“Tribunal Secretaries: How to prevent a friend from turning into a foe”, Arbitral Secretaries – Reports from the joint NAI-Cepani colloquium, Wolters Kluwer 2018, pp. 69-80.
Biography
| NATIONALITY: | Dutch |
| LANGUAGES: | Dutch, English and French |
| ADMISSION: | Amsterdam and Paris (Directive 98/5/EC) |
| OFFICE: | Paris |
Sophia von Dewall is partner at Derains & Gharavi and has acted in numerous international arbitration proceedings, as well as in legal proceedings before Netherlands state courts. She has handled arbitrations conducted under the arbitration rules of the NAI, CEPINA, ICC, HKIAC and ICSID. Her areas of practice include international investment disputes and international commercial disputes arising out of international contracts, joint-venture and shareholder relationships and large infrastructural projects. She also acts as arbitrator in international arbitration proceedings.
Sophia is admitted to the Amsterdam Bar and registered in the Paris Bar. She obtained an LL.M. in Public International & European Law (cum laude) and an LL.M. in Dutch Law (cum laude) from the University of Amsterdam.
ILLUSTRATIVE EXPERIENCE AS COUNSEL
- Representing Romania in an ICSID arbitration initiated by a Cyprus investor in relation to investments in a renewable energy project (Aderlyne Limited v. Romania, ICSID Case No. ARB/22/13).
- Representing the Arab Republic of Egypt in an ICSID arbitration initiated by a Dutch investor in relation to alleged acts and omissions of the Egyptian Ministry of Housing pertaining to the regulation of the Egyptian market for pipes used for sewage and potable water engineering projects (Future Pipe International B.V. v. The Arab Republic of Egypt, ICSID Case No. ARB/17/31).
- Representing Romania in an ICSID arbitration initiated by a Cyprus investor in relation to the alleged expropriation of its investment in the renewable energy sector (EP Wind Project (Rom) Six Ltd. v. Romania, ICSID Case No. ARB/20/15).
- Representing Romania in an ICSID arbitration initiated by a Dutch investor in relation to the alleged expropriation of its investments in the insurance and media sectors (The Nova Group Investments, B.V. v. Romania, ICSID Case No. ARB/16/19).
- Representing the Republic of Albania in an ICSID arbitration initiated by a Greek investor in relation to an alleged investment in the oil and gas industry that led to the dismissal of the case on the merits (Mamidoil Jetoil Greek Petroleum Products Société Anonyme S.A. v. Republic of Albania, ICSID Case No. ARB/11/24).
- Representing the Republic of Albania in an ICSID arbitration initiated by an Italian investor in relation to an alleged investment in the gambling industry that led to the dismissal of the case on jurisdiction with full costs (Burimi SRL and Eagle Games SH.A v. Republic of Albania, ICSID Case No. ARB/11/18).
- Representing an Italian company specialized in machinery and plants for the production of wood-based products in an NAI arbitration seated in Amsterdam against a Dutch company arising out of a contract regarding the provision of engineering services concerning a “green” power plant in The Netherlands.
- Representing two Russian companies in a HKIAC arbitration in Hong Kong against a Cypriot company in a post take-over dispute regarding a petrochemical plant located in Russia
- Representing Belgian investors in an ICSID arbitration against the Republic of Croatia over a dispute concerning an investment in the touristic real estate sector (ICSID CASE N° ARB/13/12).
- Representing a Turkish investor, Attila Dogan Construction and Installation Co. Inc., against the Sultanate of Oman in an ICSID arbitration initiated under a bilateral investment treaty in relation to the expropriation of an investment comprising an Off Plot Delivery Contract (Attila Doğan Construction & Installation Co. Inc. v. Sultanate of Oman, ICSID Case No. ARB/16/7), including in ICSID annulment proceedings.
- Representing an oil company (Applicant) in ICSID annulment proceedings against the Republic of Kazakhstan concerning a dispute related to an oil concession (ICSID Case No. ARB/08/12 (annulment)).
- Representing the Netherland’s largest commercial broadcaster in several disputes with a content provider about the supply and exploitation of successful television formats.
- Representing a Greek construction company in an ICC arbitration against an American/Italian software house concerning a dispute arising out of a malfunction of the control system of a co-generation plant.
- Representing a major Dutch bank in a CEPINA arbitration against two Belgian banks concerning a post take-over dispute.
- Representing an African State Ministry in an ICC arbitration in Paris against a Croatian company, arising out of the performance of a contract regarding development of water and irrigation projects in Sudan.
- Representing two Italian companies in SCAI arbitrations in Zürich against a German company and the Luxembourg and US subsidiaries of one of the largest wood-based panel manufacturer arising out of the performance of contracts for the construction of two plants in Luxembourg and the USA.
- Representing one of the largest Portuguese private investment groups in preliminary relief proceedings before Dutch courts brought by a joint venture partner on the issue of the nomination of a board member in Portugal’s largest energy company.
- Representing a South African telecom company before Dutch courts in its action for infringement of its contractual pre-emption rights. The proceedings made part of a multi-jurisdiction dispute, which included an UNCITRAL and LCIA arbitration.
- Representing a Dutch pension fund in a NAI arbitration against a Dutch insurance company in a post take-over dispute.
EXPERIENCE AS ARBITRATOR
- Emergency arbitrator in a NAI arbitration between an international company in the industrial gas sector and a Dutch engineering company pertaining to obligations under a settlement agreement.
- Emergency arbitrator in a NAI Arbitration between two Dutch companies relating to the construction of a geothermal installation.
- Sole arbitrator in an ICC arbitration between a Spanish and a Belgium transport company arising from a distribution contract.
- Sole arbitrator in an ICC arbitration between a Chilean export fruit company and a Dutch distributor arising from a distribution contract.
- Sole arbitrator in an ICC arbitration between a German trading company and a Dutch agent arising from an agency contract.
- Sole arbitrator in an ICC arbitration between an international consortium and a French Entity arising from a data sharing agreement.
- Chair in an ICC arbitration between a French service provider and an Indonesian company arising from a distribution contract.
- Co-arbitrator in an ICC arbitration between a Dutch Entity and an African transport company arising from a construction contract.
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
| Since 2022 | Partner, Derains & Gharavi (Paris) |
| 2017-2021 | Counsel, Derains & Gharavi (Paris) |
| 2012 – 2016 | Associate, Derains & Gharavi (Paris) |
| 2008 – 2012 | Associate (Dispute Resolution), Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP (Amsterdam, New York and London) |
| 2005 – 2008 | Associate (Corporate), Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP (Amsterdam) |
| 2004 | Legal intern at the Legal Secretariat of the United Nations Compensation Commission (UNCC) (Geneva) |
ACADEMIC LECTURES
| 2024 | Lecturer in investor-State disputes for the CADR credit course on investment arbitration at the National Law University Delhi (NLU Delhi) |
EDUCATION
| 2004 | LL.M in Public International & European Law, cum laude, University of Amsterdam including a semester at the University Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne (exams passed: Droit de la Concurrence (Competition Law); Droit international économique (International Economic Law); and Droit du commerce international (International Business Law) |
| 2003 | LL.M in Dutch Law, cum laude, University of Amsterdam |
MEMBERSHIPS
- Member of the Executive Board of the Dutch Arbitration Association
- Member of the Investment Arbitration Committee of the Dutch Arbitration Association
- Member of the ICC Task Force on Corruption
- Member of the ICC Commission on Arbitration and ADR for the Netherlands
LEGAL PRACTICE AREA REGISTRATION IN THE NETHERLANDS
Sophia von Dewall has registered the following legal practice area in the Netherlands Bar’s register of legal practice areas (rechtsgebiedenregister): arbitration.
Based on this registration, she is required to obtain ten training credits per calendar year in this registered legal practice area in accordance with the standards set by the Netherlands Bar
Publications
“Does apparent bias automatically give rise to conflicts of interest?”, Opening the Black Box of Conflicts of Interest, Bruylant 2016, pp. 139-148.
"The 2015 Revision of the Ducth Arbitration Act" in Les Cahiers de l'Arbitrage - The Paris Journal of International Arbitration, 2015 n°1.