Seladore Legal has hired Laurence Shore as an international arbitration partner from BonelliErede, significantly enhancing the firm’s arbitration capabilities.

Shore will join the London specialist disputes firm in September, having been a partner at Bonelli since 2017 and instrumental in their international arbitration practice.

He brings a wealth of experience in international arbitration, having counselled numerous high-profile arbitrations, including complex commercial and treaty disputes under the ICC, LCIA, ICDR, ICSID, AAA, UNCITRAL and others in sectors including energy, construction, mining, telecoms and finance. He is an English-qualified solicitor and a member of the New York, District of Columbia and Virginia Bars.

Shore praised Seladore’s “stellar reputation in the London market”, saying he was attracted to the firm in being “part of its further growth and enhancing [its] international profile”. He thanked former colleagues at Bonelli for “many years of happy and fruitful collaboration”.

The move reunites Shore with several former colleagues from Herbert Smith Freehills (HSF), including Simon Bushell, a founding partner of Seladore.

Shore practised at Gibson Dunn in New York from 2008 to 2013 and enjoyed two spells as a partner at HSF; he previously worked for the US Department of State as a legal adviser on international law, joining Herbert Smith in 1995 and becoming a partner in 2003.

Shore was one of the original partners responsible for establishing HSF’s international arbitration group as a separate practice area in 2005, together with Paula Hodges KC, who left the firm recently to practice as an independent arbitrator.

He left in 2008 to join Gibson Dunn & Crutcher as its co-head of the firm’s international arbitration practice in New York before returning to HSF in 2013, overlapping twice with Bushell.

Bushell was a lawyer at legacy Herbert Smith for 26 years until 2014, joining Latham & Watkins and then Signature Litigation, before founding Seladore Law with Gareth Keillor in 2020. 

Seladore has quickly established itself as a premier boutique specialising in complex disputes, garnering recognition for its work in civil fraud, banking litigation and international arbitration. It most notably acted for the president of Mozambique in aspects of the long-running $3bn ‘tuna bonds’ fraud litigation, most recently heard in the Court of Appeal.

Bushell welcomed Shore’s arrival, saying: “Larry and I had a dynamic working relationship, having worked alongside each other as partners in HSF.” 

He added that the combination would develop the firm’s arbitral reach: “Our combined skill set, focus and determination to succeed promise to enrich Seladore’s alchemy in a way that will be highly attractive to clients.”

Bonelli, meantime, thanked Shore for his contribution throughout the years and wished him continued success in his career.

Bonelli previously hired barrister Richard Samuel from 2 Hare Court in 2023, initially as counsel and becoming a partner this year to lead its London disputes work.