Law firm Vinson & Elkins represents Iraq oil ministry in State Dept. briefing

The seal of the United States Office of State is viewed in Washington, U.S., January 26, 2017. REUTERS/Joshua Roberts

(Reuters) – U.S. regulation business Vinson & Elkins will depict the Iraqi Ministry of Oil before the U.S. State Division amid a prolonged-managing dispute involving Iraq and Turkey in excess of a pipeline settlement, according to recently disclosed U.S. regulatory filings.

The Texas-centered law firm, which focuses on electrical power matters, disclosed its do the job for the Iraqi oil ministry this 7 days in filings submitted to the U.S. Justice Section underneath a federal legislation known as the Overseas Brokers Registration Act (FARA).

The FARA regulation requires legislation firms, lobbyists and some others to expose certain do the job for international governments that is past regular courtroom-dependent lawful providers. The disclosures can supply a glimpse at details about regulation organization payment and clientele that is otherwise not commonly published.

Vinson & Elkins companion James Loftis in Houston explained in the July 18 filings that the Point out Department sought a briefing about authorized concerns in a pending arbitration Iraq filed in 2014 towards Turkey above statements the state breached an arrangement involving a vital oil pipeline.

Loftis, leader of the firm’s international dispute resolution practice, is billing at $900 an hour, the filings showed.

Vinson & Elkins signifies Iraq in the arbitration at the Paris-primarily based Worldwide Chamber of Commerce. The agency disclosed in its FARA filings acquiring a lot more than $2.5 million in expenses in Could and June for legal products and services tied to the Iraqi oil ministry’s arbitration.

Vinson & Elkins declined to remark about the firm’s advocacy and FARA registration, a initially for the 700-attorney business less than the many years-previous U.S. regulation

Associates from the U.S. State Section and the Worldwide Chamber of Commerce declined to comment.

A agent from the oil ministry did not right away return a information trying to get comment. A law firm for Turkey at King & Spalding did not immediately answer to a identical concept.

The Iraqi oil ministry’s ties to U.S. firms also contains Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton. The company said in a international-agent disclosure at the DOJ past month that its operate centered on concerns relating to oil and gas policy in Iraq.

Cleary Gottlieb documented acquiring far more than $188,000 in authorized fees in April from the oil ministry, in accordance to its DOJ filings.

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