Practice Profile
Ravi Aswani is a commercial dispute resolution barrister. He has a broad practice which covers a number of areas including in particular shipping and international trade, commodities, energy and oil and gas, metals and mining, insurance and re-insurance, banking and finance. Ravi has an extensive international arbitration practice. He has been instructed in arbitrations seated in a number of jurisdictions under a number of applicable laws, both ad hoc (in particular LMAA) as well as institutional arbitration (in particular ICC, LCIA and SIAC). In addition he is often instructed in commercial litigation in the Business and Property Courts, primarily the Commercial Court.
In recent years, Ravi has been shortlisted for / awarded a number of prestigious awards in recognition both of the excellence of his legal practice and of his longstanding commitments to equality and diversity and mentoring:
■ Winner: 2021 Society of Asian Lawyers Awards - Company / Commercial Lawyer of the Year.
■ Shortlisted: 2021 Chambers & Partners UK Bar Awards - Shipping Junior of the Year.
■ Shortlisted: 2020 UCL Alumni Awards - Alumni Volunteer of the Year.
A considerable proportion of Ravi’s work involves him being instructed without a leader against QCs; he has significant experience of acting without a leader against senior QCs.
Ravi has a broad domestic and international client base, and in addition to his practice as Counsel he offers services as a mediator and arbitrator. He is a CEDR accredited mediator, a freeman of the Worshipful Company of Arbitrators, a Member of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, and a member of the ICC Global Commission on Arbitration and ADR (representing the UK).
Ravi has sat as a deputy district judge in the County Court since 2013 in general civil matters, and in 2020 received an authorisation to hear specialist chancery / bankruptcy and insolvency matters.
Ravi is regularly asked to provide expert evidence on English law for use in foreign courts and arbitral tribunals. He frequently attends and speaks at conferences on subjects arising out of his practice areas, both in the UK and abroad.
Ravi has a growing practice as arbitrator and in the past four years has worked on the following arbitrations as arbitrator:
■ ICC Arbitration (Swiss seat, English law) - Co-arbitrator - Award issued September 2018.
■ LMAA Arbitration (English seat, English law) - Co-arbitrator - settled between hearing and Award.
■ LCIA Arbitration (Indian seat, Indian law) - Sole arbitrator – (Expedited) Award issued March 2019.
■ LMAA Arbitration (English seat, English law) - Co-arbitrator - pre-hearing stages.
■ LMAA Arbitration (English seat, English law) – Sole arbitrator - Award issued January 2021.
Ravi has a longstanding passion for matters of equality, diversity, inclusion, belonging and social mobility. Over the past two decades he has attended numerous cross-sector and cross-discipline advanced training events on these topics, observing considerable changes in thinking and practice over that time. Ravi also has a keen interest in mentoring and assisting the next generation of practitioners. He has participated in mentoring programmes run by Young ICCA and by UCL, and is also a Chambers' pupil supervisor. He is also often sought out as an informal mentor by junior practitioners.
Testimonials
Recommended in the Chambers and Partners UK Bar and Global directories for International Arbitration (since 2017) and Shipping and Commodities (since 2011). Current recommendations:
"He is brilliant. He is particularly good at taking on difficult cases and finding winning points." (International Arbitration (General Commercial and Insurance) – Tier 2)
"Ravi is very helpful and responsive, and you can count on him to turn work around quickly to a very high standard." "He is very measured and assured." "Ravi's written work indicates his commitment to fight his client's corner." (Shipping and Commodities – Tier 2)
Recommended in the Legal 500 (UK for International Arbitration (since 2015), Commodities (since 2012) and Shipping (since 2009); Asia Pacific for Commercial (since 2019) and Shipping and Commodities (since 2021)). Current recommendations:
“He is a superb advocate; tenacious and diligent and hard working. And with a real grasp of the principles of international arbitration.” (International Arbitration (Counsel) – Tier 2)
“Very responsive, user-friendly and adaptable, he is also bright, creative and to the point.” (Commodities – Tier 2)
“He has an excellent manner combined with outstanding academic qualities and superb commercial acumen. Intelligent and able to spot and exploit the key point in any case.” (Shipping – Tier 1)
“He is very quick in understanding the relevant and core issues involved in a dispute and find legal arguments to support a case.” “ Good skill and understanding of cross border disputes and alternative dispute redressal mechanisms.” (Commercial – Tier 2)
“His written work is detailed, accurate and commercially sound.” (Shipping and Commodities – Tier 2)
Recommended by Who’s Who Legal as an Arbitration Future Leader (since 2020): "Ravi is an excellent advocate"; "Ravi has developed a great arbitration practice and is a trusted point of contact"; "A real class act and strong speaker"; "He is extremely talented, knowledgeable and efficient"; "He really contributes his time to developing young law students and lawyers, and is a real advocate for gender diversity and inclusion”.
Recommended in the Who’s Who Legal UK Bar Directory for International Trade & Commodities (since 2015).
International Commercial Arbitration
A considerable proportion of Ravi’s work is in the field of International Commercial Arbitration, in connection with disputes arising out of a very wide range of industries and sectors. He is currently instructed in many such arbitrations which are due to be heard in 2022 and 2023. Ravi is often instructed as co-counsel with a view to making up a multi-disciplinary international team, and in recent years has been instructed in a number of arbitrations with foreign seats and/or arising out of contracts governed by a law other than English law.
In the past few years Ravi has acted as counsel in both institutional and ad hoc arbitrations under the rules of the LCIA, ICC, SIAC, and UNCITRAL. He also has a growing practice as an arbitrator.
International Commercial Litigation
Ravi is currently instructed in a considerable number of large pieces of commercial litigation in the Business and Property Courts, primarily the Commercial Court.
Ravi is instructed in a broad range of disputes which have involved allegations of fraud and corruption as well as breach of contract and tort. Ravi is often instructed in heavy interim matters involving questions of conflict of laws / jurisdiction, procedure and injunctive relief.
Shipping & International Trade
All aspects of wet and dry shipping.
Significant experience also in relation to shipbuilding, ship sale and purchase, ship repair, ship management and all aspects of port operation.
Domestic and international disputes arising out of contracts for the sale and / or transport of goods (by air, road and rail as well as by sea), extensive experience of advising under BIFA, CMR and RHA terms, as well as underlying contracts of insurance.
Insurance & Reinsurance
Construction of policies.
Disputes as to coverage and non-disclosure/misrepresentation.
Protection and indemnity policy / marine insurance advice.
Banking & Finance
Disputes arising out of various facility agreements and documentary credits including bills of exchange, letters of credit, performance bonds and guarantees.
Representative Work / Detailed CVs
Please follow the following links for Ravi’s specific CVs which set out extensive detail of representative work:
Appointments & Memberships
Advocate
Association Internationale des Jeunes Avocats
Arbitration Ireland
Bentham Association
British Maritime Law Association
CEDR Exchange Network
Chartered Institute of Arbitrators – MCIArb
Commercial Bar Association
FDI International Moot Competition - College of Arbitrators
ICC Global Commission on Arbitration and ADR
Indian Maritime Association (UK)
International Bar Association
International Council for Commercial Arbitration
Inter-Pacific Bar Association
London Common Law and Commercial Bar Association
London Court of International Arbitration - European Users’ Council
London Maritime Arbitrators’ Association - Supporting Member
Scottish Arbitration Centre
Singapore Chamber of Maritime Arbitration - Individual Member
UK India Business Council - Next Generation Network Member
Worshipful Company of Arbitrators - Freeman
Awards & Scholarships
In practice
• Society of Asian Lawyers Company / Commercial Lawyer of the Year, winner, 2021
• Chambers & Partners UK Bar Shipping Junior of the Year, shortlisted, 2021
• UCL Alumni Volunteer of the Year, shortlisted, 2020
Lincoln’s Inn
• Megarry Scholarship, 2000
• Buchanan Prize, 2000
• Sir Thomas More Bursary,1999
• Hardwicke Entrance Award, 1998
Nottingham Law School
• Taylor Prize Runner Up, 2000
University College London
• Dean’s List, 1999
• Sweet & Maxwell Prize, 1999
• Titmuss Sainer Dechert / CCH Company Law Prize, 1999
• Simmons & Simmons EC Law Prize, 1998
• Andrews Prize, 1997