Marina Boterashvili is a Partner in Quinn Emanuel’s London office. She specialises in complex litigation and arbitration, with an emphasis on civil fraud, financial litigation and joint venture and shareholder disputes.
Marina has particular experience managing complex and high value disputes with a significant cross-border element, particularly involving offshore jurisdictions, Eastern Europe, the Middle East and Africa. Her clients include multinational corporations, high net worth individuals and sovereign governments in cases arising across a range of sectors, including telecommunications, energy and natural resources, pharmaceuticals and financial services.
Marina also has extensive experience in applying for and resisting applications for interim relief in the English, Cyprus and BVI courts, including anti-suit injunctions, and pre-and post-judgment asset freezing relief.
Marina’s arbitration experience includes acting on arbitrations under the UNCITRAL, ICSID, SCC, LCIA and ICC Rules, as well as a number of ad hoc arbitrations.
Described in Legal500 as “very talented and always calm and in control”, Marina is recommended in a number of practice areas, including: (i) Civil Fraud; (ii) Commercial Litigation; (iii) Banking Litigation; and (iv) International Arbitration.
In 2022, Marina was featured as a ‘next generation’ arbitration practitioner by Legal Business Magazine. In 2023, she was recognised as a 2023 Rising Star by Law.com in its list of the UK's Best Up and Coming Female Lawyers aged under 40. She has also been included in Lawdragon’s list of 500 Leading Global Litigators (International Disputes and Asset Recovery) for 2024.
- Federal Republic of Nigeria v Process & Industrial Developments Ltd – Acting for Process & Industrial Developments Limited in enforcement proceedings before the English High Court in respect of an arbitral award worth approximately USD 11 billion, which the Federal Republic of Nigeria has challenged on the basis of serious allegations of fraud and corruption.
- Avonwick Holdings v. Azitio Holdings & Ors (One of the Lawyer’s Top 20 cases of 2019) – Advising on a complex shareholder dispute between three Ukrainian businessmen, with allegations of fraudulent misrepresentation and conspiracy arising out of the sale of a major Ukrainian metallurgical company, as well as a number of complex counterclaims, with total claims valued in excess of USD 1.5 bn.
- Representing a North American investor in relation to expedited proceedings before the English Court, arising out of a joint venture in the energy sector.
- Acting for AngloGold Ashanti in ICSID proceedings in connection with a mining dispute against the Republic of Ghana arising out of the withdrawal of military support from AGA’s concession in Obuasi, Ghana.
- Representing two high net worth individuals in BVI proceedings brought by the family members of their deceased business partner, with claims involving allegations of forgery and fraud.
- Acting for a mining company in UNCITRAL arbitration proceedings against an African government, arising out of changes to the country’s legislative framework.
- Acting for a BVI investor in a USD 2.5 bn complex multi-jurisdictional shareholder dispute seated in Paris under the ICC Rules, involving ancillary proceedings in the BVI, Netherlands, France and a Southern African jurisdiction.
- Advising a consortium of Russian, Kazakh and US private equity investors in relation to an M&A dispute arising out of a joint venture worth USD 3.2 bn.
- Advising the potential purchaser of a high-profile group of companies on complex issues relating to title, conspiracy and other liabilities under English law arising as a result of bribery allegations relating to a previous sale of shares in the group.
- Acting for an Abu Dhabi investment fund in ICC proceedings in London under Egyptian law for the recovery of a substantial debt.
- Advising a hedge fund in relation to claims arising out of a former CEO’s misconduct.
- Acting for a large Middle Eastern oil company in parallel LCIA and SCC proceedings in relation to a dispute with one of the client’s subcontractors, involving the enforcement of a parent guarantee and allegations of force majeure under English law.
- College of Law, Moorgate
(LPC, with distinction, 2013) - University College London
(L.L.M., with distinction, 2011) - London School of Economics and Political Science
(L.L.B., 2010)
- Solicitor, England and Wales
- Russian
- English
- Dutch
- French
- Hebrew
- DLA Piper (2013-2015)
- Ranked by Lawdragon 500 Leading Global Litigators, International Disputes & Asset Recovery, 2024
- Ranked as a Key Lawyer by Legal500 UK for Civil Fraud, 2020-2023
- Ranked as a Key Lawyer by Legal500 UK for Commercial Litigation: Premium, 2023
- Ranked as a Key Lawyer by Legal500 UK for Banking Litigation, 2023
- Ranked as a Key Lawyer by Legal500 UK for International Arbitration, 2023
- 2023 Rising Star in Law.com’s list of the UK's Best Up and Coming Female Lawyers aged under 40
- ‘Next Generation Arbitration Practitioner’, Legal Business Magazine, 2022
- Award for ‘Arbitration Team of the Year’, British Legal Awards, 2021
- Book Review, ‘Trade Usages and Implied Terms in the Age of Arbitration’ (edited by Fabien Gélinas), ITA in Review (with E. Triantafilou)
- Article, ‘Specific Performance in Commercial Contracts with Sovereign States’, 34(5) Journal of International Arbitration (2017) (E. Triantafilou, A. Sinclair)