Experienced.

Jennifer M. Smith is an independent arbitrator with over 30 years of experience in the resolution of complex disputes.  Dual qualified in England and Texas, she began her career as an advocate acting on a broad range of disputes, quickly rising to the position of first chair in jury trials, bench trials, and arbitrations.  As a partner in the London office of an international law firm,  she launched the firm's international arbitration practice and honed her expertise in high value cross-border disputes. Since then, Jennifer has acted as both counsel and arbitrator in a large spectrum of industries and subject-matters around the globe.  She prides herself on being well-versed in the business and cultural realities of cross-border disputes, as well as on having a deep understanding of almost every facet of the energy industry.  Highly regarded for her integrity, efficiency, collegiality, professionalism, and ability to dissect complex concepts, Jennifer became a full-time arbitrator in 2021.  Those with whom she has worked describe her as "tremendously talented" "committed to getting the right result" "very bright and hard-working" and as someone "who understands the practicalities of complex arbitrations."  

Representative arbitrations/matters

  • An ICC arbitration between a Russian company and a U.S. company concerning the sale and valuation of a coal mining operation, seated in Paris 
  • An ad hoc arbitration between an American independent oil and gas company and a midstream company relating to gas gathering, processing, and fractionation facilities, seated in Houston
  • An ad hoc (UNCITRAL) arbitration between two global petrochemical companies involving an operating agreement for a French elastomer plant, seated in Paris
  • An HKIAC arbitration between a Philippine power producer and a Dutch despondent owner concerning a contract of affreightment, seated in Singapore
  • An ad hoc arbitration between a German steel trading company and a Pennsylvania insurance company involving a coverage dispute under a trade credit insurance policy, seated in Houston
  • An ICC arbitration between Canadian and Channel Island companies related to the exploration and development of hydrocarbons in Kurdistan, seated in London
  • An ad hoc (UNCITRAL) arbitration between a global petrochemical company and a Polish energy company involving a joint venture for the production of polyolefins in Central Europe, seated in London
  • An ICDR arbitration and related enforcement proceedings in the U.S., U.K., and Turkish courts between a Georgian oil and gas company and a Turkish energy company relating to a drilling rig services contract, seated in Houston 
  • An ICC arbitration involving a state-owned national oil company relating to a supply contract, seated in Singapore
  • An LCIA arbitration between an international oil company and a Norwegian crude oil transportation company concerning a purchase and sale agreement for an FPSO operating offshore Western Africa, seated in London
  • An investigation of a Japanese engineering company involving cost reporting on the construction of a multi-billion-dollar liquefaction project in the United States
  • An investigation of a global engineering, construction, and services company for FCPA violations related to contracts to construct LNG facilities in Nigeria valued in excess of $6 billion
  • An ICDR arbitration between a French helicopter engine manufacturer and an American distributor and service provider, seated in Texas
  • An LCIA arbitration between an American  oil and gas shareholder and a Dutch shareholder in a Trinidadian ammonia production facility, seated in London
  • A Netherlands Arbitration Institute arbitration between U.S. and Dutch companies involving robotic milking technology, seated in the Netherlands
  • A dispute between a Japanese diversified industrial company and shipper involving an ethylene export terminal chiller and product contamination
  • A dispute between a Canadian pipeline company and a U.S. construction company on claims arising out of damaged pipe
  • An ad hoc arbitration between a U.S. oil and gas company and a state-owned Caribbean natural gas transmission and distribution company involving gas curtailments in long-term gas supply contracts, seated in London
  • An expert determination procedure between a U.S. independent oil and gas company and an Italian energy company involving production losses after emergency shutdown of offshore production facilities on the UK Continental Shelf, seated in London
  • A multi-jurisdictional dispute (numerous court and international arbitration proceedings) between a multinational oil and gas company headquartered in England and an American drilling company involving the sale and purchase of an ultra-deep-water jack-up drilling rig
  • An ICC multi-billion-dollar arbitration between a consortium of U.S. oil companies and a Middle Eastern state involving a production sharing contract and the expropriation of an oil-producing block and related issues of reservoir management, tax obligations, and cost recovery, seated in London
  • A dispute between an international telecommunications company and a Central European telecommunications company concerning fiber optic cables
  • An ad hoc arbitration between a US technical advisory service company and an Indian software developer concerning the intellectual property rights, seated in New York
  • An ICDR arbitration between a UK research and development company and American company concerning nanopore technology
  • An ICDR arbitration between a global grain trading company and a former Korean shareholder arising out of a series of contracts
  • An ICDR arbitration between a US independent directional drilling company and a UK software development company relating to the intellectual property rights to rotary steerable drilling technology systems, seated in London

Recognitions

Jennifer is recommended by Who’s Who Legal in association with Global Arbitration Review as a Global Leader in Arbitration and a Global Leader in Energy.  She is also recognized as Best of the Best in Commercial Arbitration, Energy and Natural Resources, and Women in Business Law, and named as an independently rated Acritas Star as a stand-out lawyer in her field.  She is listed on the AAA Panel of Commercial Arbitrators, the ICDR Panel of Arbitrators, the LCIA database, the ICC and numerous other arbitral institutions, as well as on Global Arbitration Review ‘s Arbitrator Research Tool.

Education

J.D., The University of Texas School of Law, with honors, 1990  
B.A., Wellesley College, magna cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa, 1987

Admissions and qualifications

Licensed in England and Wales
Admitted to the State Bar of Texas

Professional Bodies

Executive Committee, Institute for Transnational Arbitration
Director, Houston International Arbitration Club
Executive Committee, World Affairs Council of Greater Houston
Advisory Board, Kay Bailey Hutchison Center for Energy, Law & Business 
International Advisory Committee ICDR
Fellow, Texas Bar Foundation
Member, LCIA
Trustee, Wellesley College