Guled Yusuf

Practice Areas

Guled has extensive expertise in international commercial and investment treaty arbitration as well as public international law.

He has significant experience representing companies, governments and international organisations in institutional and ad hoc arbitral proceedings as counsel and advocate, including arbitrations under the ICC, LCIA, ICSID and UNCITRAL Rules. Guled also has experience across a range of sectors and regions, but has particular expertise in the energy, natural resources and infrastructure sectors as well as disputes relating to the European and African continents. He also regularly advises clients on a broad range of topics in international law, including inter-State disputes, international investment law, international trade law, treaty interpretation, border delimitation, international human rights law and sovereign immunity. In addition to his work as counsel and advocate, Guled is a member of the ICC International Court of Arbitration and the ICC Africa Commission.

He was also appointed to the ICSID Panel of Conciliators by the Federal Republic of Somalia and serves as Somalia’s lead delegate for UNCITRAL, including Working Group III (Investor-State Dispute Settlement Reform). Guled was previously the Chair of the Singapore International Arbitration Centre’s (SIAC) Users Council Committee for Africa, a member of the SIAC Users Council Executive Committee and a member of the Young SIAC Committee. He was also previously a member of the New York City Bar Association's Arbitration Committee. Guled has featured in all of the leading legal directories for several years. He is currently designated by Legal500 as a “Next Generation Partner” in both International Arbitration and Public International Law.

He is recognised by clients as “a future leader in the field, standing out for his expertise in international law and international arbitration” and “an outstanding lawyer and a pleasure to work with” (Legal 500 UK, 2021 and 2022). Chambers UK recognises Guled as “Up and Coming” for Public International Law, commenting “Guled is thoughtful, clear and strategic.” Guled has published extensively on the subjects of public international law and international arbitration, including co-authoring a chapter in “Building International Investment Law” (ICSID’s 50th Anniversary book), contributing two chapters to both editions of “Arbitration in Africa: A Practitioner’s Guide” and co-authoring articles in ICSID Review. He also serves on the peer review board of two leading arbitration journals: ICSID Review and the American Review of International Arbitration. Guled also regularly speaks at international arbitration conferences organised by the world’s leading arbitral institutions, including ICC, ICSID, LCIA and SIAC. He has also lectured at several law schools, including Harvard Law School, Columbia Law School, University of Cambridge and NYU School of Law. In addition to his experience in private practice, Guled previously represented an African State at the UN General Assembly and served as a legal adviser to the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization. Guled is a native English speaker, who is fluent in French and German.