Annet van Hooft

Practice Areas

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).

Career

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).

Professional Memberships

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, a Honorary President of the Bucharest International Arbitration Court (BIAC), a former Co-editor in Chief of b-Arbitra, and a member of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators.

Publications

Annet is the co-author of ‘Arbitrating under the 2012 ICC Rules: An Introductory User’s Guide’ (published by Kluwer Law International).

She regularly publishes articles and book chapters. A selective list of Annet's publications can be found here: https://tinyurl.com/3kzue3zr.

Personal

Annet has been recognised 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”.

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

Languages Spoken

English, French, Dutch, and German.

Expert in these Jurisdictions

Annet is a member of the Rotterdam Bar (1998) and New York Bar (1999). She is registered with the Paris Bar (2007) in accordance with EU Directive 98/5/CE.

Annet van Hooft has registered “arbitration” as her specialisation in the Dutch Bar Association’s registry. Pursuant to the rules of the Dutch Bar Association, this registration obliges Annet to obtain 10 CLE points annually in this field.

In addition to the Netherlands, New York, and France, Annet has significant experience in dealing with disputes involving other civil law jurisdictions (Belgium, Germany, and Switzerland) and common law jurisdictions (England & Wales).

Work Highlights

Sole Arbitrator in an ICC arbitration in Seoul, the Republic of Korea, between a Japanese electronics manufacturer and a South Korean chemicals manufacturer relating to an IP license agreement. The law of the State of New York applied.

Sole arbitrator in an AFA arbitration in Paris, France, regarding a share purchase agreement.  French law applied.

Co-arbitrator in an ICC arbitration in Tel Aviv, Israel, between a Portuguese subcontractor and a French contractor in relation to the construction of a solar power station.  Israeli law applied.

Sole Arbitrator in a SCC arbitration in Stockholm, Sweden, between an American sales representative and a Swedish inventor regarding the application of an exclusive representation agreement.  Swedish law and the law of the State of New York applied.

Chair in a CEPANI arbitration in Brussels, Belgium, between a Belgian manufacturer and a Swiss investment fund concerning a share purchase agreement.  Belgian law applied.

Co-Arbitrator in an ICC arbitration in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, between a Luxembourg construction company and a Dutch tank terminal company in relation to the construction of a tank terminal.  Dutch law applied.

Chair in an ICC arbitration in Paris, France, between a Serbian subcontractor and a German contractor in relation to the refurbishment of the sewage system in a Serbian town.  German law applied.

Chair in an UNCITRAL arbitration in Paris, France, between a Dutch and French chemical producer and a French operating company concerning an operating agreement.  German law applied.

Education

Awards