Bill Rowley was elected Chairman of the Canadian firm, McMillan LLP in 1996 and Chairman Emeritus and Special Counsel on his retirement from the partnership in 2009. He joined 20 Essex Street in 2002, through which he accepts appointments as an international arbitrator.
His practice at the Bar covered all aspects of international commercial law, including competition, contracts, banking, oil industry, insurance, corporate governance and arbitration law and practice. While at McMillan he headed the firms competition law group from its inception and oversaw the development of its arbitral practice.
He has chaired or participated as a tribunal member or counsel in numerous international and national arbitrations. These have involved a variety of national laws and investment treaty systems including those of ICSID, NAFTA, the ECT, England, many European states, Argentina, Azerbaijan, Bermuda, Cameroon, China, Cote d'Ivoire, Dubai, Georgia, India, Italy, Mexico, Norway, Nigeria, Peru, Philippines, Russia, Thailand, Uganda, Venezuela and Canada, as well as New York, Delaware and California.
