Our Team
Ross Rymkiewicz
Of Counsel
Ross has more than a decade of expertise in resolving complex cross-border corporate and commercial disputes. He trained and spent much of his career in the international litigation and arbitration department at Skadden in London.
Practice
Ross has extensive experience in advising clients in matters concerning complex contractual and commercial disputes, particularly where matters of ownership/ shareholding are at issue. His experience also includes judicial review proceedings, white collar crime and investigations and jurisdiction challenges. Ross has acted for corporates, venture partners, private equity interests and UHNWIs.
These disputes have covered a broad range of sectors including mining and extractive industries, energy, petrochemical processing and sale, blockchain/ cryptocurrency and social media, and high-end hospitality.
Ross has experience of advising clients throughout all the stages of a dispute, including mediation and other forms of alternative dispute resolution. He has handled claims in the Central London County Court, the High Court (including the Commercial Court and London Circuit Commercial Court), Court of Appeal, and UK Supreme Court, as well as under the auspices of many of the major arbitral institutions, including the ICC and LCIA.
Notable Representations
BTI 2014 LLC v Sequana SA & Ors [2022]
UKSC 25
Ross acted for the majority of the defendants in proceedings before both the Court of Appeal and Supreme Court in this widely reported case, which raised questions of considerable importance for company law. In particular, it provided the first opportunity for the Supreme Court to consider the existence, content and engagement of the so-called “creditor duty” on the part of directors of a company.
Foreign law ICC arbitration
Ross acted for the successful claimant in this complex and very high value claim brought against a foreign state entity, concerning the ownership and running of a sizeable petrochemical processing company and plant.
Shareholder dispute with BP
Ross represented the claimants in successfully obtaining an award from an arbitration tribunal seated in Stockholm – in favour of a consortium of venture partners – regarding a dispute with BP over BP’s attempt to form a US$16 billion strategic alliance with Rosneft, the state-owned Russian oil company, for the exploration of oil in the Arctic Circle.
Ferrexpo v Gilson & Ors [2012]
EWHC 721
Ross acted for the successful parties in this ground-breaking case in which, for the first time, an English court ruled that it had the power to stay English proceedings brought against an English-domiciled defendant where the dispute related to the validity of decisions of the organs of a company situated in a non-EU state. Ross co-authored a detailed article on the case: “Reflections on Owusu: The Radical Decision in Ferrexpo” de Verneuil Smith, Lasserson, Rymkiewicz; J Priv Intl L (2012) Vol. 8, No. 2, 389 – 405.
Industry Recognition
Best Lawyers 2023 ‘Ones to Watch’ (Litigation)
Best Lawyers 2024 ‘Ones to Watch’ (Litigation and International Arbitration)
Education and Admissions
The Queen’s College, University of Oxford
(BA, Law with Law Studies in Europe (French))
The College of Law, Moorgate
(Legal Practice Course)
Solicitor of the Senior Courts of England and Wales
(2011)