Call: 2024 (England & Wales); 2014 (Australia)

Isuru is an international arbitration and public international law specialist with extensive experience acting as counsel in both commercial and investor-State arbitrations.

Prior to joining 36 Stone, Isuru practiced for 10 years at leading international law firms Latham & Watkins and Clifford Chance in London, Singapore and Australia. His work at those firms included acting as counsel for both investors and States in several high-profile investor-State arbitrations, acting as counsel in complex international commercial arbitrations under all major arbitral rules, and advising parties in relation to the enforcement of arbitral awards. He has also acted in disputes involving international sanctions and advised clients in respect of the same. Isuru’s public international law experience includes advising several States, international organisations, NGOs and private parties on various international law matters, including privileges and immunities, countermeasures, self-determination, statehood, international human rights law and international criminal law.

Isuru was formerly a judge’s associate (judicial assistant) to a judge of the Court of Appeal division of the Supreme Court of Queensland.

He is the Co-Chair of the Asia-Pacific Forum for International Arbitration.

Isuru has been recognised as a Future Leader in International Arbitration by Lexology (previously Who’s Who Legal) and ranked by The Legal 500 for public international law and international arbitration and by Chambers & Partners for public international law.

Testimonials

Isuru stands out as an exceptional lawyer, distinguished by his ability to swiftly navigate the complexities of the dispute.Chambers & Partners 2025, Public International Law

Areas of expertise

Isuru acts for clients in investor-State and international commercial arbitrations. His international arbitration experience includes representing clients in a range of industry sectors, including mining, energy, industrial, manufacturing, technology, telecommunications, and media. This experience includes representing States, State-owned entities, and companies in disputes arising under investment treaties, free-trade agreements, national investment laws, and joint-venture agreements, and proceedings conducted under major arbitral rules including, ICSID, UNCITRAL, ICC, LCIA, and SIAC arbitration rules.

Isuru’s experience includes representing:

  • Ukraine in an ongoing ICSID arbitration commenced by Gilward Investments BV, an alleged investor in the aviation sector
  • Ipek Investment Limited in an ICSID arbitration against the Republic of Turkiye
  • An individual in obtaining a successful settlement of a BIT dispute with a North African State
  • Cortec Mining Kenya Ltd and its affiliates in an ICSID arbitration against the Republic of Kenya
  • Kingsgate Consolidated Ltd and Kingsgate Capital Pty Ltd in an ad hoc arbitration against the Kingdom of Thailand
  • Oleovest Pte Ltd in an ICSID arbitration against the Republic of Indonesia
  • PNG Sustainable Development Program Ltd in an ICSID arbitration against the Independent State of Papua New Guinea
  • A private equity fund in a SIAC arbitration in connection with a USD 750+ million transaction for regionally significant telecommunications assets in South-East Asia
  • A UK company in an ad hoc arbitration against an Indian company concerning a dispute under a joint venture agreement in the automotive manufacturing sector
  • An Asian conglomerate in an ICC arbitration in relation to a dispute arising from a USD 2 billion transaction
  • An international oil company in an LCIA arbitration against another international oil company concerning a dispute under a share purchase agreement
  • A Mauritian mining company in an ICC arbitration concerning a joint venture dispute with the national mining company of an African State
  • A US media conglomerate in a SIAC arbitration against its Indian joint venture partner.

Isuru has also represented clients in relation to challenges to, and the enforcement of, arbitral awards, including acting for and against States.

Isuru advises on public international law issues and represents clients before international courts and tribunals.  His public international experience includes advising States, State organs and instrumentalities, central banks, sovereign wealth funds, State-owned entities, international organisations and private entities on various issues of international law.

Isuru’s experience includes advising/representing:

  • A State on matters related to privileges and immunities of High-Ranking Officials
  • A State on matters related to immunity from the jurisdiction of the English courts and immunity of State property from execution
  • A sovereign wealth fund on matters related to State immunity
  • A central bank on matters related to State immunity
  • A subdivision of a State on the compatibility of a new legislative regime with the State’s international law obligations
  • A State-owned pension fund on matters related to State immunity
  • A State on the adoption of countermeasures under international law
  • A State on matters related to self-determination, secession, and statehood
  • A State on matters related to diplomatic immunity
  • A State on its obligations in connection with an International Criminal Court arrest warrant
  • A central bank on foreign investment protections and the right to regulate
  • A central bank on foreign investment protections and the right to regulate under international law
  • An international organisation in respect of immunities
  • A consortium of international oil companies in a dispute on maritime boundaries and resulting tax changes following the discovery of a group of small islands in the area of a gas field
  • An international oil company in relation to offshore oil and gas assets affected by a maritime boundary dispute and related proceedings under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS)
  • An Australian oil and gas company on legal implications resulting from a maritime boundary dispute.

Isuru acts for clients in a variety of shipping & commodities matters.  His experience includes:

  • Representing Owners in an LMAA arbitration relating to vessel damage, cargo damage and off-hire claims.
  • Representing Buyer in a FOSFA arbitration relating to shipments of oil.
  • Representing Owners in an LMAA arbitration relating to breaches of charterparty and demurrage.
  • Representing Owners in an LMAA arbitration relating to deviation and off-hire claims.
  • Representing Charterers in an LMAA arbitration relating to redelivery dispute (construction of charterparty).
  • Representing Charterers in an LMAA arbitration relating to redelivery dispute (variation of charterparty).
  • Advising Charterers in relation to damaged and hazardous cargo.

Further information

  • State Responsibility for Corruption in International Investment Arbitration (2019) 10(2) Journal of International Dispute Settlement 248
  • (co-author) “Compensation and Damages in Investment Treaty Arbitrations” in G Pachnanda SA and K Mahajan (eds), Damages, Expert Evidence and Valuation in Commercial Disputes in India, 2023
  • (co-author) Freezing Orders in Australia – Inherent Powers and The International Arbitration Act 1974 (Cth) (2016) 12(2) Asian International Arbitration Journal 195
  • (co-author) Inherent Jurisdiction and Implied Power to Stay Proceedings in Aid of Arbitration: “A Nice Question” (2015) 32(5) Journal of International Arbitration 493
  • (co-author) Consent in ICSID Arbitration – Case of Planet Mining Pty Ltd v Republic of Indonesia (2014) 10(2) Asian International Arbitration Journal 195
  • (co-author) R1 International Pte Ltd v Lonstroff AG (2014) 17(4) International Arbitration Review 96
  • (co-author) The Court can’t even handle me: Flo Rida and the lessons for substituted service via social media (2014) 87 Computers & Law Journal 6
  • Statutory Directors’ Duties, the Civil Penalty Regime and Shareholder Ratification: What Role does the Public Interest Play? (2014) 32(6) Company and Securities Law Journal 399

Law School Valedictorian, University of Queensland

  • Bachelor of Laws (Honours), University of Queensland
  • Bachelor of Commerce, University of Queensland
  • Master of Law (international law), University of Cambridge
  • Co-Chair of Asia-Pacific Forum for International Arbitration

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