quality”

Chambers UK 2020

“Highly responsive, intelligent and commercially astute lawyers”

Chambers UK 2020

“They demonstrate the ability to formulate, plan and implement a sophisticated global strategy”

Chambers UK 2020

“They are impressive in the way they deal with very complex cases”

Chambers UK 2020

The Firm’s “tactical and strategic vision is unparalleled, and the practice has a great range of partners and associates”

The Legal 500 UK 2020

“A strong focus on large, complex cases that are often cross-border”

The Legal 500 UK 2020

“A highly experienced team of partners who have in-depth knowledge of commercial dispute resolution”

The Legal 500 UK 2020

“Outstandingly successful”

The Legal 500 UK 2020

Dispute resolution boutique Signature Litigation LLP handles large, high-profile professional negligence claims, often with a cross-border element, for claimants and defendants.

The Legal 500 UK 2019

“Prominent dispute resolution boutique with a strong record acting on behalf of claimants against major banks and financial institutions in complex litigation matters.”

Chambers UK 2019

“Noted expertise in handling cases related to alleged benchmark manipulation and mis-selling, as well as significant shareholder disputes”.

Chambers UK 2019

“The firm is extremely focused on high-quality litigation”.

Chambers UK 2019

“Their advice is sound and their strategic approach is excellent. I would recommend them without hesitation.”

Chambers UK 2019

“Adept at handling multiparty and cross-border disputes, particularly those related to banking.”

Chambers UK 2019

“They have a lot of experience in multi-jurisdictional, high-value litigation. They are a boutique firm that is growing in size considerably but which can still provide a personal, flexible service.”

Chambers UK 2019

“The hallmarks of the team are that they are responsive, commercial, conflict-free, flexible … a client gets Magic Circle quality.”

Chambers UK 2019

“Dedicated litigation experts with experience in handling every element of large-scale and highly complex commercial disputes, frequently involving multiple parties and jurisdictions.”

Chambers UK 2019

“The practice advises on all aspects of large-scale banking litigation.”

The Legal 500 UK 2019

“A first-class firm with a positive, collaborative culture of integrity”.

The Legal 500 UK 2019

“A highly specialised dispute resolution firm, with a strong focus on large, complex and often cross-border cases.”

The Legal 500 UK 2019

Dedicated litigation experts with experience in handling every element of large scale and highly complex commercial disputes, frequently involving multiple parties and jurisdictions.

Chambers UK 2019

  • Chambers 2023

Biography

Tsegaye is a partner specialising in international arbitration.

With over 10 years’ experience of international arbitrations under the LCIA, ICC, ICSID, CRCICA, HKIAC and UNCITRAL arbitration rules, Tsegaye regularly represents international corporates, States and State-owned entities in disputes arising in various parts of the globe, including North Africa and sub-Saharan Africa. Tsegaye has a particular focus on M&A, investment funds, international financing and joint venture disputes in the oil and gas, energy, mining, construction and telecoms industries.

Tsegaye also acts for sovereign states and corporations in multilateral and bilateral investment treaty disputes.

Tsegaye is recognised as a ‘future leader’ in the Who’s Who Legal Arbitration Guide. Peers and clients say he is a “brilliant arbitration lawyer” and “very adept at steering cases and handling experts”. Previous editions of this Guide note that Tsegaye is “one of the best arbitration lawyers of his generation”, “a top-notch attorney” who is “rapidly establishing himself as one of the leading practitioners, notably in Africa-related disputes”. Tsegaye also features in The Legal 500 International Arbitration Powerlist UK, which showcases the UK’s leading arbitration practitioners.

He has also been named “ADR Personality” by the Lagos Chamber of Commerce International Arbitration Centre (LACIAC). Tsegaye is a member of the Court and Arbitration Committee of the Lagos Court of Arbitration and a founder of AfricArb, an organisation comprising those in the legal profession with a common interest in arbitration and Africa and who seek to participate in the development of arbitration in Africa.

Prior to joining Signature Litigation, Tsegaye was a partner at international arbitration boutique law firm Gaillard Banifatemi Shelbaya Disputes, and before that he was a member of Shearman & Sterling’s international arbitration group where he practiced for over ten years, first in Paris, then in London from 2015. Tsegaye began his career in the Project Finance group of a magic circle firm, acting for financial institutions and international corporates in relation to the financing and development of large energy and infrastructure projects in Africa and the Middle East.

Tsegaye is admitted as a solicitor of the Supreme Court of England and Wales and the Paris Bar. He is a fluent English speaker and a native speaker of Amharic and French. He is also conversant in Spanish.

Experience

International commercial arbitration

  • Representing a private equity fund in ICC and HKIAC arbitrations initiated by alleged investors in the fund, as well as in related domestic court proceedings in multiple jurisdictions. The arbitrations each concerned the transfer of assets worth over USD$1.5 billion managed by the fund. Hong Kong and Cayman Islands law applied.
  • Acting for a North American multinational information management company in a SIAC arbitration in Singapore against a South Asian private equity firm. The dispute concerned the valuation of a company and involved the interpretation of IFRS and GAAP standards in financial statements. English law applied.
  • Advising a private investment company in a USD$2 billion ICC arbitration in a claim relating to the acquisition of a commodity producer in Brazil. This dispute concerned the closing conditions under a Brazilian law governed Share Purchase Agreement and the valuation of the target company.
  • Representing the claimant, a group of shareholders of a holding company, in an ICC arbitration in Paris against two shareholders in the same company. The dispute concerned the interpretation of a put option provision and underlying accounting standards in connection with the acquisition of shares in a holding company. The law of the Netherlands applied and over the matter value exceeded USD$1 billion.
  • Representing a major European retail group in its claim against its Brazilian joint venture partner. Seated in São Paulo, the ICC arbitration concerned breaches of a shareholders’ agreement concluded between the parties relating to the control of Brazil’s largest retailer. In this dispute, Brazilian law applied.
  • Representing an international accounting firm in an arbitration brought under the Rules of Arbitration of the Vietnam International Arbitration Centre. The dispute arose from the audit of a Southeast Asian conglomerate and involved International Standards on Auditing and accounting issues. Vietnamese law applied.
  • Representing a multinational energy company in an ICC arbitration brought against its joint venture partners in relation to a nuclear power project in China. The dispute relates to the contractual profit-sharing framework and involves complex accounting and financial issues. Chinese law applies.
  • Advising an African telecom infrastructure company in a dispute with an African telecom provider. The dispute arose from an infrastructure license agreement governed by New York law and providing for ICC arbitration in Paris.
  • Representing a Middle Eastern fund who is the respondent in an ICC arbitration in Paris arising from a sports sponsorship agreement. The law of the claimant’s State applies and over €530 million is at stake.
  • Acting for a North American heavy equipment supplier and contractor in relation to delays, disruption, defects and other disputes arising out of two energy construction projects in Africa with claims and counterclaims of over USD$2 billion.

International arbitrations involving states and state-owned companies

  • Advising Cairn Energy PLC in a USD$5.5 billion UNCITRAL arbitration against the Republic of India. The claims were brought under the UK-India bilateral investment treaty. The dispute related to retrospective tax measures adopted by the Indian Government.
  • Acting for two international construction contractors who were respondents in a USD$3.7 billion ICC arbitration in London initiated by a Middle Eastern State-owned company. The dispute concerns the development of a world-class medical facility in the Middle East.
  • Acting for an international logistics company in an ICC arbitration in Paris brought against the Port Authority of an African State. The dispute arises from a concession agreement related to the management and operation of a container terminal.
  • Representing the People’s Democratic Republic of Algeria, Respondent in an ICSID arbitration initiated by Orascom TMT Investments S.à r.l. (ICSID Case No. ARB/12/35). This multi-billion US dollar dispute related to alleged breaches of the Algeria-Belgium-Luxembourg bilateral investment treaty in relation to the operation of a mobile telephone company in Algeria.
  • Acting for the Arab Republic of Egypt who was the Respondent in an ICSID arbitration initiated by Ampal-American Israel Corporation and other investors (ICSID Case No. ARB/12/11) concerning alleged violations of investors’ rights under the Egypt-U.S. and the Egypt-Germany bilateral investment treaties. The investment concerned a long-term contract for the supply of natural gas.
  • Representing the Respondent in two CRCICA arbitrations, a Middle Eastern State-owned gas company, respectively seated in Cairo and in Madrid, brought by a European energy company. The dispute arose from a gas supply agreement. Egyptian law applied.

Selected experience as arbitrator

  • Co-arbitrator appointed by the LCIA in a dispute arising from a Share Purchase Agreement in relation to oil and gas assets located in Kenya. In this dispute, English law applies, and it is seated in Nairobi, Kenya, and held under LCIA Rules.
  • Sole arbitrator appointed by the LCIA in two related arbitrations in a dispute arising out of a loan agreement. English law applies to this dispute and it is a London seated arbitration under LCIA Rules.
  • Co-arbitrator appointed by the LCIA in a dispute between an American financial institution and an African state entity arising out of an international money transfer agreement. English law applies to this dispute and it is a London seated arbitration under LCIA Rules.

Publications

Multijurisdictional dispute resolution in M&A transactionsFinancier Worldwide’s Managing and Resolving Commercial Disputes 2023 – 28 April 2023

PAW2023: Keeping arbitration fit for purposeCommercial Dispute Resolution – 3 April 2023

Nigeria launches appeal of $11bn P&ID arbitration billAfrican Business Magazine – 25 January 2023

Quinn and Mishcon Do Battle in $11B Nigeria Damages Bill CaseLaw.com International – 24 January 2023

L’Éthiopie, nouvel eldorado des banquiers africains ? – Jeune Afrique – 5 December 2022

SIGNATURE LITIGATION—TSEGAYE LAURENDEAU – New Law Journal – 12 September 2022

Signature Litigation sees revenue growth slow to 1.4% this year after bumper 2021 –  The Global Legal Post – 7 September 2022

Slower growth at Signature Litigation but staff see increased profit share – Legal Business – 6 September 2022

Signature hires from GBS Disputes – Global Arbitration Review – 5 September 2022

Signature Litigation Posts £28M Revenue In Latest Results – Law360 – 5 September 2022

Signature move for international arbitration specialist – CDR News – 5 September 2022

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