Dr. Kabir Duggal

Dr. Kabir Duggal is a leading practitioner and scholar of international arbitration and public international law, with a practice spanning complex investor-State and international commercial disputes, treaty-based claims, and matters at the intersection of international law and domestic legal systems. He serves as Senior Fellow and Advisor at the Center for International Commercial and Investment Arbitration (CICIA) at Columbia Law School and is a Partner in Akin Gump’s international arbitration practice, based in New York and the District of Columbia. He combines an active practice as counsel, arbitrator, mediator, and expert with more than fifteen years of academic and professional engagement in international arbitration and public international law. His work encompasses international dispute resolution, investment law, treaty interpretation, State responsibility, sovereign immunity, and the recognition and enforcement of arbitral awards, as well as complex questions of public international law arising before arbitral tribunals and courts. Dr. Duggal is recognized by Who’s Who Legal as a Global Leader and Thought Leader in international arbitration and, in 2024, became the youngest practitioner named a Global Elite Thought Leader for the Americas. He is also ranked by Chambers Global and Chambers USA as a Band 3 “Most in Demand Arbitrator” and received Lexology’s Client Choice Award for New York in 2026.

Dr. Duggal has extensive experience representing sovereign states, state-owned entities, multinational corporations, and private parties in complex investor-State and international commercial arbitrations across jurisdictions and industries. His practice spans disputes arising under bilateral and multilateral investment treaties, free trade agreements, and sophisticated commercial contracts, involving aggregate claims exceeding USD 80 billion. He has acted in matters across the energy, infrastructure, mining, telecommunications, financial services, construction, technology, pharmaceuticals, and natural resources sectors. His work encompasses investor-State dispute settlement, evidence, recognition and enforcement of arbitral awards, particularly under U.S. and English law, force majeure, sovereign immunity, treaty interpretation, jurisdiction, damages, and public international law. In addition to acting as counsel, Dr. Duggal regularly serves as an expert on international arbitration and public international law before courts and arbitral tribunals worldwide.

Alongside his counsel practice, Dr. Duggal maintains a substantial international practice as an arbitrator and mediator. He has served as arbitrator in more than 75 investor-State and international commercial disputes involving parties from every major region of the world. He is a Chartered Arbitrator—the highest professional designation awarded by both the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators and the Asian Institute of Alternative Dispute Resolution—and a CEDR-accredited mediator. He is also a member of the National Academy of Distinguished Neutrals and serves on the rosters of numerous leading arbitral institutions. His appointments reflect sustained confidence from parties and institutions in his independence, judgment, and ability to manage complex, high-value proceedings.

Dr. Duggal has taught international arbitration at Columbia Law School for more than fifteen years, where he serves as Lecturer-in-Law and Senior Fellow and Advisor at CICIA. He is also Visiting Professor of Law at Durham University, Adjunct Professor at Fordham University School of Law, Course Director of the Columbia Law School–CIArb Comprehensive Course on International Arbitration, and Academic Coordinator of the CIArb Diploma Programme. His academic appointments ensure continuous engagement with emerging jurisprudence, procedural innovation, and comparative legal developments, enabling him to bring both scholarly depth and practical insight to complex cross-border disputes.

A prolific scholar, Dr. Duggal has authored more than 60 publications and delivered over 500 lectures and keynote addresses in more than 40 countries. His scholarship has shaped contemporary debates on investor-State dispute settlement, evidence, recognition and enforcement of arbitral awards, force majeure, sovereign immunity, treaty interpretation, and comparative arbitration law. His work has been cited by arbitral tribunals and by the Swiss Federal Supreme Court. He serves as Managing Editor of The American Review of International Arbitration, Editor of investmentclaims.com (Oxford University Press), Associate Editor of ICSID Review, and Associate Editor of Brill-Nijhoff's Perspectives in International Investment Law and Arbitration.

Beyond practice and scholarship, Dr. Duggal is deeply engaged in arbitration policy, institution-building, and capacity development. He serves as Consultant to the United Nations Office of the High Representative for the Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Island Developing States on the Investment Support Programme, a flagship initiative shortlisted by Global Arbitration Review for Best Development, and continues to serve on its Steering Committee. He also works closely with the U.S. Department of Commerce's Commercial Law Development Program and has advised and trained governments, judiciaries, ministries, state-owned entities, and arbitral institutions in more than 40 countries on treaty negotiation, dispute prevention, and arbitration strategy. Earlier in his career, he worked with the World Bank Group and UNICEF and served as a judicial clerk to a judge of the Supreme Court of India.

Dr. Duggal's professional standing is reflected in consistent recognition across the leading international rankings. He is ranked by Chambers Global and Chambers USA, Lexology Index, The Legal 500, Lawdragon, Best Lawyers, and Expert Guides. Since 2021, he has been recognized annually by Who's Who Legal as a Global Leader and Thought Leader and, in addition to his designation as a Global Elite Thought Leader, has received numerous distinctions for excellence in practice, scholarship, and professional leadership. His honors include the Lexology Client Choice Award (New York, 2026), the Hind Rattan ("Jewel of India") Award, the Harvard International Law Journal Prize, the Smit-Lowenfeld Prize, the Burton Law360 Distinguished Legal Writing Award, the Albert S. Pergam International Law Writing Competition Prize, the CPR Outstanding Contribution to ADR Award, Prime Dispute's Equality and Diversity Award, the ArbitralWomen "Champion for Change" Award, and multiple Global and Americas Dispute Resolution Practitioner of the Year awards.

Dr. Duggal holds numerous leadership positions within the international arbitration community, including senior roles with the American Arbitration Association–International Centre for Dispute Resolution, the Institute for Transnational Arbitration, the American Society of International Law, the New York City Bar Association, and the Juris Conferences on Investment Treaty Arbitration. He also serves as Honorary President of the Bucharest International Arbitration Court and sits on numerous institutional, academic, editorial, and advisory boards, reflecting sustained peer recognition and influence in shaping the future of international dispute resolution.

Dr. Duggal graduated from Harvard Law School (S.J.D., Harvard International Law Journal Prize and Albert S. Pergam Prize), Leiden University (Ph.D., CEPANI Academic Prize), New York University School of Law (LL.M., Hauser Global Scholar and Transitional Justice Fellow), the University of Oxford (B.C.L., DHL–Times of India Scholar), and the University of Mumbai (University Medal). He is admitted to practice in New York, the District of Columbia, England & Wales (Barrister), and India.

• MAY 2026 HARVARD LAW SCHOOL, Cambridge, MA, SJD in Law: “A Historical Assessment of the Fair and Equitable Treatment (FET) Standard: Comparing FET today with how it was Originally Conceived” (winner of the Albert S. Pergam Prize and Harvard International Law Journal Note Prize, 2026)
• February 2019 LEIDEN LAW SCHOOL Leiden, The Netherlands 2311 2016 Ph.D. in International Arbitration (CEPANI Academic Prize)
• May 2008 NEW YORK UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF LAW New York, NY 0012 L.L.M. International Legal Studies: A Grad (Highest Grade) Honors: Hauser Global Scholar (full tuition; living stipend) & Transitional Justice Fellow Journal of International Law and Politics, Graduate Editor 
• July 2007 UNIVERSITY OF OXFORD Oxford, United Kingdom OXI 3PG BCL (Masters Degree in Law) Honors: Scholarship from the Oxford Cambridge Society of India (1 of 2 students) DHL Times of Indian Scholarship (5 students in India) 
• July 2006 NALSAR Hyderabad, India 500 027 Post Graduate Diploma in International Humanitarian Law Honors: Gold Medal; Rank: 1 / 50 (approx) 
• July 2005 MUMBAI UNIVERSITY Mumbai, India 400 098 Post Graduate Diploma in Human Rights Honors: Gold Medal; Rank 1 / 50 (approx)
• July 2004 GOVERNMENT LAW COLLEGE Mumbai, India 400 020 L.L.B. Degree (J.D. equivalent) Honors: Ranganath Rao Trophy for highest grade during all three years Government Law College Law Review, Senior Editor Rank: 1 / 1500 (5 University Awards)

FELLOWSHIPS AND CERTIFICATIONS

• Chartered Arbitrator (C.Arb), Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (2022).
• Chartered Arbitrator, Asian International Arbitration Centre (formerly the Kuala Lumpur Regional Centre for Arbitration (KLRCA)) (2022).
• Dispute Resolution Experts (DREx) Talks, Fellow (2022).
• Certified Mediator, Centre for Effective Dispute Resolution (CEDR) (2020).
• Fellow, Kovise Foundation Conflict Resolution International (FAP-KFCRI) (2020).
• Fellow, Arbitrators and Mediators Institute of New Zealand (AMINZ) (2020).
• Fellow, Malaysian Institute of Arbitrators (2020).
• Fellow, College of Commercial Arbitrators (2020) (youngest member to be admitted).
• Fellow, Prime Dispute (FPD) (2019).
• Senior Fellow, Bali International Arbitration and Mediation Center (BIAMC) (SFBiAm) (2019).
• Higginbotham Fellow, American Arbitrator Association (2018).
• Fellow, Royal Society of Arts(FRSA)(2018).
• Fellow (FAIADR), Asian International Arbitration Centre (formerly the Kuala Lumpur Regional Centre for Arbitration (KLRCA)) (2018).
• Fellow (FCIArb), Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (2018).
• Fellow, American Bar Foundation (2018).
• American Bar Association, Section of International Law, Inaugural Diversity Fellow (2015).
• Fellow, Columbia Center on Sustainable Investment (since 2014).

TEACHING EXPERIENCE AND CONSULTANCIES

• Lecturer-in-Law, Columbia Law School (2013-date) (teaching JD, LLM, and Executive LLM course). Assistant Lecturer (2011-2013). 
• Visting Professor, Durham Law School (2026-date).
• Adjunct Professor, Fordham Law School (2021-date).
• Adjunct Professor, Fordham Law School’s Legal English Institute (2022-date).
• Institute of Transnational Arbitration (ITA), Academic Council (2022-date).
• United States Council for International Business (USCIB), Academic Chair (2022-date).
• Managing Editor, The American Review of International Arbitration, Columbia Law School (2016-date).
• Faculty Member and Academic Coordinator, Chartered Institute of Arbitrator’s Diploma in International Arbitration (since 2021).
• Legal Consultant to the United Nations Office of the High Representative for LDCs, LLDCs and SIDS on the investment program (since 2016).
• Lecturer, Chartered Institute of Arbitrators Diploma Course (since 2021).
• Arbitration Channel, Academic Council, Coordinator (2022-date).
• Thailand Arbitration Center, Academic Council (2022-date).
• Lecturer, International Arbitration Workshop, Harvard Law School (since 2017).
• Lecturer on specific topics at the Georgetown University Law Center (2013-date); Fordham Law School (2014-2017).
• Visiting Professor, Madrid International Arbitration Summer Course (Spain) (since July 2016).
• Visiting Professor, National Law School, Jodhpur (India) (2016).

LEGAL RECOGNITION AND AWARDS

• LawDragon, 500 Leading Global Litigators, 2026.
• LawDragon, 100 Leading Lawyers in the Middle East, 2026.
• Chambers USA, Arbitration, 2023-2026, International Arbitration: Arbitrators, 2026.
• Lexology, Client Choice Award, New York, 2026.
• Lexology, Global Elite Thought Leader in International Arbitration, United States, 2024-2026.
• Chambers Global, Arbitration, 2025.
• “Hind Rattan Award” (“Jewel of India”--Highest diasporic award for people of Indian origin) (2022).
• “Best Lawyer: Arbitration, International Arbitration--Commercial, International Arbitration--Governmental” (2022).
• Who’s Who Legal 2022, Thought Leader in International Arbitration (2022) (youngest person to be listed).
• Recognized by Legal500 US for “International Arbitration” (2022).
• Chambers Diversity and Inclusion Awards (North America), Top 5 (2022).
• International Achiever’s Award, Indian Achievers Forum (2022).
• International American Council for Research and Development, Universal Outstanding Achievement Award (2022).
• Super Lawyer, New York Metro Area (2022).
• International Institute for Conflict Prevention and Resolution (CPR), ADR Rising Star Award (2022).
• International Institute for Conflict Prevention and Resolution (CPR), “Outstanding Contribution to Diversity in ADR” Award (2022).
• “2021 Dispute Resolution Award of the Year--Global,” Prime Dispute (2022).
• Who’s Who Legal 2021, Leader in International Arbitration (2021).
• “Counsel of the Year (US),” Indian National Bar Association (2021).
• “Lawyers of Distinction: International Law” (2021).
• “Rising Stars: Commercial Arbitration” Expert Guides (2021).
• “Best Lawyers: International Arbitration - Commercial” (2021).
• Super Lawyer, New York Metro Area (2021).
• Recognized by Legal500 US for “International Arbitration” (2021).
• “Award for Significant Impact in International Arbitration” Association for Conflict Resolution for Greater New York (ACR GNY) (2021).
• “Rising Stars: Americas” Euromoney Rising Stars Awards (2021).
• “2020 Dispute Resolution Award of the Year--Americas,” Prime Dispute (2021).
• “Best Arbitration Jurist” India Legal Awards (2020).
• Who’s Who Legal 2020, Leader in International Arbitration (2020) (youngest person to be listed).
• “Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch: Alternative Dispute Resolution,” Inaugural Edition (2020).
• “2019 Equality and Diversity Award in Dispute Resolution,” Prime Dispute (2020).
• International Arbitration Lawyer of the Year in USA, Leader in Law-2020 Global Awards (2020).
• Who’s Who Legal, Future Leader, International Arbitration (2020).
• Super Lawyer, New York Metro Area (2020).
• Expert Guides, Rising Star (2020).
• “Best in Commercial Arbitration,” Euromoney Legal Media Group Americas Rising Star (Top 5) (2019).
• Recognized by Legal500 US for “International Arbitration” (2019).
• “Young Lawyer of the Year 2019,” Indian National Bar Association (2019).
• “Top 10 Arbitrator Award for Asia Pacific Region,” Bali International Arbitration and Mediation Center (BIAMC) (2019).
• Who’s Who “Most Highly Regarded” Future Leaders, International Arbitration (2019).
• Super Lawyer, New York Metro Area (2019).
• Expert Guides, Rising Star (2019).
• “Inspiring Citizen Award” Institute of Self Reliance (India) (2019).
• 40 under 40 Rising Star Awards, Legal Media Group (2018).
• Who’s Who Future Leaders, International Arbitration (2017).

LEADERSHIP ACTIVITIES

• American Society of International Law (ASIL), Signature Topics Initiative (2022).
• American Arbitration Association/International Centre for Dispute Resolution Foundation, Ambassador (2022).
• Brill Perspective in International Investment Law and Arbitration, Associate Editor (2022).
• Law360, International Arbitration, Editorial Board (2022).
• American Bar Association, Section of International Law, India Conference Co-Chair (2022).
• International Commercial Disputes Committee, New York City Bar, Affiliate Member (2022). International Institute for Conflict Prevention & Resolution (CPR), Procedures and Challenge Task Force (2022).
• International Institute for Conflict Prevention & Resolution (CPR), Challenge Review Board (2022).
• International Chamber of Commerce (ICC)’s USCIB, Academic Taskforce Co-Chair (2022).
• African Journal of International Arbitration, Distinguished Associate Editor (2022).
• Law360, 2022’s International Arbitration Editorial Board (2022).
• Council For National and International Commercial Arbitration & Mediation Center (CNICA), Advisory Board Member (2021).
• Delos Disputes Tag Time webinar series, Moderator (2020).
• International Legal Materials, American Society of International Law, Corresponding Editor (2020).
• Investment and Commercial Arbitration Review, Advisory Board (2020).
• Auro Journal of Legal Research, Advisory Board (2020).
• Equal Representation for Arbitration (ERA) Pledge, Young Practitioner’s Subcommittee (2020).
• Jus Mundi, Editor (2020).
• Boston International Arbitration Council, Advisory Committee(2020).
• Belt and Road Commission, International Chamber of Commerce, Ambassador(2020).
• Pledge for Greener Arbitrations, Steering Committee (2020).
• International Centre for Dispute Resolution (ICDR), Publications Committee (2020).
• International Bar Association Arbitration Subcommittee on updating the 2010 IBA Rules on the Taking of Evidence (2019).
• California International Arbitration Council, Inc. (CIAC), Executive Committee of the Board of Directors and Academic Council (since 2019).
• Bali International Arbitration and Mediation Center (BIAMC), International Liaison Officer (since 2019).
• ICSID Review, Associate Editor (since 2019);Peer Review Board (since 2014).
• Georgetown International Investment Law Center (IILC), Advisory Committee (since 2018).
• Young Mumbai Center for International Arbitration (MCIA), Board Member (since 2018).
• The Alliance: Equality in Dispute Resolution, Ambassador (since 2018).
• Chartered Institute of Arbitrator Young Members Steering Committee (2015-2018). 
• Oxford University Press’ Investmentclaims.com, Global Advisory Board (since 2017).
• Government Law College, International Arbitration Cell, Advisory Committee (since 2017).
• American Society of International Law, Private International Law Interest Group, Co-Chair (2017-2020).
• Harvard International Arbitration Law Students Association (HIALSA, Advisory Committee (since 2017).
• International Courts and Judicial Affairs Committee, American Bar Association, Co-Chair (since 2017). Formerly Programs Vice-Chair (2016-2017).
• International Arbitration, American Bar Association, Section of International Law, Programs Vice-Chair (since 2016).
• Hong Kong International Arbitration Center, HK Under45 Regional Ambassador for New York (since 2016).
• Global Arbitration News, Editor (2015-2018).
• Indian National Bar Association New York Chapter, Executive Committee Member (since 2015).
• Brill-Nijhoff Publishers, International Investment Law and Arbitration, Associate Editor (since 2015).
• The Indian Society of International Law, Life Member (since 2014).

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