Mark Beeley
United Kingdom
Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP
107 Cheapside
London, EC2V 6DN
United Kingdom
Tel: +44 20 7862 4622
Email:
mbeeley@orrick.com
Web:
www.orrick.com
Mark leads Orrick’s global International Arbitration practice and is an experienced advocate in both commercial and investor-state disputes. He acts in arbitrations seated around the world under all of the major institutional rules, while also maintaining a significant litigation practice before the English and DIFC Courts. In addition to acting as counsel, Mark sits as an arbitrator, including as both presiding and sole arbitrator.
His arbitration practice spans a wide range of industries and governing laws, with particularly deep experience in energy disputes. He regularly acts in matters involving upstream oil and gas, LNG, renewables, carbon trading, seismic acquisition arrangements, intellectual property issues concerning refined products, and the construction and licensing of energy projects. He has also advised on the dispute resolution provisions of industry documentation, including through his work on the AIEN Model Form Revision sub-committee concerning the model form JOA.
Beyond energy, Mark handles substantial disputes arising in the construction and infrastructure, technology, insurance, fintech, pharmaceutical, telecommunications, and financial sectors. His broader contentious practice also encompasses shareholder disputes, white-collar and civil fraud matters, money laundering, bribery, sanctions, and export control issues. He has experience supervising cross-border litigation in multiple jurisdictions alongside his own English and DIFC advocacy.
Originally called to the English Bar and now practising as a solicitor-advocate, Mark previously practised in Dubai as a Registered Foreign Lawyer. He continues to act as both advocate and solicitor in the English and DIFC Courts, giving his arbitration practice a strong foundation in related court proceedings, enforcement issues, and cross-border disputes.
Mark is recognised by leading legal directories for arbitration, litigation, energy, and natural resources disputes, including Chambers & Partners, The Legal 500, Global Arbitration Review, and Who’s Who Legal. Chambers has also recognised him as a foreign expert in disputes involving both the UAE and India.
Alongside his practice, Mark frequently writes and speaks on arbitration and energy law, including sovereign immunity, res judicata, arbitral procedure, interest, and damages. He serves on the ICC Commission on Arbitration & ADR, the ICC UK Arbitration & ADR Committee, and the BVI International Arbitration Centre’s Arbitration Committee. He also leads Orrick’s London office and serves as claims counsel for the
firm.
Education:
- Nottingham Law School, Bar Vocational Diploma, 2001
- University of Exeter, LL.B. (Hons), 2000
Orrick’s international arbitration practice represents domestic and multinational corporations, state-owned entities, private investors, and sovereign governments in complex, high-value disputes arising from international investments, major transactions, and cross-border commercial relationships. Its multilingual team works across industries including energy and infrastructure, finance, technology, telecommunications, IT, licensing, and intellectual property, with experience handling disputes valued in the billions of dollars.
The practice handles both international commercial and investor-state arbitration, appearing before major arbitral institutions including the ICC, ICSID, ICDR, AAA, WIPO, DIAC, SCC, SIAC, HKIAC, CIETAC, and the Swiss Arbitration Centre, as well as in ad hoc proceedings under the UNCITRAL Arbitration Rules. The team also assists with provisional measures, award enforcement and asset tracing, challenges to arbitral awards, settlement negotiations, and mediation. Its investor-state work encompasses representation of both investors and sovereign states in disputes arising under bilateral and multilateral investment treaties and investment agreements.
Orrick’s arbitration lawyers bring experience from both counsel and arbitrator perspectives, with members of the team regularly serving as party-appointed, sole, and presiding arbitrators. The practice has also contributed to the development of arbitration rules for organizations including the ICC and OHADA. Orrick was included among the Global Arbitration Review GAR 30 leading international arbitration practices worldwide in 2025, while more than a quarter of its international arbitration team is individually recognized by Chambers and The Legal 500.
The firm concentrates its practice around the technology and innovation, energy and infrastructure, finance, and life sciences sectors. Its multidisciplinary capabilities encompass corporate and M&A, private equity, capital markets, finance, litigation and dispute resolution, intellectual property, employment, antitrust and competition, cybersecurity and privacy, restructuring, tax, real estate, and regulatory and public policy matters. Orrick regularly advises clients through major transactions, business transformation, complex disputes, regulatory challenges, and emerging issues associated with rapidly developing technologies and markets.
Orrick emphasizes innovation in both its legal work and the delivery of legal services, combining industry knowledge with technology and collaborative teams drawn from across its international platform. Its lawyers work closely with clients to address complex commercial challenges, manage risk, and pursue strategic opportunities, providing coordinated counsel for organizations operating across multiple industries, jurisdictions, and stages of development.
“Few arbitration lawyers combine Mark’s breadth of sector experience with such a strong advocacy background. His work across oil and gas, LNG, renewables, infrastructure, technology, and financial disputes reflects a practitioner comfortable with both highly technical issues and major commercial stakes.”