Hamid G Gharavi

Practice Areas

International Arbitration

Languages Spoken

French, English, Farsi.

Career

Dr. Hamid Gharavi has acted as arbitrator or counsel in over 250 institutional and/or ad hoc arbitrations, including over 40 investment arbitrations under foreign investment laws and/or bilateral and multilateral investment treaties, arising from a broad spectrum of issues ranging from sanctions to political takings, in as diverse industries as oil and gas, mining, M&A, military ordnance and defense, telecommunications, media, aviation, agency agreements, distribution, sales, construction (including all types of design contracts and engineering projects), duty free, hospitality, real estate, wood and derived products, pharmaceutical, as well as sport related disputes involving commercial aspects, disciplinary sanctions and doping.

He has been appointed on the Panel of ICSID Arbitrators (Kingdom of Cambodia), as member of the Court of the Istanbul Arbitration Centre (ISTAC since 2015), as member of the Court of the LCIA (from 2008-2012), as member of the Commission on Arbitration of the ICC (2005-2010), as the President of the Board of the Tehran Regional Arbitration Centre (TRAC) as well as on several other panels, including DIAC, SIAC, and the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

Dr. Gharavi teaches investment arbitration in the Master program “Droit International Économique” at the University of Paris II Panthéon-Assas. He is the author of a book titled “The International Effectiveness of the Annulment of an Arbitral Award,” published by Kluwer Law International, as well as publications in the main arbitration law reviews, and is a regular speaker at conferences.

Dr. Gharavi holds a PhD from the University of Paris II, and post-graduate degrees from the New York University School of Law and University of Paris I Panthéon-Sorbonne.

Both Chambers and Legal 500 rank him in Band 1 of arbitration counsel for France. Chambers notably stated that “Hamid has a larger-than-life personality and is personable and hard-working,” and described him as “extremely dynamic, fearless in hearings and able to think out of the box.” Chambers also notes that Dr. Gharavi “earns considerable praise as an active and effective arbitrator in important cases. Interviewees note his valuable input during hearings, saying: ‘He always raises good questions that are material to the outcome of the case.’” In Legal 500, he is described as “absolutely brilliant” with “a busy practice as counsel in cases but [who] also has ‘impressive success attracting major appointments as arbitrator’.”

Before founding Derains & Gharavi, Dr. Gharavi was a partner at Salans in Paris after having started his career at Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom LLP in New York and as Visiting Professor at the University of Richmond School of Law.

Professional Memberships

Appointed Court Member of the London Court of International Arbitration (2008-2012)

Appointed by the Kingdom of Cambodia to the ICSID panel of arbitrators and mediators (2005 to present)

Appointed Court Member of the International Arbitration Court of the Istanbul Arbitration Centre (as of 2015 to present)

Appointed as the President of the Board of the Tehran Regional Arbitration Centre (as of 11 July 2018 to present)

Appointed to the List of Arbitrators of the Dubai International Arbitration Centre

Appointed to the Panel of Arbitrators of the Singapore International Arbitration Centre

Appointed to the Panel of Arbitrators of the Kuala Lumpur Regional Centre for Arbitration

Appointed to the Panel of Arbitrators of the Court of Arbitration for Sport

Appointed to the Panel of Arbitrators of the Court of Arbitration for Art (CAfA)

Appointed to the Panel of Arbitrators of the Pacific International Arbitration Centre.

Member of the French Commission on Arbitration of the ICC

Education