Cherine FOTY

Cherine Foty is a Senior Associate in the International Arbitration Group of Covington & Burling LLP, based in Washington, D.C. She is a dually qualified common law and civil law lawyer and spent several years practicing international arbitration in the Paris office of a major U.S. law firm.

Cherine advises clients on a broad array of complex international commercial and investor-state arbitrations and non-judicial disputes relating to issues of ESG, business and human rights, and corporate social responsibility.

As a senior associate in the firm’s international arbitration group, Cherine’s practice is focused on international commercial and investor-state arbitration under a range of arbitral rules and applicable laws. Cherine has specialized experience in the energy sector, regularly representing clients in gas pricing arbitrations, and in a variety of other industries. She has acted for both investors and states in investor-state arbitrations involving public and private international law. In addition, she has significant experience with conservatory and emergency measures and the enforcement and annulment of arbitral awards in state courts around the world.

As a member of Covington's Business and Human Rights and ESG practices, Cherine advises clients on a diverse range of non-judicial disputes involving issues of human rights and environmental due diligence, global supply chains, and investor obligations. She assists companies in navigating the complex interplay between disputes, civil liability, reputational risk, external stakeholder engagement, greenwashing allegations, and shareholder claims. Cherine has represented clients in Specific Instance proceedings before OECD National Contact Points for Responsible Business Conduct involving due diligence obligations of companies and investors under the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises. She has also counseled multinational companies on matters before the United Nations Human Rights Council Working Groups and Special Rapporteurs relating to issues of human rights, the environment, and climate change.

Cherine maintains an active pro bono practice assisting NGOs and individuals on issues of international human rights law, media freedom, freedom of expression, and immigration law. She is active in the Covington's Kurt Wimmer Media Freedom Pro Bono Initiative and has received High Honors from the Capital Pro Bono Honor Role for her pro bono work.

Cherine is a Member of the ICC Commission on Arbitration and ADR and serves on its Working Group for Expedited Procedure Provisions. She is the Global Co-Chair of the Campaign for Greener Arbitrations, and serves on CPR's Y-ADR Steering Committee, and the boards of ArbitralWomen and ArabArb.