backExpanded team to be co-led by Gary Born and includes leading practitioners spanning London, Washington, D.C., and New York
LONDON, WASHINGTON, D.C., NEW YORK, June 15, 2026 – In a transformative combination of two of the world’s largest and most highly-regarded international arbitration and litigation practices, King & Spalding announced today it has added a five-partner team from WilmerHale to its International Disputes practice group spanning the firm’s London, Washington, D.C., and New York offices, with others to follow.
The partners joining today from WilmerHale include preeminent international arbitration lawyers Gary Born (London/New York), who led Wilmer’s international arbitration team for many years, Rachael Kent (Washington, D.C.), Franz Schwarz (London), Marleen Krueger (London), and Danielle Morris (Washington, D.C.).
Born is widely considered one of the world’s leading international arbitration practitioners and scholars and is one of only two lawyers globally to be ranked a “Star Individual” for international arbitration in both the Chambers Global and Chambers UK guides. He will co-lead King & Spalding’s International Disputes practice group alongside current co-head Elizabeth Silbert (Atlanta).
“The combination of these two preeminent international disputes practices makes our already leading group truly peerless in the international arbitration and litigation space and adds a market-leading team to our London office, which continues to be a high-priority growth target for the firm,” said Robert Hays, chairman of King & Spalding.
The partners joining have practiced together for two decades and are known for handling bet-the-company cases and for their tenacious advocacy. They bring extensive experience handling complex and sophisticated international disputes in common law and civil law jurisdictions worldwide across a variety of sectors including energy, financial services, pharmaceuticals, and technology, as well as disputes involving public international law and investment protections. They are ranked highly, both individually and as a group, in leading guides including Chambers Global, Chambers USA, Chambers Europe, and Chambers UK, where they are ranked in Band 1. (Full biographical information on the team members follows.)
“We are excited to join forces with King & Spalding’s formidable international disputes practice and to be part of such a high-performing and well-integrated firm,” said Born. “The strength of King & Spalding’s international office footprint and market profile, combined with its depth in commercial litigation and special matters and strong cross-practice collaboration, complements well our team’s strengths as advocates and thought leaders and creates a compelling opportunity for us to expand how we can serve our clients. Together, we have created what is clearly the preeminent platform for international disputes globally.”
“Our new colleagues are world-class lawyers with whom we’re proud to partner,” said Wade Coriell, who served as co-leader of the practice group for three years and is returning to the firm’s Singapore office to help lead the firm’s efforts to expand its Asia Pacific region disputes practice. “The more we learned about each other, the more we realized that our teams are a natural fit, with a shared commitment to excellence and client service, a culture of collegiality and teamwork, and complementary strengths. The combined team has expertise across virtually all kinds of cross-border disputes worldwide, including in energy, infrastructure, technology, pharmaceutical, and large-scale commercial disputes.”
About King & Spalding
King & Spalding is an international law firm that represents a broad array of clients, including half of the Fortune Global 100, with 1,300 lawyers in 26 offices in the United States, Europe, the Middle East and Asia Pacific. The firm has handled matters in over 160 countries on six continents and is consistently recognized for the results it obtains, uncompromising commitment to quality, and dedication to understanding the business and culture of its clients. More information is available at www.kslaw.com.
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Gary Born (London/New York)
Born is one of the world’s leading international arbitration advocates and is widely regarded as the foremost authority on international arbitration and litigation. He has represented U.S., Asian, European, Latin American and other companies and sovereign entities in more than 750 international arbitrations under all leading institutional rules in all major arbitral seats. He has received countless awards and accolades for his advocacy in international arbitrations, including from Chambers, Legal 500, Global Arbitration Review and others, and is one of only two lawyers with “starred” status for international arbitration in the Chambers Global and Chambers UK guides. His practice includes joint venture, investor-state, M&A, financial services, project finance, energy, intellectual property, construction and insurance disputes. Born is the author of International Commercial Arbitration (Kluwer 3d ed.), widely cited by apex courts in all major jurisdictions, and other leading works on international arbitration and litigation. He obtained his BA from Haverford College and his JD from University of Pennsylvania Law School, and clerked for Judge Henry J. Friendly and Justice William H. Rehnquist on the U.S. Supreme Court.
Rachael D. Kent (Washington, D.C.)
Kent has more than 25 years of experience representing companies, states, state entities, and individuals in commercial and investment arbitration proceedings globally. She has led the advocacy in many complex commercial and investment arbitrations and has particular expertise in disputes in the technology and pharmaceutical sectors. She has been described by clients and peers as “a world-class lawyer and advocate” and “one of the best arbitration advocates in international arbitration worldwide,” with “impeccable judgment and strategic acumen” and “a uniquely measured and diplomatic style that is exceptionally persuasive.” Kent, who also sits as arbitrator in commercial arbitrations, is recognized by Chambers Global and Chambers USA, The Legal 500 United States, Best Lawyers, Who's Who Legal: Arbitration, Benchmark Litigation and Lawdragon. She received her BA from Georgetown University and her JD from the Duke University School of Law
Franz T. Schwarz (London)
Schwarz, who will lead the Civil Law team, focuses on complex multi-jurisdictional disputes. He has been involved in more than 300 arbitrations as counsel and arbitrator, both ad hoc and before all major arbitral institutions, including on joint venture, M&A, life sciences, financial services, as well as commercial and corporate disputes. Schwarz also frequently advises parties on the protection of foreign investments under bilateral investment treaties and similar instruments. He has been described by his peers and clients as an “outstanding talent”, “one of the best lawyers of his generation,” a “superstar,” “a real leader in the field,” “analytically and academically superb,” “exceptionally sharp” with “extraordinary strategic sense and masterful judgment” and “a magical ability to connect with the tribunal.” He is ranked by Lexology Index as a Global Elite Thought Leader and in Chambers Global, Europe and UK, The Legal 500 UK, Best Lawyers and Lawdragon. Schwarz currently serves as President of the Vienna International Arbitral Centre in Austria. He received a Magister iur. from the University of Vienna and his LL.M. from the London School of Economics.
Marleen Krueger (London)
Krueger focuses her broad practice on international commercial and investment arbitration matters across a range of industries and jurisdictions, representing clients on commercial and investment treaty arbitrations seated in civil law and common law jurisdictions worldwide, including Germany, England, France, New York, Peru, South Korea, Japan, and Switzerland. She has represented both private sector and government clients in relation to a variety of sectors, including the oil and gas, energy, pharmaceutical, construction, intellectual property, technology and automobile industries. Her experience includes institutional arbitrations conducted under a variety of arbitral rules, including ICC, LCIA, DIS, SIAC, and UNCITRAL. Krueger is ranked in The Legal 500 UK and Lawdragon. She is graduate from Humboldt University of Berlin.
Danielle Morris (Washington, D.C.)
Morris has 15 years of experience advising clients on all aspects of international arbitration, covering private and public international law, with a focus on investor-State arbitration. She has also represented States and State-owned entities, as well as private commercial parties, in high-value contract-based arbitrations under both common and civil governing laws. She advises clients across sectors including mining, oil and gas, financial services, construction, pharmaceuticals and automotive. Morris is ranked in Chambers US, The Legal 500 United States, Lexology Index, Best Lawyers in America and Lawdragon. Her clients describe her as “a sophisticated, brilliant mind who executes strategy without flinching.” Morris has a BA from Yale and JD from Yale Law School.