2024年10月16日，伦敦国际仲裁院（LCIA）根据仲裁协议所组建的由三位知名国际仲裁员组成的仲裁庭在伦敦作出一百余页的最终裁决书，就中国某知名上市公司及其香港子公司（“客户”）与某伦敦证券交易所上市公司及其一家子公司（“对方”）之间的一件复杂的能源并购合同纠纷案最终裁决书。中闻乔焕然律师作为代表律师之一，领衔提供服务，不但成功帮助客户击败来自对方（申请人）的绝大部分仲裁请求。而且，成功论证仲裁庭应支持客户的重要的仲裁反请求。该裁决意味着，争议双方持续三年多的国际官司，一锤定音。
On October 16, 2024, the arbitration tribunal composed of three well-known international arbitrators formed by the London Court of International Arbitration (LCIA) in accordance with the arbitration agreement, made a Final Award of more than 100 pages in London, on a complex energy merger and acquisition contract dispute between a well-known Chinese listed company and its Hong Kong subsidiary (the "client") and a London Stock Exchange listed company and one of its subsidiaries (the "counterparty"). As a leading lawyer, Philip Qiao led and organized the service and not only successfully helped the client defeat most of the arbitration requests from the other party (the applicant). Moreover, he successfully proven the arbitration tribunal to support the client's important arbitration counterclaim. The Award means that the complex international lawsuit between the disputing parties that lasted for more than three years has been settled finally.
案件概况
本案争议起源于一起复杂的国际并购交易。该交易系关于中美洲某国家的一处油田能源并购交易，客户作为收购方与作为出售方的对方签订了股权收购协议（对方子公司持有该油田所有权，合同总对价约1亿美元），随后又签订了一系列补充协议。双方在履约过程中针对合同对价款支付时间、标的公司控制权转移、出售方在过渡期间损害标的公司利益等事项上产生争议。2021年对方作为申请人率先向伦敦国际仲裁院（LCIA）提起仲裁，在客户前期因疫情等原因未能及时应对仲裁程序的不利状况下，乔焕然律师于2022年5月临危受命，在接受客户委托后紧急阅卷、组建服务团队，多次专题会议，并进驻客户公司现场办公。经过对案涉卷宗材料进行抽丝剥茧的分析后，在乔律师团队的服务下，局面开始逐步稳定。在乔律师团队建议下客户依法向仲裁庭提出仲裁反请求。
The dispute in this case originated from a complex international M&A transaction. The transaction was an energy M&A transaction involving an oil field in a country in Central America. The client, as the acquirer, signed an equity acquisition agreement with the other party, as the seller (the other party's subsidiary held the ownership of the oil field, and the total contract price was approximately US$100 million), and then signed a series of supplementary agreements. During the performance of the contract, the two parties had disputes over the time of payment of the contract price, the transfer of control of the target company, and the seller's damage to the interests of the target company during the transition period. In 2021, the other party, as the applicant, initially brought an arbitration against the Clints at the London Court of International Arbitration (LCIA). Under the unfavorable situation that the client failed to respond to the arbitration procedure in a timely manner due to the Covid-19 epidemic and other reasons in the early stage, Philip Qiao was appointed in May 2022. After accepting the client's commission, he urgently reviewed the case files, formed a service team, held several special meetings, and was stationed on-site at the client's company. After a thorough analysis of the case files, the situation began to gradually stabilize under the service of the service team. At the suggestion of Lawyer Qiao's team, the client filed an arbitration counterclaim with the arbitration tribunal in accordance with the law.
本案适用英格兰及威尔士法律，仲裁语言为英文，程序复杂。因为案情需要，仲裁庭先后作出12份程序令。双方也围绕着包括程序和实体问题在内的多维度的对攻。涉及到的重要程序包括案件管理会议（CMC）、讼费担保申请（Security for Costs）、分阶段审理申请（Bifurcation）、文件披露申请（Disclosure）、中止程序申请（Stay）等。在仲裁过程中，亦有多名事实证人和境外专家证人出庭接受盘问。
This case is governed by the Laws of England and Wales, the arbitration language is English, and the procedure is complicated. Due to the need of the case, the arbitral tribunal issued 12 procedural orders. The two parties also engaged in multi-dimensional confrontations, including procedural and substantive issues. Important procedures involved include case management conference (CMC), application for security for costs, application for phased hearing (Bifurcation), application for document disclosure (Disclosure), application for suspension of proceedings (Stay), etc. During the arbitration process, several factual witnesses and overseas expert witnesses also appeared in court for cross-examination.
乔焕然律师作为本项目法律工作领衔人，他和他的团队将继续积极帮助中国企业出海，努力维护中国企业的海外合法权益。同时，本案标志中闻国际仲裁业务的重大突破，为中闻律师积极参与纯英文国际仲裁业务提供了优秀案例。
As the legal leader of this project, Philip Qiao and his team will continue to positively assist Chinese companies to explore the global market and strive to safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese companies overseas. At the same time, this case marks a major breakthrough in BZW’s international arbitration practice and provides an excellent case for BZW to actively participate in pure English international arbitration business.
律师简介
北京办公室
顾问
乔焕然律师
乔焕然律师毕业于北京大学并于牛津大学系统进修国际仲裁法和普通法。在业务上，他精研于涉外争议解决二十余年来，为众多知名公司提供过仲裁、诉讼、调解法律服务并拥有骄人战绩，其代表客户包括不限于微软、奔驰、通用电气、国投集团、航天科工、国机集团、能建集团、庞大集团、Lumentum、Orica、NTT。关于仲裁，他活跃于伦敦、香港、新加坡、美国AAA及中国贸仲、北仲等众多国际仲裁院。关于诉讼，他深耕于北上广深涉外审判机构并多次于中国最高法院出庭。关于社会兼职，他任英国皇家特许仲裁员协会资深会员；新加坡亚太专家证人协会会员、中国海南国际仲裁院仲裁员、调解员。在法律评级方面，他持续获得众多荣誉包括不限于Legal500、商法、Legalband等有关律师奖项。
北京办公室
执业律师
王子涵
王子涵律师先后毕业于国际关系学院、中国政法大学和德国汉堡大学。王律师专注涉外争议解决业务，曾在伦敦国际仲裁院、港仲、贸仲、北仲等商事仲裁机构及中国最高人民法院办理了多起复杂争议案件。王律师对破产衍生纠纷也有丰富的处理经验，曾参与上市公司破产重整项目并代理多起破产衍生诉讼。此外，王律师对投融资业务亦有一定研究，参与过数十个投融资和并购项目，具备非诉与诉讼、商业与法律的双重思维。
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