The changes which have taken place in central and eastern Europe, including the recent accession of 10 countries to the EU, pave the way for significant economic growth and afford investment opportunities to central and eastern European companies and outside investors.

With such opportunity, however, comes risk. We have extensive regional expertise and experience to help manage such risks and opportunities and to act effectively if a dispute arises, be it before the local courts or in arbitration proceedings.

Our international dispute resolution group offers genuine strength in depth, with a team of over 300 dispute resolution and arbitration specialists based in our offices across Europe. We have an unrivalled track record of conducting arbitrations all over the world, whatever the governing law of the dispute, the language of the arbitration, or the rules under which the dispute is to be resolved. We have also advised on drafting and choosing arbitration and alternative dispute resolution (ADR) rules.

The group includes some of the world's leading and best-known practitioners, who hold high-profile positions in the major arbitration institutions and professional associations. Senior members of the group regularly accept appointments as arbitrators.

We have significant experience in acting for clients based in, and disputes relating to, central and eastern Europe. Specifically, we regularly act in construction and engineering disputes (including major civil engineering and defence projects); energy-related disputes, particularly electricity, oil and gas (for both suppliers and customers); financial services disputes (including insurance and reinsurance); telecoms and broadcasting disputes; joint venture disputes; and investor-state disputes under contract and investment treaties for both investors and state parties. Indeed, we have one of the world's foremost practices for handling disputes arising under bilateral and multilateral investment treaties and foreign investment laws.

For more information please refer to the section on our global dispute resolution practice.

For further information please contact Jessica Lumby, international business development executive.

Recent deals

Our recent experience includes acting for:

  • the Dutch subsidiary of an international investment bank in a United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL) arbitration against the Czech Republic over the breach of the relevant bilateral investment treaty (BIT);
  • the Republic of Bulgaria in an UNCITRAL arbitration brought by an Israeli company concerning the privatisation of its national aircraft carrier;
  • a Dutch company in an investor-state arbitration against the Czech Republic under the Dutch-Czech and/or Italian-Czech BITs;
  • a German investor in arbitration proceedings against the Republic of Poland under the German-Poland BIT concerning the forced sale of machinery;
  • a German investor in a German Institute of Arbitration (DIS) arbitration against a Hungarian electricity company;
  • a Bulgarian pharmaceutical and chemical company in litigation with a French chemical products company;
  • a Czech manufacturer of automobile components in an International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) arbitration against a German manufacturer of electric parts;
  • a Slovakian gas company in an arbitration under the Vienna Rules against a German gas company;
  • a Polish telecoms company in an arbitration under the Vienna Rules against a German telecoms company;
  • a Dutch holding company and a German bank in an ICC arbitration against 29 Hungarian defendants relating to the cement industry;
  • a Finnish company active in the field of industrial engineering (glass production) in a dispute with its former subcontractor on a glass plant project arising from the delays and defaults of a Slovak steel fabricator;
  • a German gas and chemicals company in an arbitration against a Slovakian company in the field of gas transportation;
  • a Czech company in a successful arbitration/mediation procedure involving a claim exceeding $1bn; and
  • the respondent eastern European party in a $500m ICC arbitration involving media investments and related enforcement proceedings in the national courts.

Members of our arbitration team have also served as arbitrator in:

  • an arbitration under the London Court of International Arbitration (LCIA) Rules and the Warsaw Rules between a Polish electricity company and a Polish telecoms company; and
  • an arbitration between a German shipping company and a Slovakian company.

Related practices

Global dispute resolution practice

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