Melanie van Leeuwen

Practice Areas

International Arbitration

Languages Spoken

English, French, German, Dutch.

Career

Melanie van Leeuwen joined Derains & Gharavi as a partner in 2011.

Who’s Who Legal describes Melanie as “a Dutch superstar in Paris, who is lauded as an outstanding professional and great personality”, noting that “she is the best of the best”. Chambers Europe ranks Melanie in the category of Most in Demand Arbitrators, describing her as “a real powerhouse with a very strong presence and a sharp sound legal mind.” Legal 500 lists Melanie as “an excellent strategist who has a profound knowledge of investment law and impresses by the outstanding quality of her written and oral pleadings.”

Since 1996, Melanie has been practising international arbitration exclusively. She has solid experience as counsel and arbitrator in both commercial and investment arbitration, conducted under all major sets of arbitration rules (ICC, LCIA, LCIA-MIAC, ICSID, SCC, ICDR, UNCITRAL, PCA, DIAC, NAI, SIAC, CEPANI and Swiss Rules) and governed by various procedural and substantive laws. She has handled over 100 arbitrations as counsel and arbitrator concerning disputes arising out of international commercial contracts, cross-border investment, joint ventures, mergers and acquisitions, construction projects and investment protection under international law. She has been particularly active in the sectors of energy, mining, media, information and communication technology, construction and engineering, real estate, aviation and infrastructural and defence projects. She also regularly represents clients in annulment, enforcement and consolidation proceedings before the Netherlands state courts.

Melanie has been appointed to the ICSID panel of arbitrators by the Kingdom of the Netherlands. At present, she is serving as Chair of the ICC Commission on Arbitration, as co-chair of the ICCA-IBA Joint Task Force on Data Protection in International Arbitration, and as a board member of the Swiss Arbitration Association.

Professional Memberships

Appointed to the ICSID Panel of Arbitrators by the Kingdom of the Netherlands

Chair of the ICC Commission on Arbitration and ADR

Co-Chair of the ICCA-IBA Joint Task Force on Data Protection in International Arbitration

Board Member of the Swiss Arbitration Association

Member of the LCIA

Member of the ICCA

Former Vice-Chair of the IBA Arbitration Committee

Former Board Member of Paris, the Home of International Arbitration

Former Member of the Supervisory & Advisory Board of the Netherlands Arbitration Institute

Former Board Member of the Dutch Arbitration Association

Former founding Board Member of NAI Jong Oranje

Former Co-Chair of the LCIA Young International Arbitration Group

Education