Arbitration
Recognised arbitration experts in Central and Eastern Europe
Experienced in complex domestic and international arbitration law
When it comes to arbitration proceedings, knowing the law is sometimes not enough; you need a team which knows the rules, and which knows the major players in the field. This is a huge advantage when it comes to choosing the right arbitrator and maximising your chance of success.
The experts in our 13 offices act as counsel in domestic and international arbitration proceedings. Additionally, team members have specialised expertise in industry sectors such as energy or construction and infrastructure, and fields such as post M&A disputes. The benefit for you? Seamless service and the necessary specialised industry and legal expertise to meet your business needs.
Key experts
“Unrivalled in terms of capabilities in Austria and CEE, very convenient one-stop-shop for multi-jurisdictional cases.”
– The Legal 500
“Wolf Theiss’ ‘strong’ team is experienced in investment arbitrations and corporate and commercial disputes involving construction, energy and telecommunication sector players across the CEE and SEE region.”
– The Legal 500
“Praised for being ‘unrivalled in terms of capabilities in Austria and CEE’, Wolf Theiss acts for clients in post-M&A, telecoms and construction disputes as well as investment arbitration proceedings, with notable expertise in the energy, construction, infrastructure and telecoms sectors.”
– The Legal 500
What makes our team the best arbitration law firm for you?
Our regional, integrated firm offers distinct advantages, spanning the full spectrum of legal services.
- An established international law firm with 60+ years of experience in Austria and CEE/SEE
- A fully integrated, single team of 340 locally-qualified lawyers in 13 countries and offices
- Collaboration and innovation across multidisciplinary teams and offices
- Excellent client satisfaction – responsive, client-oriented, and consistent
- Experience with complex and cross-border matters covering the full spectrum of legal services
- Knowledge and expertise to add value to deals across industries
Leading the legal field
Our lawyers are involved in key transactions and matters across the region, bringing their industry expertise and specialised business knowledge to add value to our clients’ work.
Successfully defended major energy company in investment arbitration against Republic of Croatia
Represented client in €1 billion arbitration dispute over factory damage
Represented client in arbitration involving 3 billion Kč post-acquisition claims
Specialised knowledge in energy, telecoms, infrastructure, construction arbitration law and post-M&A disputes
Arbitration involving major energy company
Our team has represented a major energy company in two arbitration matters against the Republic of Croatia related to the management of Croatia’s incumbent oil and gas company.
Successful client defence
In the first arbitration, we successfully defended the client from Croatia’s attempts to disassemble the corporate governance of the Croatian company and claw-back control over it by relying on allegations of corruption and on false criminal charges Croatia has been pursuing through local courts.
The second arbitration concerns protection of the client’s investment into Croatia before the ICSID, which includes defence against false criminal charges before Croatian courts and challenging various breaches of contractual obligations and other commitments on the treatment of the client’s investment into Croatia.
Czech arbitration proceedings involving factory damage
We have been advising and representing a client in several proceedings relating to a major fire at one of its factories. Currently, we are: representing the client in arbitration proceedings against the presumed responsible party; supervising and coordinating the representation of several persons in criminal proceedings; and advising on matters of Czech law in foreign civil law proceedings.
The matter is particularly demanding, as any arguments used in any of the proceedings must be compatible with different theories of civil law liability across all involved countries.
Arbitration over post-acquisition claims
Our lawyers advised and represented a client in ICC arbitration proceedings related to CZK 3 billion post-acquisition claims arising out of a share purchase agreement.
Areas of specialisation
Commercial Arbitration
Our regional team has the knowledge and capacity to advise you on all aspects of domestic and international commercial arbitration proceedings. Many of our cases involve cross-border elements, meaning you benefit from our international network of offices and our ability to deal with international arbitration and multijurisdictional issues effectively.
We have experience acting under major arbitration rules, such as UNCITRAL, ICC, and LCIA, as well as those of the national Arbitration Courts attached to the respective Chambers of Commerce in the CEE/SEE region, and in ad-hoc arbitration proceedings.
Investment Treaty Arbitration
Whether you are an investor or a sovereign state, we can assist you in arbitration disputes that arise under bilateral and multilateral investment treaties, and have experience acting under both the ICSID and UNCITRAL Rules. Prevention is better than cure. If you are an investor, we can also advise you on the structuring and restructuring of your overseas investments to secure investment treaty protection.
Arbitration-related Court Proceedings
We can represent you in all court-related arbitration proceedings; including obtaining interim injunctions to protect your assets both before and during arbitration, representing you in setting-aside proceedings as well as advising on the recognition and enforcement of arbitral awards.
Where enforcement looks particularly difficult or time-consuming, or when assets are split between several countries, our asset tracing experts help identify the most strategically important jurisdictions for you.
Energy Arbitration
Energy is a complex sector; characterised by high investment costs, long-term contracts and state involvement. The stakes are high and consequently, investment treaty arbitration under bilateral or multilateral treaties – especially the Energy Charter Treaty – is common.
To be successful in energy arbitration proceedings you need a team which understands and deals on a daily basis with the complex regulations of the energy industry, and which also knows the ins and outs of arbitration proceedings. Our team does both.
Construction & Infrastructure Arbitration
Large construction and infrastructure projects often have an international or regional context. Due to the scale and complexity of such projects, disputes when they happen tend to be multi-party and multi-tier. In addition, disputes rarely centre ‘only’ on legal questions; a sound knowledge of the industry itself is essential.
Our construction arbitration experts are qualified as engineers or certified FIDIC-Adjudicators and have direct industry experience. This, together with the regional coverage of Wolf Theiss, gives us and – more importantly – you an unbeatable advantage.
Get in touch
Whether you need an international team with extensive experience, Wolf Theiss can support your business goals through our profound legal practice.
