Kevin O’Gorman
United States
Norton Rose Fulbright US LLP
1550 Lamar Street
Suite 2000
Houston, TX 77010
Tel: +1 713 651 3771
Email:
kevin.ogorman@nortonrosefulbright.com
Web:
www.nortonrosefulbright.com
Kevin O’Gorman is the Global Co-Head of International Arbitration and a highly experienced disputes lawyer whose practice focuses on commercial, energy, treaty, and major project disputes. He represents clients in complex matters before U.S. courts and in arbitrations around the world, with experience under the AAA, CPR, DIAC, ICC, ICDR, ICSID, JAMS, LCIA, SIAC, and UNCITRAL Rules.
His arbitration practice spans both commercial and investor-state disputes and regularly involves high-value, cross-border matters. Kevin advises clients on disputes arising from major transactions, energy projects, investments, and other complex international business arrangements, combining international arbitration experience with substantial U.S. litigation capability.
In addition to his work as counsel, Kevin has served as an arbitrator in international and U.S. disputes for more than 15 years. His experience across both advocate and tribunal roles gives him a broad perspective on arbitration strategy, procedure, and the efficient resolution of complex disputes.
Kevin is deeply involved in the international arbitration community. He serves as Vice Chair of the Institute for Transnational Arbitration, as a U.S. Delegate to the ICC Commission on Arbitration and ADR, and as Chair of the Southern Subcommittee of the ICC USA Arbitration Committee. He also serves on the boards of the Center for American and International Law and the New York International Arbitration Center and is a co-founder and former director of the Houston International Arbitration Club.
Earlier in his career, Kevin was based in Zurich as Team Leader and Senior Legal Secretary to the Claims Resolution Tribunal for Dormant Accounts in Switzerland, where he led a team of international lawyers handling claims involving Holocaust-era Swiss bank accounts. He previously clerked for the Honorable Howell Cobb of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas.
Kevin has received sustained recognition for his arbitration practice, including a nationwide ranking from Chambers USA since 2007. BTI has also named him a Client Service All-Star in recognition of his work for clients.
He earned his J.D., cum laude, from the University of Michigan Law School in 1993 and his B.A., magna cum laude, from the University of Houston Honors Program in 1989. He also undertook postgraduate study in Germany at Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität in Bonn on a full scholarship from the Federal Republic of Germany. Kevin is admitted in Texas, New York, the District of Columbia, and England and Wales, as well as before the U.S. Supreme Court and several federal appellate and district courts.
- Represented Russian energy company in English law, London seat LCIA arbitration arising from failed multi-billion dollar merger with another energy company. While pending, this was reported to be the largest commercial arbitration in the world.
- Defended leading international energy companies against claims exceeding US$ 1 billion asserted in CPR non-administered arbitration in San Francisco in earn-out dispute relating to purchase of gasification technology.
- Represented publicly traded transportation company in ICDR arbitration in New York and related Delaware Chancery Court case to enforce US$400 million agreement to acquire Mexican railroad.
- Defended franchisor of car care services in dispute in CPR arbitration and before the US District Court for the Northern District of Illinois.
- Full victory in defense of US$2.4 billon claim against international energy company client in shareholder dispute relating to revocation of upstream concession located in Central Asia. LCIA arbitration in London under English law.
- Represented Atlantic basin LNG seller in take or pay dispute involving force majeure claims raised by European buyer in New York arbitration under New York law and the UNCITRAL arbitration rules.
- Co-arbitrator in ICDR Arbitration involving dispute governed by Texas and Delaware law among equal partners/shareholders in US Gulf Coast refinery and related trading entity in which the claims exceeded US$1.5 billion.
- Co-arbitrator in ICDR deepwater Gulf of Mexico joint operating agreement case; final award was issued within 45 days of the tribunal’s constitution in accord with the arbitration agreement.
The firm’s International Arbitration practice comprises more than 150 lawyers worldwide, providing cross-border representation from the earliest stages of a dispute through arbitration proceedings and enforcement of awards. Its lawyers work in integrated international teams to address matters involving multiple jurisdictions, legal systems, and procedural regimes.
The practice handles complex, high-value, and strategically significant arbitrations across sectors including financial institutions, energy, infrastructure and resources, transport, technology, life sciences and healthcare, and consumer markets. The team advises on the full arbitration lifecycle, including arbitration clauses, choice of seat, tribunal formation, arbitral procedure, advocacy, and enforcement.
Its lawyers are multilingual and regularly conduct their own advocacy in international proceedings. Many also sit as arbitrators in significant cases and have held leadership roles within major arbitral institutions, giving the team additional insight into tribunal practice and the development of international arbitration.
The group combines global reach with substantial sector knowledge, tailoring its strategy to clients’ commercial objectives while coordinating disputes efficiently across jurisdictions.
Norton Rose Fulbright is a global law firm with more than 3,000 lawyers across 50 offices in the United States, Europe, Canada, Latin America, Asia-Pacific, Africa, and the Middle East. The firm advises major corporations, financial institutions, investors, governments, and other organizations on complex domestic and cross-border legal matters, combining broad international reach with substantial local market experience.
The firm provides a full range of business law services, including corporate and M&A, banking and finance, capital markets, litigation and dispute resolution, projects, construction and engineering, real estate, restructuring, tax, employment, intellectual property, antitrust and competition, cybersecurity and data privacy, regulatory matters, and investigations. Its lawyers work across key industries including financial institutions, energy and infrastructure, technology, transport, life sciences and healthcare, and consumer markets.
Norton Rose Fulbright emphasizes an industry-focused and collaborative approach, bringing together lawyers across practices and jurisdictions to address matters involving multiple legal, regulatory, and commercial considerations. Its global platform enables the firm to support clients through major transactions, disputes, regulatory challenges, financing matters, and strategic business issues across numerous markets and legal systems.
“Kevin O’Gorman is a formidable international arbitration practitioner with deep experience across commercial, energy, treaty, and major project disputes. Clients benefit from his ability to combine global arbitration strategy with substantial U.S. litigation experience.”