John A. Trenor is a partner in the firm's Litigation/Controversy Department and a member of the International Arbitration Practice Group. 

Mr. Trenor is an international dispute resolution lawyer with more than 25 years of experience in international arbitration and cross-border disputes. Mr. Trenor represents clients in international arbitrations sited around the world, in disputes governed by both civil law and common law, as well as public international law and international investment law. He has advised clients regarding commercial, investor-state, and state-to-state arbitrations under virtually all of the major institutional as well as ad hoc rules, including ICC, LCIA, AAA, SCC, VIAC, ICSID, UNCITRAL, and others.

Mr. Trenor has represented companies, States, State-owned entities, international organizations, and individuals in a wide variety of disputes in the aviation, defense, energy, financial services, pharmaceuticals, technology, telecommunications, and other industries. He has significant recent experience in a range of oil and gas disputes and gas price review arbitrations in particular.  

Mr. Trenor has frequently worked on high-profile, complex matters involving negotiation with various government departments and agencies in Europe, the United States, and other jurisdictions. He also advises clients on cross-border regulatory matters.

He is the editor, together with Franz T. Schwarz and Helmut Ortner, of Contractual Performance and COVID-19: An In-Depth Comparative Law Analysis, published by Wolters Kluwer.

In addition, he is the editor and co-author of the book The Guide to Damages in International Arbitration, published by Global Arbitration Review, now in its fourth edition. He has also published on a variety of other international topics.

Mr. Trenor teaches a course on international arbitration at Georgetown University Law Center.

  • Contractual Performance and COVID-19 – An In-Depth Comparative Law Analysis

    WilmerHale and Wolters Kluwer are delighted to launch a new and in-depth comparative legal analysis—edited by Franz T. Schwarz, John A. Trenor, and Helmut Ortner—regarding the impact of the pandemic on contractual performance in key civil and common law jurisdictions. The publication examines whether and under what circumstances COVID-19-related impediments may excuse contractual performance or lead to modification or termination; and addresses a wide variety of legal concepts, such as impossibility, impracticability, frustration of purpose, force majeure, hardship or imprévision, and clausula rebus sic stantibus.

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  • Navigating Force Majeure Clauses and Related Doctrines in Light of the COVID-19 Pandemic

    Partner John Trenor and Associate Hyun-Soo Lim co-authored this article which addresses some of the contractual issues that companies are facing in deciding whether force majeure or other clauses in their contracts–or other related doctrines under the governing law–may excuse them or their counterparties from the performance of contractual obligations in light of the impact of the pandemic. Read the full article published by Young Arbitration Review

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Recognition

  • Recommended in the 2008, 2009 and 2010 editions of Legal 500 UK and the 20162017 and 2018 editions of Legal 500 United States for dispute resolution: international arbitration

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Credentials

  • Education

    • JD, University of Chicago Law School, 1995

      with honors Member, University of Chicago Law Review
    • MPA, Princeton University, 1995

    • BA, Cornell University, 1991

  • Admissions

    • New York

    • District of Columbia

    • England and Wales, Registered Foreign Lawyer

  • Languages

    • French

Credentials