Insights

• Creditors pursuing claims against sovereign states may find new opportunities.
• A recent U.S. court decision opens the door to recoveries once thought out of reach, reinforcing the value of well-planned, globally coordinated strategies to maximize returns and speed up enforcement.

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• Chinese investors are playing an increasingly significant role in sovereign-related investments worldwide, especially in Europe, Africa, and Latin America.
• This raises enforcement challenges linked to sovereign immunity.
• Investors and claimants facing sovereign debtors should adopt bold, non-traditional strategies beyond litigation to effectively protect their interests and navigate these complexities.

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• Kobre & Kim currently represents ConocoPhillips in its efforts to enforce over US $10 billion in judgments and arbitration awards against the Republic of Venezuela and related state-owned entities. 
• A recent victory in the U.S. Third Circuit Court of Appeals has cleared a path for ConocoPhillips to enforce a judgment recognizing an ICSID award against Venezuela's state-owned oil company's shares in its Delaware subsidiary. 
• This victory shows how the "alter ego" theory can be used as an effective leverage point against a recalcitrant sovereign debtor, increasing claimant chances of achieving favorable returns.

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• Creditors and investors in sovereign debt are riding a wave of new opportunities driving returns with global public debt projected to exceed US$100 trillion by the end of 2024, making it possible to reap higher returns on claims against sovereigns previously thought too difficult to enforce.
• A well-thought-out strategy can increase returns and accelerate enforcement timelines.

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• On October 22, England’s Court of Appeal dismissed the Kingdom of Spain’s challenge to enforce a US $109 million arbitral award in favor of Kobre & Kim’s client.
• Despite Spain’s arguments asserting state immunity, Lord Justice Phillips interpreted the 1965 ICSID Convention.

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• More investors are taking their disputes against sovereign states and entities to arbitration and judicial forums.
• However, demanding payment of a defaulted debt, judgment or award does not always lead to the sovereign paying up.
• We explore aggressive non-traditional strategies investors should deploy to ensure a sovereign debtor agrees to a settlement.

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• For international investors and companies, winning an arbitration award against a sovereign state marks just the beginning of a lengthy, globe-spanning enforcement campaign.
• To make a greater impact on the enforcement process, award holders should not be afraid to use more creative approaches.
• A recent Kobre & Kim victory demonstrates how this approach can put legitimate pressure on sovereign debtors and bring them to the negotiating table.

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• Sovereign defaults are increasing after recent years of post-pandemic spending, geopolitical risk and climate change.
• This has created opportunities for distressed investors experienced in enforcing against sovereigns.
• Investors can improve the value of their claims by deploying strategies targeting unconventional vulnerabilities around the world.

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• More investors are taking their disputes against sovereign states and entities to arbitration and judicial forums.
• However, demanding payment of a defaulted debt, judgment or award does not always lead to the sovereign paying up.
• We explore aggressive non-traditional strategies investors should deploy to ensure a sovereign debtor agrees to a settlement.

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• Winning an arbitral award often marks the beginning of a long and costly global enforcement campaign for international investors, especially against a sovereign state.
• To speed up a settlement, investors should take a bold stand against sovereigns, leveraging international treaty protections.
• A recent landmark win against the Kingdom of Spain shows one way for investors.

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• A coming global economic downturn will put sovereign debt under pressure.
• It may appear near impossible for creditors and investors to enforce this debt against sovereigns, but those who succeed can see extraordinary returns.
• We explain how deploying creative cross-border strategies can overcome the toughest sovereign debtors and unlock the key to success.

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• The current economic downturn has triggered record-breaking amounts of debt owed by governments to overseas investors.
• The crisis, however, has the potential to create large returns for creditors and investors willing to aggressively pursue their claims over a sovereign government.
• A proven yet unorthodox cross-border litigation strategy that catches sovereigns by surprise can achieve the monetization of judgments previously thought too tough to enforce.

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• Investors and creditors can gain potentially large returns if they successfully enforce a large judgment against a sovereign debtor.
• However, with such high-stakes, sovereign governments have begun fighting back using state powers against creditors, turning civil proceedings into a quasi-criminal cross-border dispute.
• A creditor must employ anticipatory and nonconventional counteroffensive measures in order to protect themselves and maximize their odds of success.

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• There are many reasons why sovereign debtors can be challenging targets.
• The right combination of high-pressure tactics, coupled with aggressive, creative, multijurisdictional strategies, can force sovereign debtors to take a seat at the bargaining table.
• Here are specific examples of effective techniques from recent successful matters where legitimate claims were recovered against sovereign entities.

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