van Hooft

Firm Overview:
Annet van Hooft is an independent arbitrator based in Paris. After having practiced for more than 20 years at major U.S. and U.K. law firms in Brussels, New York, and Paris, and having been a Counsel at the ICC Court of Arbitration, she decided to set up her own law firm, focusing on international arbitration.

Annet has acted in more than 100 arbitrations either as counsel or arbitrator. She has sat as arbitrator in proceedings subject to various arbitration rules (AFA, CEPANI, CMAP, DIA, DIS, HCC, ICC, NAI, SCC, SIAC, Swiss Chambers, UNCITRAL, VIAC, WIPO).

About Annet
Annet is admitted to practice in both common and civil law jurisdictions and has a broad range of experience, both as counsel and as arbitrator, handling international arbitrations under various applicable laws and in a wide variety of sectors and fields, including construction & energy, IP related disputes (e.g., pharmaceuticals, life sciences, technology, and communication) and corporate law related disputes (e.g., joint-ventures, mergers & acquisitions).

While Annet mostly sits as arbitrator, she also handles matters as co-counsel with other firms, notably in the field of IP and construction. By operating in a small structure, Annet can avoid the conflicts of interests that are so prevalent in large firms for arbitrators. It also allows Annet to personally spend more time on matters, resulting in better client service.

Awards and other Recognitions
Annet has been recognized in ‘Best Lawyers in France’ for Arbitration and Mediation since 2017.

The same year, she was the winner of the ‘Best in Commercial Arbitration Award’ of the Euromoney Women in Business Law Awards (Europe), and Legal 500 Paris highlighted Annet’s “extensive ICC experience”.

In 2018, she was listed among the 10 most highly regarded partners in Europe in the ‘Who’s Who Legal Future Leaders’. Annet has been listed in ‘Who’s Who Legal France’ and ‘Who’s Who Legal Arbitration’ since 2019.

Since 2020, she has been distinguished as a ‘Thought Leader’ by Who’s Who Legal, which acknowledges that “Annet has become one of the best arbitrators of the Paris and international market”and that “she is calm, systematic and kind”. She is also considered “an outstanding co-arbitrator”.

Since 2022, Chambers & Partners has ranked Annet as an Arbitrator in France. She is currently ranked in Band 2, where peers have noted that she “is a very experienced arbitrator, and it is a pleasure to work with”. Another source mentioned that “she is very well acquainted with all aspects and techniques of arbitration proceedings”.

Professional activities
Annet is a former Vice-Chair of the ICC Commission on Arbitration and ADR, a co-chair of the Paris Bar Open Commission on International Arbitration and a Honorary President of the Bucharest International Arbitration Court (BIAC). She is the co-author of ‘Arbitrating under the 2012 ICC Rules: An Introductory User’s Guide’ (published by Kluwer Law International).