Dr. Sebastian Seelmann-Eggebert, an internationally recognized authority on international arbitration, represents companies, individuals, and States.

Mr. Seelmann-Eggebert represents clients in complex disputes involving national laws of various countries as well as private and public international law. He has conducted arbitrations under the rules of all major arbitral institutions, including:

  • DIS
  • ICC
  • ICSID
  • SCC
  • UNCITRAL

He also regularly arbitrates under German and Swiss ad hoc rules. He has particular insight into the energy, insurance, financial services, media, telecommunications and construction industries.

Mr. Seelmann-Eggebert also handles high-profile cases before the German courts, including the Federal Constitutional Court.

He is frequently recognized in both Germany and the UK as a leading arbitration lawyer in legal publications, including: JUVE, Chambers, Handelsblatt, Whos’ Who Legal Arbitration, and The Legal 500.

A former assistant of the Department for European Law at Hamburg University, Mr. Seelmann-Eggebert has authored a number of publications on German, EC, and international law, has taught arbitration law, and regularly speaks at international conferences on international arbitration. In 2019, he was redesignated to ICSID’s Panel of Conciliators.

Mr. Seelmann-Eggebert has acted as lead counsel in many significant disputes, including for: 

Investor – State Arbitration

  • Ukraine in an SCC arbitration in which the claimants claimed more than US$6 billion for alleged breaches of the ECT (Littop Enterprises Limited and others v. Ukraine), the largest case ever brought against Ukraine. The tribunal unanimously dismissed the case for lack of jurisdiction
  • Strabag, a major Austrian construction company, in securing a €100 million arbitral award (including the majority of its legal costs) in an ICSID Additional Facility arbitration against Libya brought under the Libya – Austria BIT (Strabag SE v. Libya)
  • The Republic of Croatia in four investment arbitrations related to the gaming, sports, real estate, and tourism industries
  • The Republic of Macedonia in three investment arbitrations related to the financial services, agriculture and food, and energy industries
  • Ukraine in three further investment arbitrations related to the oil and gas, aviation, and shipbuilding industries
  • The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in an investment arbitration related to the construction industry
  • Indorama International Finance Limited in an investment arbitration regarding an investment in the textiles industry in Egypt
  • Arcelor Mittal in an ICSID arbitration related to a steel plant in Egypt
  • Karmer Marble Tourism Construction Industry in an ICSID arbitration relating to a hotel, casino, and road construction project in Georgia

Commercial Arbitration

  • Sri Trang Agro Group in several ICC arbitrations and related court cases resulting from a global joint venture dispute with Semperit
  • Telecominvest in a precedent-setting SCC arbitration and related court cases regarding a shareholders agreement among the main shareholders of one of Russia’s largest mobile telephone operators, MegaFon

Bar Qualification

  • England and Wales (Registered Foreign Lawyer)
  • Rechtsanwalt (Germany)

Education

  • Dr. jur., Osnabrück University, 1998
  • Second German State Exam, Higher Regional Court, Hamburg, 1997
  • First German State Exam, University of Hamburg, 1993

Languages Spoken

  • English
  • German