Garðar Víðir Gunnarsson

Practice Areas

Garðar Víðir specializes in corporate law and is one of the country’s chief specialists in the field of arbitration law. He is a leading expert in the area of tax law and has advised numerous companies, both domestic and international, on tax-related matters. Garðar Víðir’s tax practice is particularly focused on corporate taxation, mergers & acquisition and cross-border investments.

Career

Garðar Víðir Gunnarsson joined LEX in 2009 and became a partner in 2013. He has been on the board of LEX from 20019. Previously he was a General Counsel to Frjálsi Fjárfestingarbankinn and a Senior Associate at KPMG 2007 - 2009.

Since 2008 Garðar Víðir has been a lecturer at the faculty of law at Reykjavik University in the fields of International Sales of Goods, International Commercial Arbitration, and Oral Advocacy before arbitral tribunals. He has also been a lecturer in Corporate Law in Reykjavík University’s Business Faculty. Additionally, Garðar Víðir has published numerous articles and book chapters on the status and practice of arbitration law in Iceland that have been published both domestically and abroad. Garðar Víðir took a seat on the board of the Nordic Arbitration Centre in January of 2023.

Professional Memberships

The Icelandic Bar Association

International Council for Commercial Arbitration

Publications

- GAR know-how, Investment Treaty Arbitration, chapter on Iceland

- Islandia (Iceland), book chapter in Arbitraje Comercial Internacional en Europa (Aspectos Actuales y Regímenes Jurídicos), Estudio Mario Castillo Freyre, Lima (2013), on the Practice and Status of Arbitration in Iceland. Co-authored with Mr Hafliði K. Lárusson (published in English)

- „Four ways to sharpen the sword of efficiency in international arbitration“, (March 2013) published on Young ICCA‘s website. Article written as part of the Young ICCA mentoring programme, co-authored with Mr David Earnest, Mr Raul Gallardo and Mr Tobiasz Kaczor, with foreword by Professor Bernardini.

- „The Procedure of Enforcement of Foreign Arbitral Awards in Iceland“, Tímarit Lögréttu, Volume 8, No 3, (2012), pp. 9-44, peer-reviewed article published in an Icelandic legal journal (published in Icelandic).

- Iceland, book chapter in World Arbitration Reporter (2nd ed.), Juris Publishing, New York (2010), on the Practice and Status of Arbitration in Iceland (published in English).

Clients

Landeldi ehf.

EFLA Consulting Engineers

EKO Eignir ehf.

ADG ehf.

Elkem Iceland ehf.

Languages Spoken

English

Swedish

Danish

French

Experience

Mr Gunnarsson provides regular and ongoing commercial, corporate and tax advice to a wide range of Icelandic clients across industries

Education