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  • Home
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  • Sophia Louw
Sophia Louw
Sophia Louw

Sophia Louw

Senior Associate

  • London UK
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+44 20 7300 7000
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Featured award

Global Arbitration Review 2024

Most Important Decision Award

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Sophia is a Senior Associate in the Disputes & Investigations Team. She specialises in complex international arbitration, including investor-state and commercial arbitration, across a wide range of industries. 

Her practice has a particular focus on the emerging markets and often includes a political angle. Her clients include sovereign states, multinational companies and high net worth individuals. 

Sophia also has experience in commercial litigation, specifically challenges to arbitration awards and civil fraud, having acted on some of the largest claims to come before the English courts in recent years. She is dual-qualified in South Africa and England & Wales. 

Sophia is active in the Arts and is a trustee of the London Youth Theatre.

Expertise

Services and Groups

Projects, energy & infrastructure
Disputes & investigations
International arbitration
Africa group

CV

Since 2024 Senior Associate, Taylor Wessing
2020 - 2024 Associate, Mishcon de Reya LLP
2017 - 2020 Intern/Associate, Omnia Strategy LLP
2016 - 2017 Consulting
2022 Admitted as a solicitor, England & Wales
2017 Admitted as an advocate, South Africa
2015 GDL, BPP London
2014 LLB, Stellenbosch University
2012 BA(Philosophy and Law), Stellenbosch University

Career

Since 2024 Senior Associate, Taylor Wessing
2020 - 2024 Associate, Mishcon de Reya LLP
2017 - 2020 Intern/Associate, Omnia Strategy LLP
2016 - 2017 Consulting

Education

2022 Admitted as a solicitor, England & Wales
2017 Admitted as an advocate, South Africa
2015 GDL, BPP London
2014 LLB, Stellenbosch University
2012 BA(Philosophy and Law), Stellenbosch University

Publications

Immunity from suit for foreign heads of state: the limited reach of the "commercial activity" exclusion, Lexology, 16 October 2023.

Unpicking legal professional privilege: The operation of the Iniquity Exception - Al Sadeq v Dechert & Others, Lexology, 14 February 2024.

Memberships & Associations

Member, Young International Arbitration Group (YIAG)

Member, Art Lawyers Association 

Trustee, London Youth Theatre

Additional languages

English Afrikaans

Awards

Global Arbitration Review 2024

Featured

Most Important Decision Award

Legal 500 2023

Recommended Lawyer - Commercial Litigation

Sophia's news & insights

View Sophia's insights
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Disputes & investigations

Substantive jurisdiction, timeliness and control: Arbitration lessons from Czech Republic v Diag Human SE

8 May 2025

by Sophia Louw and Natalia Faekova

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Responsible business

Further pro bono success in our Disability Benefits Appeal project

6 May 2025

by multiple authors

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View Sophia's insights

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Invaluable objects and their paper trails: navigating the new EU import regulations for cultural goods

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