Lucy Keane
2019 (Scotland 1988; New York 2015; Ireland 2020; Gibraltar 2023)

Lucy Keane FCIArb is an experienced commercial barrister admitted in five jurisdictions, specialising in international dispute resolution. She is called to the Bars of England & Wales, Ireland and Gibraltar (2023), is an advocate in Scotland, and is admitted as an attorney at Law in New York (2015).

Lucy’s particular interest and expertise is in international commercial arbitration. Her recent work has been in Gibraltar, where she has acted as counsel in a number of complex shipping, corporate insolvency, crypto asset and shareholder disputes. She has also appeared in a recent multi-million-pound crypto asset claim before the Supreme Court of Gibraltar involving worldwide freezing and ancillary orders, and in an LCIA arbitration concerning crypto investment.

Her practice encompasses a broad range of commercial and international dispute work across multiple sectors and jurisdictions. She is regularly instructed in complex, high-value matters involving both litigation and arbitration, and brings particular expertise to cases with cross-border elements, technical subject matter, or urgent interim relief. Her core areas of practice include:

• Arbitration and ADR
• Art finance and fraud
• Asset recovery
• Commercial contracts
• Commercial litigation
• Corporate investigations
• Crypto assets
• Dispute resolution
• Energy disputes
• Fraud
• Freezing orders
• Insolvency, both business and personal
• Insurance
• International trade
• Oil and gas
• Professional negligence
• Shareholder disputes
• Shipping and commodities

Originally called to the Bar in Scotland in 1988, Lucy gained significant international oil and gas experience early in her career as counsel in the team representing Occidental Petroleum in proceedings arising from the Piper Alpha disaster. Her interest in international arbitration and energy-sector disputes developed from that work.

Lucy is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators and holds the CIArb Diploma in International Commercial Arbitration. She regularly lectures and trains on international arbitration, particularly advocacy in arbitration proceedings, and has lectured at Leiden University to Dutch practitioners.

In 2022, Lucy was appointed by the European Commission to its pool of individuals suitable for appointment as arbitrator in bilateral trade disputes. This gives her the opportunity to be appointed as an arbitrator in specified cases, or to serve on pre-agreed rosters under relevant trade agreements with third countries.

As a New York lawyer, Lucy retains strong links with legal professionals in the United States and is available to advise on issues of US Federal Law and New York State Law. She is Co-Chair of the New York State Bar Association International Section Committee on Art Law, Art Funds and Art Finance, reflecting her interest in the intersection between art, law, finance and international commerce.

Lucy is a regular speaker at legal conferences. She recently spoke at the New York State Bar Association International Section Global Conference in Hamburg and is listed as a speaker on Shipping Law in Transition at the 21st International Colloquium taking place in September 2026 at Swansea University’s Institute of International Shipping and Trade Law.

In addition to her civil and commercial practice, Lucy has substantial criminal advocacy experience. She has held appointment in Scotland as an Advocate-Depute, a senior prosecutor, and has also acted as defence counsel in a range of criminal cases.

Lucy has represented both the Crown and other parties in Fatal Accident Inquiries, the Scottish equivalent of inquests, involving sudden or suspicious deaths. She recently acted for a junior haematologist in Scotland’s longest-running Fatal Accident Inquiry, held in Glasgow Sheriff Court. The case was a complex and challenging matter involving a number of clinical specialisms, including haematology, oncology and neurology.

Lucy’s breadth of experience also includes judicial office. She sat as a part-time Sheriff in Scotland, hearing both civil and criminal cases. She has appeared in courts at all levels in Scotland and has taken a case from first instance to the House of Lords. She is a highly experienced advocate, with advocacy experience ranging from interlocutory applications to complex appeals. In 2016, she was awarded a Certificate of Excellence in Advocacy by the Faculty of Advocates.

Academic Qualifications

• LLB, University of Strathclyde
• Diploma in Legal Practice, University of Strathclyde
• Certificate in International Commercial Arbitration, University of Dundee
• Diploma in International Commercial Arbitration, Chartered Institute of Arbitrators
• Certificate of Professional Competence in Gibraltar Law, University of Gibraltar

Professional Qualifications and Appointments

• Advocate, Scotland, Call: 1988
• Attorney and Counselor at Law, New York, Admission: 2015
• Barrister, England & Wales, Call: 2019
• Barrister, Ireland, Call: 2020
• Barrister, Gibraltar, Call: 2023
• Temporary Sheriff, part-time judicial appointment, 1997–1999

Professional Bodies

• Fellow, Chartered Institute of Arbitrators
• Liveryman, The Worshipful Company of Arbitrators
• Trustee and Honorary Secretary, The Charitable Trust of the Worshipful Company of Arbitrators
• The Honourable Society of the Inner Temple
• The Honorable Society of King’s Inns, Ireland
• The Faculty of Advocates, Scotland
• Supporting Member, London Maritime Arbitrators Association
• New York State Bar Association
• The Energy Arbitration Club, London
• Arbitration Ireland

Direct Access

Lucy is qualified to accept instructions directly from members of the public and professional clients under the Direct Public Access scheme.