DAVID RONEY, co-leader of Sidley’s Global Arbitration, Trade and Advocacy practice, has more than 30 years of experience as an advocate in a broad range of complex international disputes around the world.
Clients report that David “provides that edge you are looking for at the top of the arbitration market; he is brilliant regarding commercially sensitive proceedings” (Who’s Who Legal Arbitration 2016).
David has extensive experience as counsel before international arbitral tribunals in commercial and investment disputes across many different sectors and activities, including construction, infrastructure and energy projects, life sciences and technology co-development and licensing agreements, sports and entertainment broadcasting arrangements, share purchase and asset purchase transactions, and international joint ventures.
A diverse group of clients trust David with their most business-critical disputes before the major international arbitral institutions, including the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC), the International Centre for the Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID), the London Court of International Arbitration (LCIA), the Dubai International Arbitration Centre (DIAC), the Stockholm Chamber of Commerce (SCC) and the Swiss Arbitration Centre (Swiss Rules). His experience extends to a host of different applicable laws and places of arbitration, ranging from London to Stockholm to Hong Kong.
David has gained a reputation for addressing high profile and politically-charged international disputes by delivering sophisticated multi-front international strategies involving, as appropriate, commercial arbitration, investment arbitration, international trade proceedings, court litigation in numerous jurisdictions, and government advocacy in the U.S. and EU.
David also maintains an active practice as presiding arbitrator, sole arbitrator and co-arbitrator in numerous international arbitrations under the ICC Rules, the LCIA Rules, the SCC Rules, the Swiss Rules, and in ad hoc arbitration, including under the UNCITRAL Rules.
Featuring prominently in the international arbitration rankings of the leading bar publications, recent market sources report that David is:
- “'David Roney is an excellent advocate and counsel to clients, who thinks strategically. David Roney is a very pleasant person to work with, and has strong leadership skills.” (Legal 500 EMEA 2025 – Dispute resolution: arbitration – Switzerland)
- “an excellent partner to work with, possessing extraordinary expertise in international arbitration. He is devoted to the case and client,” and “an excellent partner to work with. He is highly recommended, with extraordinary expertise in international arbitration.” (Chambers Europe and Chambers Global – Arbitration Counsel – Switzerland, Arbitrators – Switzerland, and Arbitration (International) — Europe-wide 2025)
- “well positioned to provide high level advice,” and regarded as "an excellent arbitration lawyer."(Chambers Europe and Chambers Global – Arbitration Counsel – Switzerland and Arbitration (International) — Europe-wide 2024)
- “highly professional and result-driven,” and “his hands-on approach and responsiveness is impressive.” (Chambers Global Arbitration (International) 2023)
- a “well-established practitioner who is handling big cases,” “very nimble at moving between the common and civil law systems, and he is excellent at helping clients understand where the differences lie,” and “is excellent in terms of his advocacy skills.” (Chambers Europe and Chambers Global – Arbitration Counsel – Switzerland and Arbitration (International) — Europe-wide 2022)
- “very bright, clever and adept,” and “very amenable, but below the surface there’s an edge of steel, which is what you need.” (Chambers Europe and Chambers Global – Arbitration (International) — Europe-wide 2021)
- “very sharp and leaves nothing to chance. Every last detail is covered and he ends up knowing the facts of the case better than the client he represents.” (Chambers Europe and Chambers Global – Arbitration (International) — Europe-wide 2020)
- “straightforward and brilliant.” (Chambers Global – Arbitration Counsel – Switzerland 2018)
David has been named a 2020 International Arbitration “Lawyer of the Year” by Best Lawyers in Switzerland as well as a “Global Leader” for Arbitration by Who’s Who Legal every year since 2018.
Co-Founder and President of the Board of Trustees of the Foundation for International Arbitration Advocacy (FIAA), David has provided training in the examination and cross-examination of fact and expert witnesses to hundreds of international arbitration practitioners around the world.
As part of his active pro bono practice, David led Sidley’s engagement with the USAID/Mongolia Business Plus Initiative to support the Mongolian Ministry of Justice in the development of a new state-of-the-art arbitration law adopted by the Parliament of Mongolia in early 2017. He was awarded the Mongolian Minister of Justice’s Medal of Office for his contribution to this important law reform project.
David is also a Formula One Co-Opted Judge of the FIA – Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile International Court of Appeal and a Member of the ICC National Committee for Canada and the Users Council of the Singapore International Arbitration Centre, and a former Member of the Arbitration Court of the Swiss Arbitration Centre.
In addition, he is an adjunct faculty member at the prestigious Geneva MIDS – LL.M. in International Dispute Settlement offered by the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies, where he leads workshops on written and oral advocacy for international arbitration. He speaks and publishes regularly on international arbitration topics.
David is fluent in English and French.