President, ISTAC

Prof. Dr. Ziya Akinci is the founding partner of Akinci Law Offices, Turkey. Prof. Dr. Akinci acts as party counsel in arbitrations, both domestic and international, under ICC, ICSID and ad hoc rules. Prof. Dr. Akinci also sits as an arbitrator in disputes under the ICC and other institutes, including ITO, SCC and TRAC and under ad hoc rules. . Dr. Akinci has been involved in a wide range of arbitration disputes; from large construction projects, to energy projects, investment disputes, and GSM licences. Prof. Dr Akinci has previously been requested to provide an expert opinion in various arbitration cases.

Prof. Dr. Akinci was first admitted to the Bar in 1986. He received his PhD in 1992 after attaining an LL.M. from Exeter University, UK in 1991, and Ankara University in 1987. Prof. Dr. Akinci is the author of numerous books and publications. The subjects of his books and articles range from International Arbitration to International Construction Contracts. He has recently published Arbitration Law of Turkey, Practice and Procedure 2011, which is written in English.

Prof. Dr. Akinci is a member of the following institutions: the ICC Court of Arbitration; the LCIA; the IBA; the INTA; the Swiss Arbitration Association; the Swedish Chamber of Commerce; and the Turkish-Scandinavian Businessmen’s Association. Prof. Dr. Akinci is also an honorary member of the Swiss Arbitration Academy.

Mariel Dimsey is an international commercial and investment arbitration specialist based out of the CMS Hong Kong office. She has over 15 years’ experience acting as advisor and advocate in numerous international arbitrations covering a wide range of legal systems and industries. She regularly sits as arbitrator and has significant experience across international arbitration institutions including HKIAC, ICC, KCAB and DIS, and in ad hoc arbitrations pursuant to the UNCITRAL Arbitration Rules and the HKIAC Domestic Rules. She has also acted as party-appointed expert on arbitration matters.

Mariel is an Australian Lawyer and Hong Kong Solicitor (non-practising) and received an LL.M. degree from the University of Cologne and a doctorate in law (Dr. iur.), summa cum laude, from the University of Basel, both in investment arbitration. She started her career in Frankfurt and worked at leading international law firms in Germany and the ICC International Court of Arbitration in Paris, before moving to Hong Kong in 2016. She joined CMS Hong Kong in 2018.

Sarah Grimmer is Secretary-General of Hong Kong International Arbitration Centre. She was formerly Senior Legal Counsel at the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) where she acted as registrar in several inter-State arbitrations under the Law of the Sea Convention and served as tribunal secretary in multiple investment treaty arbitrations and contract-based claims.

Prior to joining the PCA, Sarah served as Assistant Counsel at the ICC International Court of Arbitration in Paris. She was also a member of the international arbitration group at Shearman & Sterling LLP in Paris, prior to which she worked in private practice in Auckland. In 2015, Sarah was appointed to the Special Tribunal for Lebanon Disciplinary Board. She is a member of the ICCA-ASIL Task Force on Damages (2016), ICCA Publications Committee (2015), the IBA Investment Arbitration Subcommittee (2014), New Zealand ICC Arbitration Committee (2014), and the IBA Arb40 Steering Committee (2013).

Arbitrator

Jean-Claude Najar joins Lazareff Le Bars as a partner, after three years as international counsel at Curtis Mallet-Prevost in Paris and in Istanbul, where he focused on international arbitration, pre-litigation work, and compliance, and working on matters in the firm’s Istanbul office.

Jean-Claude Najar will continue to develop his expertise in international arbitration at Lazareff Le Bars, and his role as an expert and highly visible arbitrator will further strengthen the firm’s practice.

“Lazareff Le Bars has an outstanding track record in international arbitration. I am thrilled by the prospect of being able to fully exercise my role as an arbitration specialist within such a reputable, lean and dynamic firm”, states Jean-Claude Najar. He aims to contribute to the firm’s growth in France, internationally, and in Turkey, where he spent his formative years. He adds that the move will also allow him to avoid potential conflict issues given his increasing nominations as arbitrator.

His arrival further enhances Lazareff Le Bars’ position of excellence in arbitration, both in France and internationally, particularly in French-speaking West Africa, where the firm is particularly known for its work. Lazareff Le Bars will also benefit from Jean-Claude Najar’s prior experience of nearly 24 years in General Electric’s legal department in various positions covering Europe, the Middle East, Africa and the world, as well as his leading reputation as an international arbitrator.

Paul Starr is asialaw's Hong Kong Disputes Star of the Year, and joint coordinator of King & Wood Mallesons' worldwide arbitration practice. Paul is Practice Team Leader in Hong Kong for Construction and Dispute Resolution. An honours graduate in law from Peterhouse, Cambridge University, England. Paul won a scholarship and the University's prestigious Squire Law Prize.

Paul's team won Asian Legal Counsel Award for best arbitration practice. The team is also several times winner of Asian Legal Business Construction Practice of the Year award, International Cross-border Law Firm of the Year in Hong Kong and Arbitration Advisory Firm of the Year in Hong Kong. He is one of six KWM lawyers to have been cited by Euromoney as a world leader in litigation.