International arbitration barrister Tariq Baloch has left 3 Verulam Buildings to join Essex Court Chambers. 

Baloch has an established and extensive practice in international arbitration, public international law and arbitrally-related commercial litigation, focusing on multi-jurisdictional, commercial and investor-state arbitrations.  

Essex Court’s senior clerk, Joe Ferrigno, said: “I am delighted to welcome Tariq as a new member of Essex Court Chambers. He has an outstanding reputation and caseload, and we very much look forward to him joining and enhancing the capabilities of our market-leading international arbitration team.”

Baloch has acted in high-value complex disputes in London and worldwide, most recently in long-running enforcement disputes involving state immunity, including the National Iranian Oil Company v Crescent dispute. Baloch was part of a counsel team led by Ricky Diwan KC of his new set that successfully defended a decision by Mr Justice Butcher to grant summary judgment on a section 67 challenge to a multi-billion-dollar arbitral award in that dispute.

Michael Darowski, Jennifer Ronz and Jannika Glendon of McDermott Will & Emery instructed Baloch and 36 Stone’s Moeiz Farhan against an all-7KBW team of David Bailey KC, Jessica Sutherland and Frederick Alliott, instructed by Eversheds Sutherland.

The Court of Appeal (Males, Nugee and Falk LJJ) agreed with Butcher J that the challenge had no realistic prospect of success while discussing issues around the availability of summary judgment in cases involving foreign law expert evidence.

Baloch also appeared for Spain in the Court of Appeal in Infrastructure Services SÀRL & Anor v Kingdom of Spain, having appeared earlier this year in that court resisting an application by a creditor to make Spain’s appeal conditional on paying security of more than €120m to pursue its appeal.  

Baloch was called to the Bar in 2001 and has practised as a barrister since 2008, having previously been a full-time academic, lecturer and tutor at the University of Oxford and assistant professor at the London School of Economics.

He demonstrated that same academic and advocacy prowess during this year’s London International Disputes Week as a participant in the David D. Caron Praelium, presented by Three Crowns, Columbia Law School and King’s College London, alongside Skadden Arps partner Kate McNeill Davies KC before a tribunal comprising Hilary Heilbron KC, Sam Wordsworth KC and Audley Sheppard KC.

Baloch commented: “I’m excited to join Essex Court Chambers, whose members I am already working with on several cases. I look forward to developing the next stage of my career with its excellent clerking and business support teams and fellow chamber members, many of whom remain leaders in arbitration, public international law and commercial disputes.

“I also feel fortunate to have spent my formative years at the bar at 3VB, where I leave behind many good friends and excellent colleagues with whom I will continue to work.”  

His arrival follows the confirmation of seven new tenants to the set after their pupillages ended. At the same time, two silks – David Peters KC and James Sheehan KC – took silk in March as part of the 2024 appointments round.