In a globalising world, international law has become a significant party of daily legal practice. English law is ever more influenced by treaties and other rules of international law. These treaties and rules affect decision-making and governmental and private actions across the social, commercial and political fields. And, with the sharp increase in the number of international courts and their caseloads, intenational litigation is also increasingly an option. The members of Matrix are well placed to meet the challenges posed by this growth in international courts and tribunals. Legal advice is provided to governments and international organisations, the private sector, non-governmental organisations and individuals.

Beyond the issues of general international law in which our members have extensive experience, they are active across the growing range of subject areas in which international law has an influence.  In the commercial and economic field, the rules governing international trade and foreign investment have become of central importance, and members are regularly involved in litigating before the World Trade Organisation (WTO) and the International Centre for the Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID), acting for private companies, governments, and the European Communities (as well as serving as arbitrators).  These cases arise under bilateral investment treaties as well as regional arrangements such as the NAFTA and the European Energy Charter.

Members are also involved in advising on land and maritime boundary disputes in Asia, the Middle East, South America, Africa and Central Europe, many of which are closely connected to oil and gas issues and other interests relating to the exploitation of natural resources and the law of the sea.  Our team has extensive experience in related issues of environmental protection, with involvement in recent cases covering international watercourses, climate change and other air pollution issues, the conservation of fisheries and biodiversity, genetically modified organism and the protection of maritime areas, as well as procedural issues relating to environmental impact assessment and access to environmental information.

The international human rights work of our team is closely integrated with other practice areas, touching on diplomatic protection and diplomatic and consular relations (including immunities) and the law of international organisations.

Our international law team has extensive experience appearing before all the main international courts and tribunals, including the International Court of Justice, the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea and the WTO dispute settlement bodies, and acting in ICSID, PCA and other arbitrations.  Members of Matrix have also been involved in a great number of cases before the English courts in which issues of international law has been decisive.

For a spanish translation of this text, in printable version (.pdf) El Derecho Internacional, please download here