Sophie Bayrou

Full Profile

Sophie specialises in commercial and investment arbitration. She regularly represents sovereign States, as well as public and private entities, in complex, high value disputes conducted under the rules of the leading arbitral institutions across Europe, the Middle East and Asia.

She also acts for clients before the French courts in arbitration-related and commercial litigation, including set-aside and enforcement proceedings. Most recently, she appeared before the Court of Justice of the European Union, representing a State in a preliminary ruling involving novel issues at the intersection of international sanctions and arbitration.

Sophie has a particular focus on energy, ESG, and renewable-related disputes, with a keen interest in the legal challenges and strategic opportunities arising from the global green transition. She is part of the firm’s Climate Risk practice group.

Before joining Clyde & Co, Sophie gained extensive experience in French and international law firms, including three years as an associate at a leading international firm in Singapore, where she advised multinational companies and sovereign States across Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, the Philippines and Mongolia, with a particular focus on the construction and energy sectors.

Sophie was admitted to the Paris Bar in 2017. She holds a Master’s degree in International Business Law from the University of Paris II Panthéon Assas, a Master’s degree in Economic Law from Sciences Po Paris Law School and a Bachelor of Arts from Sciences Po Paris.

She handles arbitration in English and French and speaks Italian.

Experience

Arbitration:

• Representing a European government in an ICC arbitration relating to concession agreements pertaining to three key hospitals 
• Representing a large state-owned energy company based in South America, in an LCIA arbitration pertaining to the exploration, production and distribution of oil and natural gas
• Representing a West African country in a PCA arbitration relating to the construction of a road
• Representing a global industrial and metals group in an ICC arbitration arising out of a steel supply agreement
• Representing a global high-tech company in various arbitrations seated in Paris and New York relating to license and know-how agreements
• Representing an Eastern European state in an SCC arbitration, under the Energy Charter Treaty, relating to a gas supply agreement 
• Representing an American investor in an ICSID arbitration relating to a concession agreement against a South American country
• Representing a project company on issues arising out of the construction of a refinery and petrochemical complex in Southeast Asia, involving claims under and in relation to the EPC contract valued in excess of USD 1.5 billion
• Representing a French renewable energy company in a dispute with, and potential claim under the Energy Charter Treaty against, a Central Asian state and the state-owned power purchaser for issues arising out of a long-term power purchase agreement and government guarantee
• Representing and obtaining anti-suit relief for a global hospital business to restrain proceedings before the Thai courts in favour of SIAC arbitration proceedings in Singapore 
• Acting as Secretary to the Tribunal in a SAC arbitration concerning a Swiss-law-governed commercial dispute in the luxury sector

Litigation:

• Representing a state in set aside proceedings before the French courts and the European Court of Justice involving novel issues related to international sanctions, public international law and arbitration
• Representing a Mongolian cement company before the Paris Court of Appeal in set-aside proceedings
• Representing a Spanish natural resources company in enforcement proceedings in North Africa

Publications

• Co-author "Arbitrage international : quand un litige devient un actif finançable et financier", OptionFinance - 2024
• Co-author “Renewables Arbitration Series – A Perspective from Paris”, Daily Jus – 2024 
• Co-author “International Arbitration Comparative Guide – France”, Legal 500 - 2022