Clifford Chance (CC) will replace Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan as counsel for AIM-listed mining company Churchill Mining in its legal dispute with the Republic of Indonesia.

Churchill has been embroiled in an arbitration case with the Republic of Indonesia since May 2012 after it was, it said, subjected to a "sustained campaign designed to divest Churchill's legitimate rights to develop" a "world class thermal coal deposit in East Kalimantan".

The magic circle firm's team on the case will be led by Audley Sheppard QC, the London based head of the firm's international arbitration group, alongside Singapore based Nish Shetty, with support from the firm's offices in Hong Kong and Indonesia.

CC's appointment was confirmed in a company announcement which stated: "The company has resolved to replace existing counsel Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan and appoint the international law firm of Clifford Chance as the company's counsel in the ICSID arbitration proceedings against the Republic of Indonesia."

David Quinlivan, chair of Churchill, said: "We look forward to having our case determined as soon as possible with the guidance of one of the world's leading arbitration firms."

CC has also been appointed as counsel for Planet Mining Pty Ltd, a Churchill subsidiary, that also has an ongoing arbitration proceeding against the Republic of Indonesia.

Perth-based counsel Sam Luttrell will lead CC's team on that case.

Both arbitration proceedings are being carried out by the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID), an international arbitration institution that facilitates legal dispute resolution and conciliation between international investors.

Last month, Churchill Mining said it would attend a document authenticity hearing in July to prove its paperwork in the East Kalimantan case is in order after the Indonesian government questioned the authenticity of the company's documents presented in the dispute.

It said Quinn Emanuel had filed a request for the tribunal to reconsider the decision.