C. Allen Foster

C. Allen Foster has been recognized as a preeminent trial lawyer for over 50 years, having tried high profile cases in 15 states, numerous federal courts and virtually all of the national and international arbitration venues. He was a senior lecturer in law at Duke Law School for ten years, teaching trial practice, commercial arbitration and construction law. He has served as the U.S. government representative to the International Agency Dispute Resolution Centre in Paris, was special litigation counsel to the Republican Party and has served as a commissioner to the National Commission on Uniform State Laws. He is active in numerous national and international charitable organizations.

Recognitions

• The Best Lawyers in America^®, Litigation - Construction (2003–2019)
• Washington, D.C. Super Lawyers^®, Construction Litigation: Business (2007–2020)
• Law360, "Product Liability Practice Group of the Year" Team Member (2011)
• Law360, "Appellate Practice Group of the Year" Team Member (2010)
• Washingtonian Magazine, "Top Lawyers in Washington" (2004–Present)
• Legal Times, "Top 20 Leading Litigators in Washington" (2003–Present)
• AV Preeminent^®: Martindale-Hubbell^® Peer Review Ratings™

Memberships & Activities

Charitable and Community Activities

• President and, now, Chairman: St. George’s Chapel (Windsor Castle) Foundation (2005 -)
• President: Brasenose College (Oxford) Charitable Foundation, Inc. (2005 -)
• President: American Friends of Chambord Castle (2019-)
• High Justice: International Order of St. Hubertus; Chancellor, USA Chapter: Knight Grand Officer (2014 -)
• Companion: Order of St. John of Jerusalem (2011-)

Public Offices and Appointments

• United States Government Representative to the International Energy Agency Dispute Resolution Centre, Paris, France (1983 -)
• Commissioner to the National Commission on Uniform State Laws (1985 - 87)
• Member: Legislative Study Commission on the Selection of Judges (1988 - 89)
• Advisor to Governor's Task Force on Passenger Rail Transportation (1988 - 89)
• Public Member: North Carolina Tax Review Board (1975 - 79)
• Republican candidate for Attorney General of North Carolina (1984)
• Member: Board of Directors of the American Arbitration Association (1980 - 83)
• Member, National Panels of Labor, Construction and International Commercial Arbitrators of the American Arbitration Association (1975- )
• Chairman: North Carolina Regional Advisory Council of the American Arbitration Association (1979 - 83)
• Member, Permanent Panel of Arbitrators, Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation and AFGE Local 333 (2008-)

Significant Representations

• Recently obtained $120 million federal court judgment in breach of contract action against Iraq
• Representing plaintiff in libel case arising out of the play “Kleptocracy”
• Obtained $148.6 million trial court judgment in tobacco antitrust case
• Obtained $20 million recovery from Kazakhstan in arbitration before Stockholm Chamber of Commerce
• Obtained first CAFTA arbitration award for US investor in Guatemalan railroad system
• Obtained $50 million award for patentee of air bag crash sensor in patent licensing arbitration before ICC in Paris
• Obtained ICC award for international consultant against major US oil company for services Kurdistan
• Successfully represented major US governmental contractor in ICSID arbitration concerning Indonesian government contracts
• Five successful US Supreme Court cases and numerous amici briefs in SCOTUS
• Represented interest of US government in qui tam litigation over DNA sequencing machine patent
• Represented plaintiffs who were enslaved by Japanese corporations during World War II in In re World War II Era Japanese Forced Labor litigation
• Represented plaintiff in first case tried before Russian Antimonopoly Commission in Moscow
• Represented plaintiff in only successful political gerrymandering case, obtaining declaration that statewide election of judges in North Carolina was unconstitutional
• Represent Russian airline in recovery of airplane “Skyfleet S570” featured in Casino Royale
• Represented Member of Congress in leading Constitutional case over separation of powers
• Represented numerous public officials in defamation cases
• Served as arbitrator in over 500 commercial and labor arbitration cases

Noteworthy Experience

• Elected Member: American Law Institute, 1990
• Fellow, American College of Construction Lawyers, 1990
• President, American College of Construction Arbitrators, 1983 - 1984

Co-author: "At a glance: key environmental legislation in USA (North Carolina)," Lexology, December 2, 2025

Author: "The Law and Practice of Commercial Arbitration," Private Adjudication Center, Inc., Duke Law School, 1986

Author: Construction and Design Law in the United States, 1984 (5 vols.)

Author: "The Construction Law Adviser," Callaghan & Co. Monthly Newsletter, 1983