Nandakumar Srivatsa
Barrister, Co-Head of English Law Practice
242, Boulevard Raspail 75014 Paris France
Biography
Barrister, England and Wales
Advocate, India
LLM (Cantab)
Barrister, England and Wales
Advocate, India
LLM (Cantab)
Nandakumar Srivatsa is a dual-qualified English barrister and Indian advocate, and one of a small coterie of practitioners holding this distinction. He co-heads the firm's English law practice and is instructed to act as a specialist advocate in his matters.
Over the last decade, Nanda has developed a unique commercial practice spanning the areas of shipping and international arbitration. He has extensive experience of acting, as sole counsel, for shipowners, charterers and cargo interests in a broad range of disputes arising from English law-governed charterparties, bills of lading and contracts of affreightment. He has also represented and advised investors, States, international organizations (including an international court), State-owned entities and private international corporations in multi-billion dollar and technically complex disputes and matters, many of which have involved politically sensitive issues and novel questions of international law. Nanda has a native understanding of international commercial disputes involving South-Asia and is frequently instructed to act on behalf of entities in the region.
He selectively publishes on seminal developments in his areas of practice and his co-authored book chapter on the procedural framework for arbitrator challenges under the ICSID Arbitration Rules is widely considered the leading commentary on the subject. The second edition of the commentary is slated for publication in 2026.
Nanda was educated in India and Cambridge.
Professor Clay has a leading practice as arbitrator in domestic and international arbitration. He has vast experience as chairman, sole arbitrator or co-arbitrator, in a wide range of sectors, including energy, telecommunications, construction and distribution. He was appointed by the French Republic as arbitrator in the first ICSID arbitration brought against France, and presently sits on several ICSID tribunals. He has also been involved in arbitrations conducted under the aegis of other major arbitration centres, including the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC), the London Court of International Arbitration (LCIA), the Stockholm Chamber of Commerce (SCC), the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA), the Arbitration Chamber of Milan (CAM), the OHADA Common Court of Justice and Arbitration and the Mediation and Arbitration Centre of Paris (CMAP).
Professor Clay has also developed specific expertise in sports law. He is on the list of arbitrators for the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) and the French National Olympic and Sports Committee (CNOSF).
Professor Clay has deep experience advising and representing States, multinational corporations and private clients in domestic and international arbitrations, with a specific focus on disputes involving energy, telecommunications, construction and distribution.
Professor Clay also has a leading sports practice. He has advised and represented motor sport companies and professional footballers, including the French captain Kylian Mbappé against the football club Paris Saint-Germain.
A leading authority on French arbitration law, Professor Clay is frequently instructed to advise and represent clients in relation to set-aside and enforcement proceedings before the Paris Court of Appeal and the French Court of Cassation.
EXPERIENCE
Representative Cases
Counsel to disponent Owners (respondent and claimant) (as sole counsel) in two Singapore-seated and English law-governed SIAC arbitrations against Owners and Charterers, respectively, concerning a mid-sea explosion in one of the cargo holds of the performing vessel.
Counsel to Owners (claimant) in a London-seated and English law-governed LMAA arbitration against Charterers, concerning Charterers’ non-payment of hire and failure to redeliver the vessel.
Counsel to a European State-controlled oil and gas corporation (claimant), in a USD 100 million Singapore-seated and English law-governed ICC arbitration against an Asian energy provider, concerning the claimant’s ex-ship sale of LNG to the respondent.
Counsel to Charterers (respondent) (as sole counsel) in a London-seated and English law-governed LMAA arbitration against Owners, concerning Charterers’ non-performance of shipment obligations under a contract of affreightment.
Counsel to a North-American oil and gas corporation (claimant), in a USD 1 billion London-seated and English law-governed ICSID arbitration against two Asian State-owned energy providers, concerning the claimant’s development of gas fields of the respondents.
Counsel to a European mining corporation (claimant), in a USD 100 million Paris-seated and English law-governed ICC arbitration against a European steel manufacturer, concerning the respondent’s acquisition of an aluminium smelter of the claimant.
Counsel to a Middle-Eastern manufacturer of fibreglass (GRP) pipes, in a USD 100 million ICSID arbitration against Egypt, concerning Egypt’s selection of GRP pipes for infrastructure (water and sanitation) projects commissioned by it.
Counsel to a European manufacturer of building materials (claimant) (as sole counsel) in a Singapore-seated and English law-governed ICC arbitration against an Asian EPC contractor, concerning the respondent’s construction and commissioning of a dry mortar manufacturing plant.
Counsel to a European producer of alcoholic beverages, in a USD 2 billion ICSID arbitration against Romania, concerning Romania’s enforcement of its regulatory framework for the taxation of its spirits sector.
Counsel to a European commodities trading firm (claimant) (as sole counsel) in a London-seated and English law-governed GAFTA arbitration against a Middle-Eastern State-owned entity, concerning the claimant’s ex-ship sale of wheat to the respondent.
Professor Clay is a professor agrégé at the Sorbonne Law School (Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne), where he directs the International Arbitration Law and Alternative Dispute Resolution programme.
Professor Clay has played a leading role in shaping the arbitration landscape in France. He founded Sorbonne Arbitrage, an association which acts as a central hub for the Sorbonne’s arbitration law activities. Before that, he founded the University of Versailles’ Masters Programme Arbitration and Business Law, known as the “MACI”, a genuine talent incubator, which he also directed for twelve years. At the University of Versailles, he also served as Vice-President and Dean of the Faculty of Law.
Professor Clay has published a dozen books, approximately 180 articles and delivered over 150 lectures, many of them abroad.
For over twenty years, Professor Clay has written the Panorama of Arbitration Law and Alternative Dispute Resolution, published annually in the Recueil Dalloz.
A full list of Professor Clay's publications may be found here.
Professor Thomas Clay has been ranked in the category “Excellent Arbitrator” by Décideurs Magazine every year between 2010 and 2021, and subsequently in the category “Incontournable” (Top Tier) in 2022, 2023, 2024 and 2025 (Rank 1).
He was also ranked “Excellent Lawyer in Arbitration Law” by Décideurs Magazine in 2022, 2023 and 2024, and “Incontournable” (Top Tier) from 2025 onwards. He received the 2011 Trophy for Best Arbitrator, awarded by Décideurs Magazine and the Paris Bar, and was distinguished among the Elite of the 30 Best Lawyers of the Paris Bar in 2020.
He was described by Who’s Who Legal in 2015 as a “high-qualified, reliable and efficient arbitrator”, in 2016 as a “skilful practitioner” with an “intimate understanding of French Arbitration Law”, and in 2021 as “a key figure in the market”, being referred to as “one of the most prominent sole practitioners in France” and “certainly among the very best”. He was ranked by Who’s Who Legal in 2022, 2023 and 2024 as an “Arbitration Thought Leader”.
Professor Clay was ranked by Chambers in 2023 in the category International Arbitration: Arbitrators – France, as well as in the category Most in Demand Arbitrators – Europe. He is described there as “excellent”, “very bright and talented”, “very fair, very proactive and knows the cases well”, and his extensive experience as an arbitrator in Africa is also highlighted.
Press articles
Le Monde
Other publications
Radio and television appearances
Interviews and portraits
Special Adviser to the President (Bâtonnier) and Vice-President (Vice-Bâtonnière) of the Paris Bar (2026–2027)
Member of the Board of Directors of the Paris Bar School (École de Formation du Barreau) (2026–2027)
Vice-President of "Paris, place d'arbitrage"
Member of "Paris, place de droit"
Head and founder of "Sorbonne Arbitrage" (Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne)
Associate member of the International Chamber of Commerce Institute
Member of the Board of Directors of the French Arbitration Association
Member of the Institute for International Arbitration
Member of the Orientation board of the Club de l'arbitrage
Co-chair of the Italian Arbitration Association in France
Member of the International Association of Procedural Law
Member of the American Association of Private International Law
Member of the academic board of the International Academy of Law and Economics
Expert of the French Institute of International Legal Experts
Member of the Association of Law Teachers
Member of the Institute for Expertise, Arbitration and Mediation
Member of the Advisory Board of the European Court of Arbitration of Versailles
Member of the Advisory Board of the European Court of Arbitration
Member of the Venezuelan Arbitration Committee
Member of the Board of the OHADAC Regional Arbitration Center
Member of the Editorial Board of the Paris Journal of International Arbitration
Member of the "Sorbonne Private and public economic law" research department
Co-director of the "Sorbonne Sport Law" research department
Honorary Director of the University Research Team in International Arbitration Law (University of Versailles)
Member of the Editorial Advisory Board of the Journal of International Dispute Settlement
Member of the Editorial Board of the Revista brasileira de arbitragem
Member of the Advisory Board of the Journal of Arab Arbitration
Member of the Scientific Board of ohada.com
Member of the Scientific Committee of the International Review of Law and Political Science (Cameroon)
Member of the Editorial Board of Arbitration and Mediation Magazine (Brazil)
Member of the Pedagogical Committee of the International School of Alternative Dispute Resolution.
EXPeRIENCE
Representative Cases
Counsel to disponent Owners (respondent and claimant) (as sole counsel) in two Singapore-seated and English law-governed SIAC arbitrations against Owners and Charterers, respectively, concerning a mid-sea explosion in one of the cargo holds of the performing vessel.
Counsel to Owners (claimant) in a London-seated and English law-governed LMAA arbitration against Charterers, concerning Charterers’ non-payment of hire and failure to redeliver the vessel.
Counsel to a European State-controlled oil and gas corporation (claimant), in a USD 100 million Singapore-seated and English law-governed ICC arbitration against an Asian energy provider, concerning the claimant’s ex-ship sale of LNG to the respondent.
Counsel to Charterers (respondent) (as sole counsel) in a London-seated and English law-governed LMAA arbitration against Owners, concerning Charterers’ non-performance of shipment obligations under a contract of affreightment.
Counsel to a North-American oil and gas corporation (claimant), in a USD 1 billion London-seated and English law-governed ICSID arbitration against two Asian State-owned energy providers, concerning the claimant’s development of gas fields of the respondents.
Counsel to a European mining corporation (claimant), in a USD 100 million Paris-seated and English law-governed ICC arbitration against a European steel manufacturer, concerning the respondent’s acquisition of an aluminium smelter of the claimant.
Counsel to a Middle-Eastern manufacturer of fibreglass (GRP) pipes, in a USD 100 million ICSID arbitration against Egypt, concerning Egypt’s selection of GRP pipes for infrastructure (water and sanitation) projects commissioned by it.
Counsel to a European manufacturer of building materials (claimant) (as sole counsel) in a Singapore-seated and English law-governed ICC arbitration against an Asian EPC contractor, concerning the respondent’s construction and commissioning of a dry mortar manufacturing plant.
Counsel to a European producer of alcoholic beverages, in a USD 2 billion ICSID arbitration against Romania, concerning Romania’s enforcement of its regulatory framework for the taxation of its spirits sector.
Counsel to a European commodities trading firm (claimant) (as sole counsel) in a London-seated and English law-governed GAFTA arbitration against a Middle-Eastern State-owned entity, concerning the claimant’s ex-ship sale of wheat to the respondent.
Experience
Representative Cases
Counsel to disponent Owners (respondent and claimant) (as sole counsel) in two Singapore-seated and English law-governed SIAC arbitrations against Owners and Charterers, respectively, concerning a mid-sea explosion in one of the cargo holds of the performing vessel.
Counsel to Owners (claimant) in a London-seated and English law-governed LMAA arbitration against Charterers, concerning Charterers’ non-payment of hire and failure to redeliver the vessel.
Counsel to a European State-controlled oil and gas corporation (claimant), in a USD 100 million Singapore-seated and English law-governed ICC arbitration against an Asian energy provider, concerning the claimant’s ex-ship sale of LNG to the respondent.
Counsel to Charterers (respondent) (as sole counsel) in a London-seated and English law-governed LMAA arbitration against Owners, concerning Charterers’ non-performance of shipment obligations under a contract of affreightment.
Counsel to a North-American oil and gas corporation (claimant), in a USD 1 billion London-seated and English law-governed ICSID arbitration against two Asian State-owned energy providers, concerning the claimant’s development of gas fields of the respondents.
Counsel to a European mining corporation (claimant), in a USD 100 million Paris-seated and English law-governed ICC arbitration against a European steel manufacturer, concerning the respondent’s acquisition of an aluminium smelter of the claimant.
Counsel to a Middle-Eastern manufacturer of fibreglass (GRP) pipes, in a USD 100 million ICSID arbitration against Egypt, concerning Egypt’s selection of GRP pipes for infrastructure (water and sanitation) projects commissioned by it.
Counsel to a European manufacturer of building materials (claimant) (as sole counsel) in a Singapore-seated and English law-governed ICC arbitration against an Asian EPC contractor, concerning the respondent’s construction and commissioning of a dry mortar manufacturing plant.
Counsel to a European producer of alcoholic beverages, in a USD 2 billion ICSID arbitration against Romania, concerning Romania’s enforcement of its regulatory framework for the taxation of its spirits sector.
Counsel to a European commodities trading firm (claimant) (as sole counsel) in a London-seated and English law-governed GAFTA arbitration against a Middle-Eastern State-owned entity, concerning the claimant’s ex-ship sale of wheat to the respondent.