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Rena L. Scott

Partner

Genf

Rena Scott, Co-Leader of the Geneva Office, is a member of the “outstanding team in Geneva” with “impressive arbitration skills” (Legal 500) who advises companies in highly complex and high-value disputes involving a wide variety of cross-border matters and on major projects.

Rena acts as counsel in arbitrations conducted under all the main institutional arbitration rules (ICC, LCIA, SAC, ICDR), as well as ad hoc rules, in venues around the world. She represents owners of valuable trademarks licenses, trade and commodities, major construction development project owners (involved in commercial, retail, residential, high rise, low rise, infrastructure, and conventional power and clean power generation projects), contractors and sub-contractors, including pursuant to consortia and joint venture agreements and energy. Rena also provides assistance in the development of construction contract terms and conditions, as well as delivery assistance and construction project dispute avoidance assistance to construction development and delivery teams and is regularly invited to speak on issues in the industry, where she has “great knowledge” (client commentary, Global Arbitration Review).

Rena represents clients in all stages of mediation, litigation and arbitration – from pleadings to trial/hearing to appellate matters – and in matters pending in a variety of venues, including before U.S. state and federal court, the English High Court, the British Virgin Islands, and the Isle of Man.

Active in pro bono issues, Rena has advised not-for-profit organizations on various legal aid programs around the world, prepared immigration reform practice manuals for U.S. court practice, and carried out impact litigation training programs for CSOs and lawyers working on critical human rights issues in Myanmar.

Rena is recognized by Legal 500 as a leading International Arbitration practitioner and is a member of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, the Society of Construction Law and the Swiss Arbitration Association. Prior to joining Orrick, Rena worked in the Geneva office of an international law firm, and also for other top tier law firms in California.

  • Some of Rena’s representative matters include the following engagements:

    • Representing owner of valuable trademark licenses in arbitral proceedings concerning the termination of a distribution agreement and for an award of damages.  (ICC Rules, Swiss law, Geneva seat).
    • Representing Spanish energy provider in an ICC arbitration arising out of construction of a solar power plant. (ICC Rules, New York law, Madrid seat).
    • Represented developer of a major financial district in the Middle East on the resolution of valuable arbitration disputes, as well as providing delivery assistance and dispute avoidance assistance. (ICC/SCCA Rules, KSA law, Riyadh seat).
    • Represented developer of a high-rise tower in the Middle East on the preparation of terms and conditions of a high-value ultra luxury fit out contract.

    • Represented a multinational beverage corporation in pre-arbitration negotiations against an international sports governing institution regarding a long-term product supply contract governed by Swiss law. The claim involved certain fundamental changes to the long-term product supply contract proposed by the counterparty. (Swiss Rules, Swiss law, London seat).

    • Represented a joint venture party in a dispute arising out of a joint venture for the development and production of a copper mine in an eastern European country. The dispute concerned allegations that the joint venture contracts were frustrated because of a change in English law. (LCIA Rules, English law, London seat).

    •  Represented an international banking group in arbitration proceedings involving the bank’s commodity trade financing business arising out of a financing arrangement for goods stored in Bulgaria and alleging claims for breach of contract and fraud against a specialized inspection company. (ICC Rules, Swiss law, Paris seat).

    • Obtained significant award for sub-contractor on a major construction dispute, including on claims for variations, prolongation costs, disruption, suspension-related costs, inflation, finance charges, and the wrongful calling of bank guarantees; defeated main contractor knock-on costs claim. (ICC Rules, Qatari law, Qatar seat).
    • Successfully represented owner of valuable trademark licenses in arbitral proceedings resulting in the termination of a joint venture agreement and for an award of damages (and interest) in excess of USD 22 million arising out of joint-venture partner's failure to adopt owner's decided pricing strategy; successfully defended owner against counterclaims valued in excess of USD 400 million; successfully defended against respondent's attempt to have the Tribunal interpret their own award.  (ICC Rules, Mexican law, Paris seat).
    • Defeated a request for worldwide freezing orders seeking to freeze upwards of £91 million in assets of a Dubai-based client, and a request for permission to join the client and other companies to the English court action where claims in excess of £250 million are at issue.
    • Assisted leading public technology innovator (Swiss HQ) in the conduct of internal whistleblower investigation, including preparation of advice to company Board of Directors.
    • Represented one of the world’s leading power plant manufacturers in parallel ICC arbitrations arising out of EPC contracts for two projects in Germany and Poland. Obtained favorable settlements for the client.  (ICC Rules. Swiss law, Zurich seat).
    • Achieved a $19 million arbitration settlement for a Saudi Arabian professional engineering firm in an arbitral proceeding arising out of a Memorandum of Understanding between the client and a Spanish engineering, procurement and construction contractor, relating to construction work on major petrochemical projects in Saudi Arabia and disputes arising out of this Memorandum of Understanding.  (ICC Rules, Swiss law, Geneva seat).
    • Defended a major accounting firm in various partnership disputes concerning alleged duty to indemnify its former partners for legal expenses incurred in defending civil and criminal tax shelters proceedings. Obtained favorable settlements for the client.
    • Defended a major accounting firm in a securities class action lawsuit involving allegations of mortgage banking fraud. Obtained a favorable settlement for the client.