Emiola Osifeso
Sierra Leone has reached a settlement in principle with U.S. law firm Jenner & Block, bringing an end to a protracted legal battle over more than $8 million in allegedly unpaid fees.
The development was disclosed on Thursday by U.S. Magistrate Judge G. Michael Harvey in Washington, D.C., through a brief order confirming that both sides had agreed to settle. The order offered no further details, and neither Sierra Leone’s legal representatives nor a spokesperson for the Chicago-based firm responded to requests for comment.
Jenner & Block filed the lawsuit in 2022, claiming the Government of Sierra Leone failed to pay outstanding fees for its work in a high-stakes international arbitration involving iron ore contractor Gerald International Ltd. The dispute stemmed from Sierra Leone’s export ban, which prompted Gerald International to demand more than $1.8 billion in damages before the case was eventually resolved.
The firm argued that its legal work on Sierra Leone’s behalf became “far more complex and voluminous than either party initially contemplated,” resulting in fees that exceeded earlier projections. According to court filings, Sierra Leone paid Jenner $3.6 million between 2019 and late 2021, leaving an alleged balance of $8.1 million.
The government contested the claim, insisting that Jenner had not demonstrated entitlement to additional payment beyond what had already been issued. But in January this year, a federal judge dismissed Sierra Leone’s arguments that no valid contract existed and that the country was immune from the lawsuit as a foreign sovereign.
The settlement now appears set to close one of Sierra Leone’s most closely watched international legal disputes, though the precise terms remain confidential pending finalisation.