Stephen Jagusch KC

Stephen Jagusch KC is a partner at Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan LLP and Global Chair of the firm's International Arbitration Practice. Based in London, he has been named Arbitration Lawyer of the Year in the UK at the Corporate INTL Global Awards 2026, a recognition that reflects his standing at the very top of the international arbitration bar.

Leading a global arbitration practice

As Global Chair of international arbitration at Quinn Emanuel, Stephen Jagusch KC leads one of the practice areas for which the firm is best known. His work spans international commercial arbitration and investment treaty arbitration, and the firm records that he has led dozens of ad hoc and institutional arbitrations across a wide range of jurisdictions. He acts in disputes involving sovereign states and multinational organisations, with particular strength in investment treaty matters, where private investors bring claims against states under bilateral and multilateral investment treaties.

International arbitration has become the default mechanism for resolving high-value cross-border commercial and investment disputes, prized for its neutrality, enforceability under the New York Convention, and procedural flexibility. Leading counsel in this field must combine advocacy, deep knowledge of institutional rules and public international law, and the strategic judgement to manage complex, multi-jurisdictional proceedings. Stephen Jagusch KC's practice sits squarely within that demanding environment.

Advocate and arbitrator

The firm notes that he serves not only as counsel but also regularly as an arbitrator, sitting as chair, sole arbitrator or co-arbitrator in both commercial and investor-state cases. This dual perspective, arguing cases before tribunals and deciding them, is a hallmark of the most senior arbitration practitioners and sharpens the judgement they bring to their advocacy. He is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators and a member of the Board of Trustees of the Bahrain Chamber for Dispute Resolution (BCDR), reflecting his engagement with the institutions that underpin the field.

His recognition in the leading directories is emphatic. The firm cites descriptions of him as "one of the most impressive advocates around" and "a masterful cross-examiner," and records that he holds the inaugural Client Choice Award for Best Arbitration Lawyer in the UK. It also notes that both Chambers & Partners and Super Lawyers rank him as a leading lawyer, and that Best Lawyers named him Best Lawyer in the United Kingdom for International Arbitration. Such accolades, drawn from clients and peers, are among the strongest external indicators of standing in a specialised advocacy practice.

Experience and qualifications

Before joining Quinn Emanuel, Stephen Jagusch KC was Chair of the Global International Arbitration Practice at Allen & Overy LLP, one of the world's largest law firms, underlining his long-established leadership in the field. He is qualified as a Barrister and Solicitor in New Zealand and as a Solicitor Advocate in England and Wales, and he holds the rank of King's Counsel, a mark of distinction in advocacy in England and Wales.

London remains one of the world's foremost seats for international arbitration, home to major institutions and a deep pool of specialist counsel and arbitrators. Practitioners of the first rank in this market are, by definition, operating at the global summit of the discipline.

Recognition at the Corporate INTL Global Awards 2026

Winning Arbitration Lawyer of the Year in the UK at the Corporate INTL Global Awards 2026 places Stephen Jagusch KC among the leading figures in international arbitration. His combination of high-stakes commercial and investment treaty advocacy, service as an arbitrator, King's Counsel status and consistent recognition by clients and peers makes him a fitting recipient. For businesses and states facing significant cross-border disputes, his leadership of Quinn Emanuel's global arbitration practice offers advocacy at the highest level the field has to offer.