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Peter Godwin

Address: 

Herbert Smith Freehills,
41st Floor Midtown Tower
9-7-1 Akasaka
Minato-ku
Tokyo 107-6241
Japan

Phone Number: 
+81 3 5412 5444
Fax Number: 
+81 3 5412 5413
Email: 
peter.godwin@hsf.com
Born: 
1967, United Kingdom
Languages: 
English
Nationalities: 
British
Education: 
Bristol University, 1990, LLB
Bar Admission or Professional License: 
Solicitor (England and Wales) (1993)
Solicitor (Hong Kong) (1998)
Gaikokuho Jimu Bengoshi (Japan) (2000)
Present Position: 
Managing Partner and Head of Dispute Resolution, Herbert Smith, Tokyo
Professional Experience: 

Trainee solicitor at McKenna & Co (1991-3); Associate at Lawrence Graham (1993 – 1997); Associate at McKenna & Co, Hong Kong (1998); Senior associate at Herbert Smith, Hong Kong (1998 – 2000); Senior associate at Herbert Smith, Tokyo (2000 – 02); Partner at Herbert Smith, Tokyo (2002 – present)

Professional Associations: 

Founder member of the Arbitration Association of
Japan; Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (UK)

Panels of Arbitrators: 

JCAA, HKIAC and SIAC

Arbitration Experience: 

Peter has acted as counsel in arbitrations under ICC, LCIA, HKIAC, SIAC, Thai Arbitration Institute, JCAA rules and before both pure ad hoc and UNCITRAL tribunals. He has represented clients in numerous arbitral centres around the world, including in London, Paris, New York, Stockholm, Oslo, Tokyo, Bangkok, Hong Kong and Singapore in disputes under English and other common and civil law systems

He has sat as: a party-appointed arbitrator for a Japanese legal association in a JCAA case in relation to a dispute concerning the termination of a JV agreement governed by Japanese law (2010 – 2011); as a party appointed arbitrator in an ICC case in Zurich concerning the termination of a long term distribution arrangement governed by Japanese law (2010 – 2011); and as sole arbitrator in an ICC case concerning the termination of a license agreement governed by Hong Kong law (2012 – date).

Areas of Specialization: 
Construction
Energy
Financial Services
IP&IT
Pharmaceuticals
Leisure and Automotive
Commercial Disputes
Employment Law
Distribution
Joint Ventures
Publications from JURIS: 
Publications: 
  • International Arbitration Review, 2010, Law Business Research Ltd (Chapter 13: Japan)
  • “Bursting the 'Ragan' myth: things it’s no longer fair to believe about Japan”
  • Global Arbitration Review, Vol 3, Issue 6, 2009
  • “Japan as a centre: two possible futures”
  • Global Arbitration Review, Vol 2, Issue 4, 2007