Paul Sills is recognized as a leading international arbitrator and mediator with more than three decades of experience resolving high-value and complex disputes across multiple jurisdictions. He is frequently appointed in matters involving multiple parties, overlapping legal systems, and cross-sector commercial issues, reflecting his reputation for navigating disputes at the highest level.

Before establishing himself as a full-time neutral, Paul practised as a civil and commercial barrister with a strong international focus, advising on disputes in aviation, construction, infrastructure, engineering, energy, and technology. His legal career was complemented by senior executive roles as CEO and Director of international businesses, giving him rare first-hand insight into the commercial and governance realities that underpin many disputes.

Paul has acted as a company receiver in the aftermath of the Global Financial Crisis, managing the restructuring and resolution of finance and construction company failures. As Managing Director and CEO of an international construction group, he worked directly on large-scale projects involving state-owned enterprises, global investors, and joint venture partners.

He is an established thought leader, regularly lecturing and publishing in the UK and globally on arbitration, mediation, fintech, climate change, energy transition, and complex infrastructure disputes. He has taught international commercial arbitration at Westminster University Law School and delivers fellowship training for arbitrators and mediators worldwide. Paul is a Fellow of leading arbitral institutions including CIArb and has trained at the Harvard Program on Negotiation, with a focus on complex, multi-party, and cross-cultural negotiations.

Paul’s standing in the field has been recognized internationally. Since 2022, Who’s Who Legal has ranked him as a Global Leader in Mediation, and he was appointed Chairperson of the European Commission’s arbitration panel for EU trade disputes.

With extensive experience in both common law and civil law systems, and in both institutional and ad hoc proceedings, Paul brings a rare combination of legal expertise, commercial acumen, and cross-cultural sensitivity. This positions him among the global elite of dispute resolution practitioners and makes him exceptionally well placed to accept appointments in major international arbitrations and mediations.