Clifford Chance
Kate Apostolova specialises in international arbitration and litigation. With a career spanning over a decade, she has represented a diverse array of clients, including States and private entities, in high-stakes disputes across the energy, finance, and technology sectors. Kate's expertise encompasses investment treaty arbitration, commercial arbitration, and public international law matters, with a track record of successful outcomes in complex cases.
Clients from a wide range of industries, including oil & gas, mining, nuclear power, construction, finance, private equity, pharmaceuticals, and technology, seek Kate's legal advice.
She has also been appointed as arbitrator in a number of institutional and ad hoc arbitrations and is an accredited mediator.
As a strong pro bono advocate, Kate supplements her legal work with an active international pro bono practice, having represented clients in high profile matters before the European Court of Human Rights.
Her global experience is complemented by her role as an adjunct faculty member at prestigious law schools, where she teaches international investment arbitration.
Kate's relevant experience includes representing:
- Sundance Resources Limited and Congo Iron SA in an ongoing ICC arbitration against the Republic of Congo following the revocation of its mining licence for the Nabeba-Mbalam Iron Ore Project (ICC Case No. 26145/DDA/AZO)
- Sundance Resources Limited and Cam Iron SA in an ongoing ICC arbitration against the Republic of Cameroon concerning the Mbalam-Nabeba Iron Ore Project (ICC Case No. 26291/AZO)
- EEPL Holdings in an ongoing ICSID arbitration against the Republic of Congo under the Mauritius-Congo BIT concerning the Badondo Iron Ore Project (ICSID Case No. ARB/21/53)
- Greenland Minerals Ltd in an ongoing arbitration against the Government of Greenland and the Government of Denmark regarding the right to develop the Kvanefjeld Technology Metals Project (ad hoc)
- Midus Holdings and Congo Mining SA in an ongoing ICSID arbitration against the Republic of Congo concerning the Mayoko-Moussondji Iron Ore Project (ICSID Case No. ARB/21/58)
- Kingsgate Consolidated Limited in an UNCITRAL arbitration against the Kingdom of Thailand under the Australia-Thailand FTA, the dispute concerning the Chatree Gold Mine in northern Thailand (PCA Case No. 2017-36/AA684)
- An australian mining company in an investment treaty arbitration against an African State in relation to a lithium mining project
Kate has also acted as counsel in international commercial arbitrations, having represented:
- a leading New-York listed LNG company in a circa US$1 billion dispute with Indonesian state-owned companies
- a leading India-based LNG terminal owner and operator as respondent in an ICC arbitration governed by English law and seated in London in connection with a pioneering FSRU project in India
- a leading global solar power generating company on a number of arbitrations in Singapore against one of the world’s top contractors in relation to the development of solar power projects
- a Chinese company in an UNCITRAL arbitration commenced by its joint venture partners in relation to the construction of a large-scale energy project in the East China Sea, with an amount in dispute of more than US$500 million
- a Japanese energy company in an ICC arbitration in relation to the construction of a power plant in Myanmar on the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and the Myanmar coup
- a Japanese energy company in relation to an LNG price review dispute under two LNG sale and purchase agreements
- a South Korean private equity investor in an ICC arbitration seated in Hong Kong in relation to a dispute under a share purchase agreement governed by English law
News and client work
Contact details
- Clifford Chance, Perth
- +61892625538
- Email me
- Follow me on LinkedIn
- Speaks English, Bulgarian, Russian, Macedonian, Serbian, Greek
- Practice area Litigation, dispute resolution & risk management
Career and qualifications
- University of California, Berkeley School of Law (Juris Doctorate)
- Hague Academy of International Law, Certificate in Public International Law
- Joined Clifford Chance as a Partner 2024
- Admitted as solicitor of England & Wales
- Admitted to the New York bar
Professional bodies
- Executive Committee Member of the Young Singapore International Arbitration Centre
- Chair, Equal Representation in Arbitration Pledge, Asia-Pacific sub-committee
Awards and citations
- Thought Leader/Global Elite
Who’s Who Legal Arbitration, 2024 - Arbitration Powerlist: South East Asia
The Legal 500, 2022-2023 - Up & Coming
Chambers & Partners, Global and Asia-Pacific, 2022-2023 - Commercial Arbitration Rising Star
International Financial Law Review, Asia-Pacific 2021 - International Arbitration Rising Star
Law360 - Commercial Arbitration Rising Star
Euromoney’s Expert Guide - National Leader – Singapore
Who’s Who Legal Arbitration, 2021-2023 - Future Star
Benchmark Litigation, 2023 - Young Lawyer of the Year – Finalist
Asian Legal Business, Southeast Asia, 2021 - Ranked Number 1 Future Leader
Who’s Who Legal Arbitration, Asia-Pacific, 2020 - Most Highly Regarded
Who’s Who Legal Arbitration, 2019-2023 - "Kate is a deadly opponent!"
Who's Who Legal – Arbitration, 2023 - Kate has "vast expertise and experience advising on some of the world's most significant and cutting-edge legal matters [and] ability to innovate, inspire, and go above the beyond to deliver for [her] clients."
Who’s Who Legal – Arbitration, 2023 - "Very simply, she is a superstar to watch out for."
Chambers & Partners – Global, 2023 - "Kate Apostolova draws strong praise from international sources for her arbitration practice, which encompasses work in the mining, oil and gas and construction industries. Peers describe her as 'smart, personable, approachable and proactive.'"
Who's Who Legal – Arbitration, 2023 - “Kate Apostolova is ‘extremely organised with significant expertise in international arbitration’, earning praise as ‘a dedicated advocate who achieves excellent results."
Who's Who Legal – Arbitration, 2022 - “Kate Apostolova is ‘internationally renowned as a sharp and eloquent arbitration practitioner’ who is ‘extraordinarily bright and quick on her feet’ in commercial and investor-state disputes in the mining, oil and gas and construction industries.”
Who's Who Legal – Arbitration, 2021 - “Kate Apostolova is ‘smart, sharp and a pleasure to deal with’, and she ‘has a bright future ahead’. She is ‘meticulous in her work and easy to communicate with.’”
Who's Who Legal – Arbitration, 2020 - Kate Apostolova is a “fine arbitration lawyer with outstanding knowledge in the field,” “articulate and responsive,” “quick in analyzing complex legal situations.”
Who's Who Legal – Arbitration, 2019