Dr. Diora Ziyaeva, FCIArb

Dr. Diora Ziyaeva, FCIArb, is a Partner in the Firm's Commercial Litigation group and US Region Co-Lead in Mining and Natural Resources, based in the New York office, practicing in Arbitration and Mediation. Her main areas of practice include investment treaty arbitration, international commercial arbitration, complex commercial litigation, and public international law. She sits as arbitrator and serves as counsel in a broad range of international matters and is a Member of the ICC International Court of Arbitration.

Ms. Ziyaeva has represented States, corporations, and individuals in disputes under the rules of all major arbitral institutions, including ICSID, ICC, LCIA, and UNCITRAL. Notable representations include representing a Canadian mining company in an ICSID arbitration against Colombia under the Canada-Colombia Free Trade Agreement, representing a US client in US$22 million LCIA and US$14 million ICC arbitrations against a foreign airline, representing the State of Papua New Guinea in an ICSID arbitration resulting in a US$12.2 million settlement, and representing a UK-based client against Poland under the UK-Poland BIT. She also advises governments, investment firms, and asset managers on risk mitigation and investment claims.

Diora holds an LL.M. from Harvard Law School (2009) and a degree in law (JD equivalent) with great distinction, graduating first in her class, from the University of World Economy and Diplomacy in Uzbekistan (2007). She is licensed in New York and Uzbekistan and fluent in seven languages. She teaches the Practice of International Arbitration at Cornell Law School and investment treaty arbitration at Fordham University School of Law.

She has been recognized as a "Rising Star" by New York Law Journal (2024) and Law360 (2023), a "Future Leader" by Who's Who Legal: Arbitration (2021-2024), and one of the American Bar Association's On the Rise – Top 40 Young Lawyers (2018). She is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, a Certified Mediator by CEDR, and serves on arbitral panels for institutions including CIETAC, TIAC, SCIA, and ADIAC.