Michael Bühler
Partner
Paris
Michael Bühler intervient principalement dans le cadre d’arbitrages complexes. Il a conseillé des sociétés internationales et des entités étatiques et des gouvernements dans plus de 200 affaires. Outre son activité de conseil, il est intervenu en qualité de président de tribunal arbitral, d'arbitre unique ou de co-arbitre dans plus de 60 procédures d’arbitrage internationales.
Il consacre une part importante de son temps à conseiller ses clients au stade du règlement de litiges précontentieux afin de construire une véritable stratégie de défense, pouvant souvent aboutir à un règlement transactionnel du litige. Il intervient généralement comme conseil principal lors d'arbitrages conduits selon les règlements de la CCI, CNUDCI, du CIRDI, l'OMPI, du Tribunal Arbitral du Sport et d'autres institutions arbitrales, notamment en Allemagne, Belgique, Suède, Autriche, Suisse et aux Etats-Unis.
Michael Bühler conduit également des arbitrages en Europe, en Amérique du Nord, au Moyen-Orient et en Asie-Pacifique, lors de litiges relevant de systèmes juridiques différents (droits de tradition de common law, continentale ou islamique). Son activité couvre des domaines très variés, tels que la construction civile, l’ingénierie, la fourniture d'équipements industriels et de centrales électriques (impliquant souvent l’application des conditions de contrat FIDIC), le secteur pétrolier, l'énergie, les projets de développement de complexes hôteliers, ainsi que les contrats de distribution et de licence dans différents secteurs, y compris la chimie, la pharmaceutique, l’agro-alimentaire et le luxe.
Après avoir débuté sa carrière comme conseiller au Secrétariat de la Cour internationale d’arbitrage de la CCI dont il était le membre allemand (1997-2009), Michael Bühler a été le co-président de la CCI Task Force (2008-2011) en charge de la révision du règlement d'arbitrage de la CCI entré en vigueur le 1er janvier 2012. Membre de la Commission de l’arbitrage international de la CCI, de l’IBA et de diverses institutions d’arbitrage, il est co-auteur de l’ouvrage Handbook of ICC Arbitration (Thomson, Sweet & Maxwell, 4ème éd., 2018). Il a été nommé en mars 2016 consultant de l'OHADA pour la réforme du droit de l'arbitrage et de la médiation de l'OHADA, qui a abouti, en novembre 2017, à l'adoption d'un nouvel acte uniforme de l'arbitrage et du nouveau règlement d’arbitrage de la CCJA, ainsi qu’à un nouvel acte sur la médiation.-
Michael’s representative experience includes:
Advising the Organization for the Harmonization of Business Law in Africa, OHADA, in reforming its arbitration act and the CCJA Arbitration Rules and creating a mediation act.
Representing a major European natural gas producer in complex multimillion dollar gas price review ICC arbitration proceedings in Geneva under Swiss law brought by a northwest European natural gas buyer under a long-term gas supply agreement.
Representing a major European natural gas producer in relation to a complex multimillion dollar gas price review in an ad hoc arbitration under the UNCITRAL Rules seated in Stockholm under Russian Law brought by an European natural gas buyer under a long term gas supply agreement.
Representing a Turkish franchisee in the quick service restaurant business against a French franchisor in a wrongful termination dispute in an ICC arbitration seated in Paris involving French and Turkish intellectual property and trademark law.
After obtaining an ICC arbitral award, Michael successfully defended a shipbuilder against annulment proceedings before the London High Court brought by the Libyan national maritime authority.
Assisting a prominent African businessman in a case of alleged embezzlement of public funds before the Special Criminal Court as well as the Supreme Court of Cameroon.
Representing the operator of a gas pipeline in a Paris-based ICC arbitration under Swiss law in a dispute with a gas, power, and environmental product marketing and trading company arising out of alleged breaches of contract.
Representing the operator of a gas pipeline in a Milan-based ICC arbitration under Swiss law brought by a consortium of heavy gas consuming manufacturers in a dispute arising out of alleged breaches related to a contract for gas transportation services.
Representing Gazprom Export LLC in relation to US$4 billion gas price review proceedings in a Vienna-based ICC arbitration under Austrian law brought by RWE Transgas the Czech Republic's national importer under a long-term gas supply agreement.
Representing the renewable energy subsidiary of a German company in a Munich-based ICC arbitration under German law in a dispute with a UK engineering company concerning claims for additional costs in the execution of works for an offshore tidal power installation.
Representing the European subsidiary of a Mexican multinational in a dispute with a European construction company over a failed transaction for divesture of assets. The amount in dispute was in excess of USD $200 million.
Representing German and Mexican subsidiaries of a multinational German company in an ICC arbitration commenced against them by a Mexican company for alleged defective products.
Representing a German multinational company in an ICC arbitration commenced against it by a Turkish agent in connection with multimillion claim for unpaid commission fees.
Representing a hydropower generation company in a 20 million ICC mediation and arbitration against an Italian contractor related to a hydropower project in North Africa.
Representing a pharmaceutical company in a US$100 million WIPO arbitration against another pharmaceutical company in connection with the performance of a license agreement.
Representing a German multinational company in an ICC arbitration against a Turkish agent in connection with non-performance of a settlement agreement.
Representing an international hotel management group in an ICC arbitration under French law against a French hotel owner in a dispute over a hotel management contract.
Representing a Finnish industrial group in a dispute over the sale of a group of companies to a private investor group from the United Kingdom and France in a Frankfurt-based, ICC arbitration in English, under English and German law.
