Vanessa Alarcon Duvanel

• Representing a multi-billion-dollar U.S. company in a Europe-based commercial arbitration under a 20-year sports sponsorship agreement.
• Represented a European general contractor in an ICC arbitration arising out of a petrochemical project in Australia involving claims for delay, additional costs, lack of productivity, and penalties
• Obtained a favorable settlement for a US manufacturing company in a dispute against a European buyer.
• Obtained a successful award for LIMA EXPRESA S.A.C. (a VINCI Highways subsidiary) in a high profile dispute against the City of Lima relating to allegations of nullity of a concession agreement for a toll road construction project. The Arbitral Tribunal confirmed the validity of concession agreement and all related contracts and granted to Lima Expresa the vast majority of its construction counterclaims and arbitration costs.
• Successfully represented a US pharmaceutical company in an Swiss Rules arbitration relating to the development and marketing of a generic drug.
• Representing a global energy company in an ad hoc arbitration against a sovereign state concerning decommissioning of offshore assets.
• Advised a European energy company in gas price negotiations with an African state-owned entity.
• Represented a leading railway company in an ICC arbitration against two consortium partners and relating to the construction of an infrastructure project in Western Asia.
• Represented a French multinational railway company acting as the lead partner of an international consortium of contractors in an ICC arbitration relating to consequences of the termination of a FIDIC Silver Book contract relating to the construction of a commuter railway.
• Represented a subsidiary of a leading renewable energy company in an ICC arbitration relating to delay in the construction of a large hydraulic pumping storage plant in Europe.
• Successfully represented a Spanish contractor in an ICC arbitration relating to the complete revamping of an oil refinery in Western Europe.
• Representation of a Spanish contractor in an ICC arbitration relating to the complete revamping of an oil refinery in Western Europe.
• Successfully representation of the Kingdom of Jordan in a Zurich-based ICC arbitration and a parallel ICSID arbitration brought by a railway company and its Kuwaiti shareholders relating to a failed construction project (successful award recognized in June 2013).
• Successfully represented a leading surveillance company in an ICC dispute relating to the performance of a collateral management agreement.
• Successfully represented the world's leading fast food restaurant company in a Geneva-based ICC arbitration relating to the termination of franchise agreements in Eastern Europe.
• Represented a major US pharmaceutical company and some of its affiliates in several ICC arbitration and mediation proceedings relating to breaches of distribution and license agreements and intellectual property matters.
• Successfully represented a luxury jeweler and watch maker in a domain name arbitration under the WIPO Arbitration Rules.
• Advise and represent parties in setting aside applications against arbitral awards before the Swiss Federal Tribunal.
• Sitting as arbitrator in several institutional and ad hoc international commercial arbitrations.
• Advise clients, including a Nigerian oil trading company and an Eastern European sovereign state, in connection with enforcement of arbitral awards and freezing applications before Swiss and foreign courts.

Vanessa Alarcon Duvanel advises and represents clients in high-profile disputes relating to large projects and complex factual, technical and legal issues in the construction and engineering sector and other industries (e.g., pharmaceuticals, sports, energy, manufacturing). She is admitted to practice in Switzerland and New York, and combines a perfect understanding of the common and civil law systems and legal cultures. She practices in English, French, Spanish and German. 

Vanessa has acted as counsel or arbitrator in over 50 international arbitrations proceedings both ad hoc and institutional (ICC, Swiss Rules, DIS, SCC, AAA/ICDR, ICSID, UNCITRAL, CAIP, CAS). As counsel, she has secured favourable outcomes for clients in dozens of large commercial disputes, some exceeding USD 1 billion in dispute. 

Vanessa also has experience representing parties in arbitration-related court proceedings, such as setting aside, interim measures and enforcement applications before Swiss and US courts, as well as coordinating court proceedings across multiple jurisdictions. 

In addition to her arbitration and ADR practice, Vanessa regularly advises clients on issues of Swiss commercial law including contracts, employment, corporate governance and setting up of new Swiss entities.  

Vanessa enjoys sport and sport law. She has experience representing athletes, sport officials, sponsors and other players in  the sport industry in arbitration and disciplinary proceedings. Vanessa has carried out internal investigations for national federations and served as arbitrator in the SAM competition 2022, 2023 and 2024.

Vanessa has been recognized as a Future Leader in Who's Who Legal: Arbitration 2022 to 20264 and in Legal 500, 2019 as an \"excellent\" attorney who \"always stays on top of things and is a joy to work with.\" She was a featured ADR Practitioner in the Lagos Court of Arbitration Newsletter, November 2022 (https://www.lca.org.ng/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/LCA-November-2022-Newsletter-1.pdf).  She has served as Co-Chair of the European Advisory Board of the International Institute for Conflict Prevention and Resolution (CPR) since 2024 and is an active member of several arbitration associations and institutions. She is regularly invited to speak at conferences and seminars on international disputes resolution. She teaches at the Swiss Arbitration Academy.