This book has been influenced by numerous people from a range of research institutions. The idea for the book stems from the conclusions I drew in my PhD thesis undertaken at Brunel University, London. Although countless people provided me with support during this time, I would particularly like to thank my PhD examiners. They challenged me in a way that strengthened my convictions regarding the potential role that counterclaims could play in investment arbitration. During my time as an academic in Sussex Law School I have learnt how to become a better researcher through discussions with my colleagues and mentors. Thanks to those of you who have provided me with feedback on presentations or draft papers and those who have simply chatted about research with me in the corridors. I am also grateful that Sussex Law School fosters a conducive research environment and allowed me to take research leave so that I could start drafting the book. Part of this book was written when I undertook a Visiting Fellowship at The Human Rights Centre at the Faculty of Law and Criminology at Ghent University in 2019. I would like to thank everyone who contributed to the discussions about the book at my work in progress seminar.
Some people deserve to be mentioned individually. Thanks to Professor Chris Henderson and Dr Ahmad Ghouri who provided me with feedback on a draft version of this book. Thanks also go to the anonymous reviewer for their constructive criticism and suggestions for improvement. As always, all errors and omissions are mine. This book was written in challenging circumstances – a global pandemic, nearby construction work being undertaken seven days a week during a national lockdown, an incredibly stressful house move and other significant life changing events. Considering this context, I would like to thank my dog Emi for ensuring that I maintain a work-life balance. His ability to prevent me from working beyond normal hours by nuzzling my elbow when it is time to play or go for a walk has kept me grounded. I am incredibly grateful to Steph for supporting me and for listening to me talk about the book for years. Her achievements in this regard are even more impressive given that she is writing her own book. I am also grateful to my parents. It is a shame that Dad won’t get to see the final book.