Robert Spano
Partner, Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP; former President, European Court of Human Rights
Robert Spano is a partner in the London and Paris offices and the co-chair of the firm’s Artificial Intelligence Practice Group. He practices in the field of EU litigation, international dispute resolution and advises on regulatory matters. He is a member of the Transnational Litigation, International Arbitration, Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG), Privacy, Cybersecurity and Data Innovation, Technology Regulatory and Litigation, and Public Policy Practice Groups.
He is a leading expert in public international law, business and human rights, EU law and the law of the European Convention on Human Rights, bringing unparalleled experience from senior roles in the judiciary, private practice and academia.
Robert is listed in the 2025 edition of Best Lawyers in the United Kingdom as a leading lawyer for Human Rights and Public International Law. He is also recognised by The Legal 500 UK 2024 for International Arbitration and Public International Law and was named to both to the 2024 Lawdragon’s 100 Leading AI & Legal Tech Advisors and 500 Leading Global Cyber Lawyers lists.
He is the former president of the European Court of Human Rights, the youngest judge ever to be elected to the presidency in the Court’s 60 year history. When leaving the Court his colleagues published a Liber Amicorum in his honour stating that ‘during his term as president he demonstrated exceptional leadership qualities, showing creativity and imagination in improving the functioning of the Strasbourg institution”.
Robert sits on the Panel of Arbitrators and Conciliators of the World Bank’s International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID), and is an honorary bencher of the Middle Temple.