Benjamin Siino

Practice Areas

International commercial arbitration, Investment arbitration, Enforcement and setting aside proceedings, Commercial litigation, Advisory

Career

Gaillard Banifatemi Shelbaya Disputes, Founding Partner, Feb. 2021 to present

Shearman & Sterling, Associate (2010-2016), Counsel (2017-2019) and Partner (2020-Feb 2021)

August & Debouzy, Associate (2007-2010)

Professional Memberships

• Member, Comité Français de l’arbitrage

• Co-President, Paris Arbitration Week

• Member, International Arbitration Institute (IAI)

• Member, LCIA European Users’ Council

• Lecturer (Arbitration), Certificat d'université Pratique de l'arbitrage (Université Paris-Saclay) (2023-)

• Lecturer (Enforcement), MACI (Université Paris-Saclay) (2018-)

• Lecturer (The 1958 New York Convention), International Academy for Arbitration Law ("Arbitration Academy") (2018-)

• Lecturer (Arbitral awards and enforcement), M2 (Université Paris I Sorbonne (2023-)

• Lecturer (International arbitration), SciencesPo Law School (2024-)

Publications

• Research Assistant and Co-Team Leader, New York Convention Guide Project (www.newyorkconvention1958.org), a project developed in cooperation with UNCITRAL and Columbia University on the implementation of the 1958 Convention on the Recognition and Enforcement of Foreign Arbitral Awards (aka the “1958 New York Convention”), with a view to promoting its uniform application around the world.

• Co-editor, The Guide to Challenging and Enforcing Arbitration Awards (GAR publication, 3rd ed. 2023)

• “Arbitrating in France,” International Arbitration Institute, 2023 (co-author)

• “Enforcement under the New York Convention,” in The Guide to Challenging and Enforcing Arbitration Awards 86 (G. Kaiser and B. Siino eds., GAR publication, 2023) (co-author)

• “La langue de procédure en matière d’arbitrage international,” in La langue du procès international – Questions de justice linguistique, Cahiers Européens, Pedone, 2022

• “Arbitrage et compliance : au cœur de la lutte contre la corruption en matière civile et commerciale [Arbitration and compliance: two systems at the heart of the fight against corruption],” 2019(6) Revue Internationale de la Compliance et de l’Ethique des Affaires 7 (December 2019) (co-author)

• “L’immunité d’exécution dans la Loi Sapin II après l’arrêt Commisimpex du 10 janvier 2018 [Immunity from execution and the Sapin II Law after the 10 January 2018 decision in Commisimpex],” 2018(1) Cahiers de l’Arbitrage / Paris Journal of International Arbitration 65 (co-author)

• “L’efficacité de la convention de New York de 1958 [The efficiency of the 1958 New York Convention],” in L’exécution des sentences arbitrales internationales 87 (M. de Fontmichel and J. Jourdan-Marques eds., LGDJ, 2017)

• “Le Guide du Secrétariat de la CNUDCI sur la Convention de New York pour la reconnaissance et l’exécution des sentences arbitrales étrangères [The UNCITRAL Secretariat Guide on the Convention for the Recognition and Enforcement of Foreign Arbitral Awards],” in Conference for a Euro-Mediterranean Community of International Arbitration / Conférence pour une communauté euro-méditerranéenne de l’arbitrage international 21 (UNCITRAL Publication No. V. 15-06738, 2015)

• “La réparation par le juge d’appui de la clause prévoyant une parité d’arbitres : interprétation extensive de l’article 1454 du Code de procédure civile [Intervention of the judge acting in support of the arbitral process: broad interpretation of Article 1454 of the French Code of Civil Procedure],” 2009(3) Revue de l’arbitrage 521 (co-author)

• “La consolidation de la place de l’estoppel dans le contrôle des sentences arbitrales [The increasing recognition of the estoppel principle in the review of arbitral awards],” 2008(2) Revue de l’arbitrage 325 (co-author)

Work Highlights

• Representation of the majority shareholders in the former Yukos Oil Company in proceedings initiated in multiple jurisdictions to seek the recognition and enforcement of the USD 50 billion awards rendered in the arbitrations brought by the shareholders against the Russian Federation concerning the expropriation of their investments in Yukos.

• Representation of a European contractor in an ICC arbitration in Paris initiated against a major international oil company. The dispute arises from an Engineering, Procurement, Supply, Construction and Commissioning (EPSCC) contract for facilities associated with an oil exploration project. The law of our client's State applies.

• Representation of the People’s Democratic Republic of Algeria, Respondent in an ICSID arbitration initiated by Orascom TMT Investments S.à.r.l. (ICSID Case No. ARB/12/35). The dispute related to alleged breaches of the State’s obligations under the bilateral investment treaty between Algeria and the Belgium-Luxembourg Economic Union in relation to the operation of a mobile telephone company in Algeria. The USD 4 billion claim brought against our client was dismissed in its entirety.

• Representation of Ukraine, Respondent in a UNCITRAL arbitration brought by PJSC Gazprom. The dispute related to the enforcement of a fine issued by the Anti-Monopoly Committee of Ukraine in relation to Gazprom’s breaches of Ukraine’s Competition Law in the performance of a gas transit contract. The claims were brought under the Ukraine-Russian Federation bilateral investment treaty.

Languages Spoken

French

English

Italian

Spanish

Education