Joe Profaizer, Esq.

About The Lecturer

Joe is a partner and Global Co-Head of Linklaters’ International Arbitration practice and an adjunct professor of law at Georgetown University Law Center. A Chambers-ranked attorney in international arbitration, he maintains a first-chair arbitration and litigation practice that focuses exclusively on complex international disputes. In 2023, Law360 recognized Joe as one of four “MVPs” in international arbitration in the United States.

A U.S.-qualified attorney and English-qualified Solicitor, Joe has practiced in both the United States and England and served as counsel in threatened or actual litigation or arbitration in over 70 countries. He has successfully represented clients in courts at both the trial and appellate levels, as well as in over 100 international arbitrations under the rules of the ICC, AAA/ICDR, LCIA, SIAC, HKIAC, ICSID, JAMS, CEPANI, CIETAC, WIPO, CeCAP and UNCITRAL. Joe has an established track record of achieving significant successes for his clients, including successfully representing them in disputes totaling tens of billions of dollars and obtaining tens of millions of dollars in fees and costs awards on their behalf.

Joe represents U.S., Asian, Latin American, European and other global public and private corporations as well as foreign sovereigns and their instrumentalities in a wide range of complex multi-jurisdictional, cross-border disputes. His industry experience spans investment, private equity, technology, energy, construction, joint venture, contract, e-commerce, hotel/hospitality, insurance, intellectual property, licensing, media, pharmaceutical and securities disputes. He also sits as arbitrator.

According to Chambers:

• “Joseph Profaizer […] is highly regarded for his strengths in commercial and investment treaty disputes ... Commentators characterize him as ‘a great legal mind with a profound intellect,’ with sources revealing that ‘his technical skills and commercial insights make him an exceptionally effective litigator and negotiator.’”
• “Joseph Profaizer is praised for his ability ‘to be open to the dynamics of the case.’ His expertise includes both commercial and investment treaty arbitration, and one client enthuses: ‘I give him high marks on everything.’"
• “Clients are united in their opinion that Mr. Profaizer is ‘the guy you go to if you want to get things done.’ Hard-working and attentive, he is ‘always on top of things and gifted with strong strategic vision.’”

The Legal 500 (United States) reports that:

• “Joe Profaizer provides clients with ‘quality of service that is nothing short of brilliant,’ and ‘possesses, according to one UK-based client, ‘all-round qualities that are so exceptional, I wrote to the Law Society telling them so.’”
• Joe Profaizer’s “[d]epth and breadth of knowledge in the subject matter but, more importantly, the potential strategy and environment of the ‘other side’ prove invaluable.”

Work highlights
Joe's recent deal highlights include*:

• Daiichi Sankyo: serving as one of five leading counsel in securing a zero-dollar liability win in one of the largest arbitrations in the history of the AAA/ICDR.
• Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma Corporation: serving as co-lead counsel in a US$2bn+ ICC arbitration against Novartis Pharma AG.
• Asian construction machinery manufacturer: serving as lead counsel in a US$1.4bn ICC arbitration brought by a prominent U.S. company arising from a joint venture.     
• U.S. private equity real estate fund: serving as lead counsel in parallel HKIAC and CIETAC arbitrations arising out of a PRC-foreign real estate joint venture dispute in excess of US$200m.
• Japanese manufacturing conglomerate: serving as co-lead counsel in an ICDR/AAA arbitration involving a contract dispute over buy-back rights for a joint venture.
• Leading Japanese manufacturer: serving as co-lead counsel in an LCIA arbitration seated in London concerning the dissolution of a multi-billion-dollar joint venture with a European conglomerate.
• Leading global insurer: serving as co-lead counsel in a political risk insurance arbitration based on claims of expropriation and discrimination by a Latin American sovereign.
• Privately held English technology company: serving as lead defense counsel in a bet-the-company LCIA arbitration against a U.S. claimant.
• Leading Chinese technology and automotive company: serving as lead counsel in an ICC arbitration against a leading U.S. technology company in a dispute over a licensing agreement concerning intellectual property rights.
• South Korean company: representing in federal court litigation against a U.S. company in a dispute concerning a long-term supply agreement for high-technology products.

*Includes matters handled prior to joining Linklaters.

Education

London School of Economics, L.L.M., 1999 (with merit)

University of Texas at Austin, J.D., 1993 (Research and Submissions Editor of the Texas International Law Journal)

University of Texas at Austin, B.A., 1990 (magna cum laude; Special Honors)