Christopher S. Smith

When working with his clients, Chris Smith’s primary focus is identifying the clients’ particular business needs and goals. Chris then sets out to establish a path within the context of a particular dispute, transaction, or other matter to best ensure those needs are met and goals are achieved. In this role, Chris is quick to learn about his client’s businesses and industries. He has experience in various markets, including the renewable energy, pharmaceutical, intellectual property (particularly patent and trademark), construction, automotive, nuclear power, insurance (policyholder), oil and gas, and mining sectors.

As an advocate, Chris represents businesses in their cross-border disputes with companies and foreign governments. He has over a decade of experience representing clients in international disputes, as well as arbitration agreement and award enforcement litigation matters in United States courts. Chris also has significant experience representing investors in disputes with governments relating to cross-border investments.

From 2022 to 2024, Chris was Vice President and Member of the Executive Committee of the Board of the Atlanta International Arbitration Society (AtlAS). In 2024, AtlAS’s Board of Directors elected Chris Secretary of the organization, a position he held through 2025. Chris was President-Elect of AtlAS in 2025, and he has been President of the organization since January 2026. Chris also has been on the AtlAS Board of Directors since 2022.

From 2021 to 2024, Chris was a Regional Representative for North America of the International Chamber of Commerce Young Arbitration & ADR Forum. He also coached the Vis International Commercial Arbitration Moot Team at the University of Georgia School of Law from 2016 to 2019.

Chris regularly speaks at international arbitration and cross-border disputes conferences. He also frequently publishes on international arbitration matters, including on recent developments in U.S. courts that affect arbitration practice.

Christopher's Practice

Representative Matters

• Representing the U.S. subsidiary of a European multinational in an ICDR arbitration involving a trademark dispute with a former affiliate in Latin America. In the dispute, an emergency arbitrator issued a very favorable interim award in favor of our client.
• Representing an entrepreneur in a business dispute before the SCC with a European pop band and multinational media conglomerate.
• Representing a pharmaceutical company in an ICC dispute with a distributor for its products in the Caribbean.
• Representing an East Asian manufacturer in a major cross-border construction dispute.
• Representing a manufacturer involved in a cross-border ICC dispute with another manufacturer.
• Representing a Middle Eastern company to enforce a foreign litigation judgment in U.S. court.
• Obtained an award of approximately $100 million in a SIAC arbitration representing a South Korean electronics manufacturer involved in a dispute with another Asian electronics company arising out of a patent cross-license agreement.
• Prior to a hearing, settled a dispute on terms very favorable to the client, a U.S. public utility involved in an ICDR arbitration with a supplier arising out of a uranium supply and conversion agreement.
• Enforced in Texas state courts three arbitral awards in a dispute related to a joint venture agreement. In the AAA/ICDR arbitration, the tribunal awarded the U.S.-based pharmaceutical client injunctive relief.
• Advised a U.S.-based investment company involved in an ICDR arbitration with two insurance companies relating to a dispute arising out of a political risk insurance policy covering a mining investment in a CIS country; the client obtained an award of over $100 million.
• Obtained eight awards totaling approximately €190 million on behalf of European investors in the renewable energy sector. The awards were issued in ICSID and SCC arbitrations arising out of the Kingdom of Spain’s and the Italian Republic’s alterations to and abrogation’s of their renewable energy incentive regimes. In addition to the underlying amounts awarded, the eight tribunals awarded the investors over €20 million in legal fees and costs, as well as interest.