Christopher Seppälä

International Arbitration Experience

I. Experience as Counsel in International Arbitrations

• Lead counsel for a European electrical utility in two ICC arbitrations relating to the termination of a contract for the supply of a nuclear power plant (2000 MWe).
• Lead counsel for another European electrical utility in two ICC arbitrations relating to prolonged delay in a contract for the supply of a nuclear power plant (1630 MWe).
• Lead counsel for a Middle Eastern developer in four related ICC arbitrations in Paris involving a dispute with a contractor concerning a major land remediation project, as well as ancillary court proceedings in the United States.
• Lead counsel for a consortium of major European contractors in an LCIA arbitration in London relating to claims arising out of construction of one of the largest privately-financed (BOT) infrastructure projects in Europe. 
• Lead counsel or co-counsel for the consortium of European contractors, mentioned in the previous paragraph, in two separate ICC arbitrations in London concerning disputes with subcontractors arising out of the same privately-financed infrastructure project.
• Lead counsel for an African oil-producing State and an oil company in an ICC arbitration in Paris, brought by two Western oil companies concerning the interpretation of the State's standard form of production-sharing contract.
• Lead counsel for an African State-owned entity in an ICC arbitration in Paris, governed by the African State's law relating to the construction of a major dam and hydro-electric plant in Africa.
• Lead counsel for an Asian contractor in an ICC arbitration in Paris concerning technical and other disputes related to the supply and erection of a special steel plant in Egypt, and supervision of ancillary court litigation in Egypt and the United States relating to the call of our client's performance bond.
• Lead counsel for a major European industrial company in an ICC arbitration in London relating to a real estate project in China, including supervision of ancillary court litigation in London, England, the Turks and Caicos Islands, and Shanghai, China.
• Lead counsel for a Middle Eastern contractor, a partner in a joint venture having a contract for the construction of a highway in an Arab State and a co-defendant with a second partner in such joint venture, in an ICC arbitration in Paris brought against them by the third partner in such joint venture for an accounting.
• Lead counsel for an Arab contractor, the claimant, in an ICC arbitration against an Asian State relating to the construction of the main airport in such State.
• Co-counsel for a Saudi individual in an ICC arbitration relating to a dispute among the members of a joint venture holding the exclusive contract for the freight-forwarding of arms from the United States to Saudi Arabia.
• Co-counsel for a joint venture of European contractors in an ICC arbitration against an Arab State concerning a port project in that State.
• Lead counsel for a syndicate of European and Arab banks, the claimant, under an insurance policy, in an ad hoc arbitration in Amman, Jordan against the issuer of such policy, The Inter-Arab Investment Guarantee Corporation in Kuwait, and in supervision of successful proceedings to enforce the award in the courts of Belgium, France, Jordan and Kuwait.
• Lead counsel for a consortium of Asian contractors, the main contractor and a defendant in an ICC arbitration brought by its civil works subcontractor in relation to the construction of a hydroelectric project in the Middle East.
• Lead counsel (appointed by an Arab State's minister of oil) for an Arab State-owned company, the defendant, in an UNCITRAL arbitration brought by a contractor in relation to the construction of works for a major gas project in the Arab Gulf.
• Lead counsel for a Saudi cement manufacturer, the claimant, in an ICC arbitration in relation to a contract with a European cement buyer, the defendant.
• Lead counsel for a European contractor, the claimant, in an ad hoc arbitration in Lesotho, Africa, against a Lesotho State-owned body relating to the construction of a road.
• Lead counsel for Euro-Disney, the defendant, in relation to the first two ICC arbitrations that arose under contracts for the construction of the Euro-Disneyland theme park outside of Paris.
• Lead counsel for an Arab State's ministry of public works, the defendant, in the defense of an ICC arbitration brought by a local contractor for the construction of a major public building in an Arab country. 
• Lead counsel for an Asian contractor, the defendant in an UNCITRAL arbitration brought by the Arab owner of an LNG plant claiming the plant had been defectively constructed.
• Lead counsel for owner of a Pakistani cement plant, the defendant, in an ICC arbitration brought by a European contractor whose contract had been terminated by the owner.
• Lead counsel for a European contractor, the defendant, in an ICC arbitration brought by its European subcontractor based on a "pay-when-paid" clause in a subcontract to build a road in an African country.
• Lead counsel for Telecommunications Company of Iran, the defendant, in an arbitration brought by American Bell International, Inc. before the Iran-US Claims Tribunal (The Hague) in relation to a major telecommunications project in Iran.
• Lead counsel (appointed by Egypt's State Lawsuit Authority) for an Egyptian State-owned company in an ICC arbitration concerning the construction of a major power plant on the Nile.
• Lead counsel for a US architectural firm, a co-defendant with a European contractor, in an ICC arbitration brought by an Arab hotel owner for alleged defects in the construction of a hotel in the Middle East.
• Lead counsel for a French contractor in relation to five joined ICC arbitration cases against the Libyan State relating to the construction of a major housing project and related utilities near Benghazi, Libya.
• Lead counsel for a Scandinavian contractor in relation to a dispute with an Iranian joint venture partner in relation to a housing project in Iran.
• Lead counsel for a Scandinavian subcontractor in an ICC arbitration against a Dutch main contractor in relation to a housing project for a university in the Middle East.

II. Experience as Arbitrator in International Arbitrations

• Chairman of ICC Arbitral Tribunal in relation to a claim by a European business agent against a European contractor who was awarded a "hook-up" contract for an off shore oil and gas project in the Middle East.
• Chairman of an ICC Arbitral Tribunal in relation to a dispute under a subcontract involving an off shore oil project in the North Sea.
• Co-arbitrator in an ICC arbitration relating to a claim by a Latin American sub-contractor against a European main contractor in relation to construction of a hydroelectric project in Latin America.
• Co-arbitrator in an ICC arbitration relating to a claim under a gas supply contract by a US purchaser against a gas supplier owned by an Arab State.
• Co-arbitrator in an ICC arbitration relating to construction claims by a European contractor against an Arab State.