Sarah Monnerville Smith

Sarah’s recent experience includes:

• representing a Dutch company in multi-jurisdictional proceedings relating to the enforcement of a US$85 million ICC arbitral award
• representing a multinational supplier of automotive components in a US$600 million ICC arbitration seated in Paris (French law)
• representing the State of Libya before the Paris Court of Appeal in setting-aside proceedings against a partial award rendered pursuant to the Agreement of the Organization of the Islamic Conference in an arbitration involving claims of $525m: the annulment decision obtained was shortlisted amongst the “most important decisions” of 2021 at the GAR Awards ceremony
• representing an African State in multi-jurisdictional proceedings relating to the enforcement of an award rendered under an investment Treaty BIT, including appeal proceedings against the enforcement order before the Paris Court of Appeal and French Cour de cassation
• representing an Egyptian electric company in enforcement proceedings of a DIAC award in France (seat Dubai)
• representing a Ukrainian oil and gas company in a multi-jurisdictional dispute in relation to the enforcement of an SCC arbitral award involving claims of €50 million
• representing a North African bank in obtaining the lifting of attachments of USD 120 million levied against the bank on the basis of an arbitral award
• representing an Italian oil company before the French Courts in a multi-jurisdictional €150 million dispute relating to damages caused to submarine pipelines in the Republic of Congo
• representing a French engineering company in a complex cross border dispute in relation to the enforcement of a US Judgment in France
• representing a U.S. company and its director before the French Courts in proceedings relating to the enforcement of American judgments in France
• representing a State-owned Pakistani company in setting-aside proceedings against an ICC award before the Paris Court of Appeal
• representing a U.S. motion technology company in a Paris-seated ICC arbitration relating to the enforcement of an environmental warranty (French law applied)
• representing Emirati investors in a Paris-seated ICC arbitration relating to a shareholder dispute (Algerian law applied)
• representing a Saudi company in a Paris-seated ICC arbitration relating to a contractual dispute (Algerian law applied)
• representing a Canadian construction company in a Casablanca-seated ICC arbitration relating to a contractual dispute governed (French law applied)
• representing an Emirati company in a Paris-seated ICC arbitration relating to a shareholder dispute governed (Algerian law applied)
• successfully advocated before the General Court of the EU for the removal of a natural person from the list of individuals subject to EU restrictive measures

• Sovereign & States Disputes and Enforcement TL4 FIRE Summit, Law Society “Whose Entity Is It Anyway? States and State-Owned Entities and Assets”, speaker, January 2025
• "M&A disputes: challenges to the purchase price – mechanisms and strategies”, conference co organised by Eversheds Sutherland and Eight Advisory, speaker, November 2024
• American Society of International Law (ASIL) Abroad Meeting at University of Geneva, “Recent developments in the  enforcement of arbitral awards against Sovereign States”, moderator, June 2024
• Azerbaijan Arbitration Days, “Efficiency of arbitration: Provisional Measures, Enforcement, Asset recovery and financing of litigation”, lead speaker, April 2024
• “Arbitration & State Immunity”, webinar hosted by CFA40-YCAP (Young Canadian Arbitration Practitioners), moderator, December 2023
• “Enforcing Arbitral Awards - Procedural Roadmaps for France, Germany and the Netherlands”, Webinar Eversheds Sutherland, 2021

• Sarah Monnerville Smith recognition as a #GlobalEliteThoughtLeader under 45 in the Lexology Index for Arbitration, placing her among the top 5% of ranked practitioners globally. This achievement reflects outstanding feedback from clients and peers: “Sarah is a star in both litigation and arbitration in Paris. She has an unusual mix of top legal acumen and a wonderful personality that makes her a go-to choice for clients.”“Sarah brings a sharp legal and practical approach to international arbitration. Her work reflects both technical precision and a strong sense of strategy, making her a standout in the field.” “The go-to lawyer for enforcement of arbitral awards in France and French arbitration matters”; “stands out for her remarkable rigour, responsiveness, and strong commitment to defending client interests.”
• “Sarah Monnerville Smith impresses by her energy and determination to successfully manage cases.” (Legal 500 EMEA). “Sarah Monnerville Smith practices law at the highest level of professional excellence, skill, and integrity. Her legal skills, ethical standards, and communication skills are exceptional. Her undivided allegiance and faithful devoted service to clients are shared with the greatest lawyers.” (Legal 500 EMEA)
• Recognized as an Arbitration Future Leader in the Lexology Index 2025, where peers and clients describe Sarah as “a rising star in the arbitration field” who “possesses great rigor and determination,” “an excellent lawyer with a very good expertise in enforcement proceedings”
• Ranked “Excellent” by Leaders League/Décideurs in the category “Commercial Litigation over €100 M”
• Recognized by Option Droit et Affaires in the fields of Commercial Litigation and Arbitration
• Selected by peers for inclusion in the 2023 and 2024 Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in France™ guide in the field of Litigation. Selected by peers for inclusion in the 2025 Best Lawyers France™ in the field of International Arbitration

• Co-Chair of the CFA40, the French Arbitration Committee’s group below 40
• Lecturer in the UPEC LLM program on international dispute resolution

• 2012 - Admitted to the Paris Bar
• 2008 - University Panthéon-Sorbonne Paris I: post-graduate degree (Master 2) in private international law and international trade (directed by Professor Pierre Mayer)

• “French Supreme Court confirms Impact of International Sanctions on Validity and Enforcement of Arbitral Awards”, ICC Dispute Resolution Bulletin No. 2, 2022
• International sanctions: effect of freezing of assets on enforcement of court decisions”, Lexology, 2022
• “Assignment of arbitral claims and arbitral awards: uncertain legal landscape in France”, Lexology 2022
• “Retrait litigieux et arbitrage : la Cour d’appel de Paris résiste”, Le Monde du Droit, 2022
• “Actualités en matière de signification internationale : le point de départ du délai de recours contre un acte judiciaire signifié à l’étranger est la date de sa remise au destinaire”, Le Monde du droit, 2021
• “Sanctions Internationales, dernières actualités : de bonnes nouvelles pour les créanciers ?”, Option Finance, 2020
• “Adoption de la Convention de la Haye sur la reconnaissance et l’exécution des jugements étrangers en matière civile et commerciale”, Dalloz Actualité, 2019
• “De l’exercice du retrait litigieux dans le contentieux de l’exécution ou de l’annulation d’une sentence arbitrale”, Le Monde du Droit, 2018
• “Nouvelles précisions sur l’efficacité des clauses de conciliation préalable : assouplissement des exigences rédactionnelles et application à une demande reconventionnelle”, Le Monde du Droit, 2018 (co-author)
• “Guide pratique pour la promotion de Paris comme place de résolution des différends commerciaux internationaux”, Lettre des Juristes d’Affaires, 2018 (co-author)