Alex Fawke

Alex Fawke is a disputes partner at one of the most respected law firms in the world. He focuses on disputes that involve government and works with both public bodies and private sector clients.

Over the past decade, Alex fawke has handled some of the most complex and high-profile government disputes in the UK. He brings a sharp mix of legal skill, political understanding, and international experience to every case he takes on. That combination is exactly why clients on both sides of the public-private divide trust him with their most sensitive matters.

Chambers and Partners recognise him as an “Associate to Watch” in administrative and public law. The Legal 500 names him a “key lawyer” in international arbitration and public international law. These are not easy rankings to earn, and they reflect the quality of work Alex delivers day in and day out.

Core Practice Areas:

Alex handles a broad range of government-related disputes. His main areas of focus include:

• Judicial Review — He challenges and defends major government decisions in court, often in cases with national significance.
• Economic Regulation — He advises on price control reviews and licence modification disputes, particularly in highly regulated industries.
• Procurement — He acts for both contracting authorities and disappointed bidders in public procurement challenges.
• State Aid and Subsidy Control — He guides clients through the rules around government financial assistance, especially in the evolving post-Brexit landscape.
• Human Rights — He litigates under the European Convention on Human Rights and UK domestic human rights legislation.
• Trade and Investment Treaty Disputes — He handles cross-border disputes arising under bilateral and multilateral treaties.
• Statutory Appeals and Regulatory Investigations — He manages appeals against regulatory decisions and supports clients through complex investigations.

One of his procurement cases was described by the Court of Appeal as “the procurement case of the century.” That kind of recognition speaks for itself.

Sector Experience:

Alex fawke does not just understand the law. He understands the industries his clients operate in. That makes a real difference when the stakes are high.

He regularly advises clients in the following sectors:

• Energy — Price controls, licensing disputes, nuclear projects, and government energy policy
• Water — Economic regulation and environmental public law matters
• Transport and Aviation — Procurement challenges, infrastructure disputes, and quarantine regulation cases
• Defence — Multi-billion pound disputes with the Ministry of Defence
• Insurance and Financial Services — Financial Ombudsman challenges and regulatory enforcement actions
• Sport — Gambling regulation and lottery licensing disputes
• Technology — Government contracts and the public law side of tech policy
• Media and Telecommunications — Spectrum allocation, licensing, and regulatory appeals

Clients value the fact that Alex can walk into a room and speak their language, not just in legal terms but in commercial ones too.

Notable Cases:

Alex has been involved in some of the biggest government disputes the UK has seen in recent years. A few standout examples include:

• Camelot and the National Lottery Fourth Licence — He represented the National Lottery operator in a challenge worth over £3.6 billion against the UK Government’s licence award. The Court of Appeal called it “the procurement case of the century.”
• Annington Homes and Terra Firma v Ministry of Defence — He acted in a multi-billion pound judicial review concerning property interests in nearly 40,000 military homes.
• Airlines Quarantine Judicial Review — He represented a group of major airlines that challenged the UK Government’s blanket quarantine rules for overseas arrivals.
• Financial Ombudsman Service Challenges — He acted for several banks in judicial reviews of Financial Ombudsman decisions on PPI complaints and retail banking disputes.
• UK Government Pandemic Response — He advised government departments on emergency COVID-19 responses and the litigation threats that followed.
• Sizewell C Nuclear Project — He supported the UK Government on one of the country’s most important net-zero energy infrastructure projects.
• Energy, Water, and Aviation Regulation — He advised multiple clients on price control reviews and licence modification disputes across these sectors.
• Environmental Judicial Reviews — He acted in high-profile cases involving organisations such as Greenpeace, Uplift, and challenges related to Bristol Airport.

Whether he is representing a government department or challenging one, Alex brings the same level of preparation, intensity, and strategic thinking.

Professional Background:

Partner — LLP

Alex is a partner in the Dispute Resolution group at his firm. He built his career there and worked across offices in London, Singapore, and the United Arab Emirates. While based in Singapore, he was part of the firm’s India Practice, which gave him significant exposure to cross-border dispute resolution.

His promotion to partner was covered by the Global Arbitration Review, a clear signal of how the market views his expertise.

Government Secondment Department for International Trade, 2018 to 2019

Alex fawke spent much of 2018 and 2019 working inside the UK Government. He helped the Department for International Trade design and establish the country’s new trade law regime after Brexit.

That experience changed how he approaches his work. He saw firsthand how government departments make decisions, manage risk, and respond to legal challenges. Very few lawyers in private practice have that kind of insight, and it gives Alex a genuine edge when advising clients on either side of a government dispute.

International Experience:

Alex fawke has worked and lived across multiple jurisdictions, and that global outlook shapes the way he practises law.

• He worked in offices across London, Singapore, and the United Arab Emirates.
• In Singapore, he was part of the firm’s India Practice, handling disputes with a cross-border dimension.
• In Australia, he served as an advisor and speechwriter for Members of Parliament, including the Shadow Attorney-General of Victoria.
• He conducted international trade law research at Monash University in Melbourne and at the International Chamber of Commerce in Paris.
• He served as Deputy Secretary of the Asia-Pacific Forum for International Arbitration.

Most UK public law lawyers spend their entire career in London. Alex brings something different a perspective shaped by years of working across continents, legal systems, and cultures.

Publications and Thought Leadership:

Alex has published more than 25 articles in academic and industry journals. He writes primarily about public and administrative law, as well as trade and investment law.

His work has been cited in national parliaments, across university research, and by the World Trade Organization. That level of impact is unusual for a practising lawyer and reflects the depth and originality of his thinking.

Some of his published work includes:

• “UK Customs and Trade” — The International Trade Law Review, 2023, co-authored with Matthew Weiniger KC
• “Judicial Review Lessons from Financial Ombudsman Case” — Law360, 2023, co-authored with Tom Cassels and Alison Wilson
• “International Arbitration in Australia: 2020/2021 in Review” — Australasian Dispute Resolution Journal, 2023, co-authored with Albert Monichino KC
• “Enforcement of Foreign Arbitral Awards, Issue Estoppel and Comity” — Asian Dispute Review, 2014, co-authored with Albert Monichino KC
• “Public Policy under the International Arbitration Act” — Australasian Alternative Dispute Resolution Law Bulletin, 2014, co-authored with Robert Kovacs

Alex fawke does not just argue cases in court. He shapes how people think about the law through his writing, and that is a rare quality in a practitioner.

Education:

• Bachelor of Arts in Politics and French — Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
• Bachelor of Laws with First Class Honours — Monash University, Melbourne, Australia

Professional Associations:

• Committee Member — Young Public Lawyers’ Group, London
• Former Deputy Secretary — Asia-Pacific Forum for International Arbitration

Languages:

• English — native
• French
• German
• Spanish