In case this has not been posted before, here is some additional background you may find interesting and perhaps encouraging.

As it appears this stock play is now a legal arbitration and/or buyout play, I asked Crystallex which legal firm was engaged for the preparation of their ICSID application. RM responded that they had engaged the international firm, Freshfields Bruckhaus and Deringer LLP, as the “lead counsel”. He added that this firm has been involved since the original 2008 grievance (letter) filing with the Venezuelan government. If you haven’t already done so, you may wish to visit their site to review their experience.

http://www.freshfields.com/

FBD has offices in many countries.Their website gives a good indication of their experience in international business and arbitration cases.Listed examples include the Royal Bank of Scotland (about their purchase of the Liverpool Football club (note, Fenalet, but keep an open mind anyway! :-) ), Bank of Montreal, Bahrain NationalOil, London Stock Exchange, etc.

Also, they have published briefing notes (interpretations) regarding recent ICSID rulings.If you check their news release web sections and/or search for ICSID on their website, you can read through a fairly impressive list of international business activities and lawyer bios. (For example, Lucy Reed who has co-authored a “Guide to ICSID Arbitration” and other related published documents, and is a speaker on international arbitration, and was with US Government in international trade issues. (Of course, there is no indication that she specifically has the Crystallex case file.)

Who know the outcome, but perhaps this choice is one further indicator of stewardship of our collective interests.

ishep