Paolo Busco was previously registered as a European Lawyer. He was called to the Bar of England and Wales on 24 March 2021.
Paolo specialises in international dispute settlement, public international law and EU law.
His practice covers the full spectrum of EU and international law, with a focus on law of the sea, public international law before domestic courts, human rights and immunities. Paolo also has significant experience in inter-State negotiations and mediations, which he developed in various advisory capacities in the context of complex political disputes.
In addition to advisory work, he has been involved in matters before the International Court of Justice, the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea, the Court of Justice of the European Union, ICSID investment tribunals, Annex VII to UNCLOS arbitral tribunals, and several domestic courts.
Before joining Chambers, Paolo practiced international law in several capacities. For instance, as a senior legal consultant to FAO in Riyadh, he advised the Saudi government on law of the sea and international fisheries law. As an assistant legal counsel at the Permanent Court of Arbitration, Paolo developed a specific expertise in the procedure of investment and inter-State arbitral Tribunals. Paolo trained as a lawyer as a pupil to Italy’s Deputy Attorney General.
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Example cases
- Counsel for a State in connection with proceedings concerning the Act of State Doctrine before English Courts.
- Counsel for a major cruise line company in a tort case before the English High Court, involving elements of both English and foreign law.
- Counsel for a State in connection with immunities from criminal proceedings commenced in the United Kingdom.
- Counsel and Advocate for the Italian Republic in the provisional measures and merits phase of PCA Case No. 2015-28: the “Enrica Lexie” Incident (Italy v India).
- Counsel and Advocate for the Italian Republic in the provisional measures phase in ITLOS Case No. 24: the “Enrica Lexie” Incident (Italy v India)
- Counsel and Advocate for the Italian Republic in the phases of preliminary objections to jurisdiction/admissibility and merits in ITLOS Case No. 25: The “Norstar” case (Panama v Italy).
- Counsel for the United States of America in several cases concerning State immunity from jurisdiction.
- Counsel and Advocate for DQ in a preliminary ruling procedure pursuant to Article 267 of the TFEU before the Court of Justice of the EU: case C-396/18 (Cafaro v DQ)
- Counsel for Impresa Pizzarotti SpA in Impresa Pizzarotti & C. S.p.A. v Kingdom of Morocco: ICSID Case No. ARB/19/14.
- Assistant to the Arbitral Tribunal in Hela Schwarz GmbH v People’s Republic of China: ICSID Case No. ARB/17/19.
- Counsel to Taishin International Bank in connection with investment arbitral proceedings against an Asian State.
Public international law
- Counsel for a State in connection with immunities from criminal proceedings commenced in the United Kingdom.
- Counsel for a major cruise line company in a tort case before the English High Court, involving elements of both English and foreign law.
- Consultant to the Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations in Riyadh, advising the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia on law of the sea and international fishery law matters, in the context of the Saudi Vision 2030 program.
- Adviser to a State in potential proceedings before the International Court of Justice on certain duties of judicial cooperation under a Treaty (further details are confidential).
- Counsel and Advocate for the Italian Republic in the provisional measures phase in ITLOS Case No. 24: the “Enrica Lexie” Incident (Italy v India)
- Counsel and Advocate for the Italian Republic in the phases of preliminary objections to jurisdiction/admissibility and merits in ITLOS Case No. 25: The “Norstar” case (Panama v Italy).
- Adviser to the Sovereign mediator in an inter-State maritime dispute (further details are confidential).
- Adviser to the Italian Ministry of Home Affairs on international law of the sea and human rights aspects related to NGOs operations in the Mediterranean Sea, in the context of the international migration crisis from North Africa.
- Counsel and advisor for the United States of America in several cases concerning State immunity from jurisdiction.
- Counsel and Advocate for DQ in a preliminary ruling procedure pursuant to Article 267 TFEU before the Court of Justice of the EU: case C-396/18 (Cafaro v DQ).
- Adviser for the Italian Republic in a case brought by the Ministry of Cultural Affairs of Italy against the Jean Paul Getty Museum of Malibu for the recovery of the Victorious Youth of Lysippus, before various Italian courts, while at the Office of the Attorney General of Italy.
- Adviser for the Italian Republic in a case brought by the Ministry of Cultural Affairs of Italy against Sotheby’s for the restitution of ancient manuscripts stolen from the Girolamini Library, while at the Office of the Attorney General of Italy.
- Adviser for the Italian Republic in diplomatic negotiations with a number of international museums and two States over the restitution of cultural properties acquired in contravention of the 1970 UNESCO Convention on the Means of Prohibiting and Preventing the Illicit Import, Export and Transfer of Ownership of Cultural Property, while at the Office of the Attorney General.
International arbitration
- Counsel and Advocate for the Italian Republic in the provisional measures and merits phase of PCA Case No. 2015-28: the “Enrica Lexie” Incident (Italy v India).
- Counsel for Impresa Pizzarotti SpA in Impresa Pizzarotti & C. S.p.A. v. Kingdom of Morocco: ICSID Case No. ARB/19/14.
- Assistant to the Tribunal in Hela Schwarz GmbH v People’s Republic of China: ICSID Case No. ARB/17/19.
- Counsel for Taishin International Bank in connection with investment arbitral proceedings against an Asian State.
- Assistant to the Tribunal in PCA Case No. 2013-30: The Atlanto-Scandian Herring Arbitration (The Kingdom of Denmark in respect of the Faroe Islands v The European Union), as an Assistant Legal Counsel at the Permanent Court of Arbitration.
- Assistant to the Tribunal in PCA Case No. 2011-03: Chagos Marine Protected Area Arbitration (Mauritius v United Kingdom), as an Assistant Legal Counsel at the Permanent Court of Arbitration.
- Assistant to the Tribunal in PCA Case No. 2011-06: OAO Gazprom v The Republic of Lithuania, as an Assistant Legal Counsel at the Permanent Court of Arbitration.
- Assistant to the Tribunal in PCA Case No. 2010-13: Dunkeld International Investment Limited (Turks & Caicos) v The Government of Belize, as an Assistant Legal Counsel at the Permanent Court of Arbitration.
- Assistant to the Tribunal in PCA Case No. 2013-33: Mattioli Joint Venture v The Ministry of Water and Energy representing the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, as an Assistant Legal Counsel at the Permanent Court of Arbitration.
- Assistant to the Tribunal in PCA Case No. 2013-32: Consta Joint Venture v Chemin de Fer Djibouto-Ethiopien, as an Assistant Legal Counsel at the Permanent Court of Arbitration.
