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Franz Schwarz focuses on international arbitration and dispute resolution, and leads the Firm’s Civil Law disputes practice. He provides strategic advice, cross-cultural thinking, and powerful advocacy in disputes threatening critical investments and business operations across sectors. He has been described by clients and peers as “one of the best lawyers of his generation,” with “extraordinary strategic sense and masterful judgment” and “a magical ability to connect with the tribunal.”
Franz represents corporates, investors, and financial institutions in international arbitrations around the world and under all major institutional rules. He has 27 years of experience in the field, has been involved in over 300 arbitrations, and has an outstanding track record of securing successful outcomes for clients in their most challenging matters.
Franz’s work frequently centers on joint venture, shareholder, M&A, and other commercial disputes. He has experience with a wide variety of sectors, including life sciences, energy, infrastructure, finance, media, trade and other often heavily-regulated sectors. Franz also frequently advises on the protection of foreign investments, supporting clients in understanding and leveraging treaty protections in disputes involving sovereign counterparties.
In addition to his role as counsel, Franz regularly serves as arbitrator and is included on the roster of several major arbitral institutions. He has acted as president, sole arbitrator, and party-nominated arbitrator under the auspices of all major institutions. In 2020, the Republic of Austria appointed him to the panel of conciliators at the International Center for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID) at the World Bank.
Franz has lectured on international arbitration at Harvard Law School, the London School of Economics, Vienna University Law School, the University of Zurich, the European Institute at Saarland University, Germany, the Vienna School of Economics, and Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies in Bologna, and frequently speaks and publishes on topical issues of international arbitration.
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