Shaparak SALEH

Shaparak is a partner in the Paris office. She has acted as counsel in a large number of commercial arbitrations both ad hoc and institutional, including under the ICC, IEMA, LCIA, UNCITRAL, and VIAC rules. Her experience includes post-M&A disputes, and disputes in the construction, energy, aeronautics, space, telecommunications, food, chemicals, and pharmaceutical sectors, relating to projects in Asia, the Middle East, Africa, and Europe.

Shaparak’s experience includes:

• representing French construction groups in several disputes against the owner of the project
(ICC and AFA; seats in Paris and Geneva);
• representing international petroleum companies in several disputes arising under production
sharing contracts concluded with an Algerian State-owned company in relation to the
exploitation of crude oil fields and/or the implementation of a tax on exceptional profits in
Algeria (ICC and UNCITRAL; seats in Geneva);
• representing a Malaysian construction group and its French subsidiary in a dispute against a
national energy company (ICC; seat in Paris);
• representing an Algerian company in a construction dispute against a Turkish company (ICC;
seat in Brussels);
• representing two Spanish investors against Venezuela in annulment proceedings before the
French courts;
• representing a Canadian gold mining company against Venezuela in annulment proceedings
before the Paris Court of Appeal.

Over the years, she has acted for, among others, States, State entities, major international oil, gas and mining companies, leading construction groups, an aircraft manufacturer, and electricity companies. She regularly sits as arbitrator, including as chairperson. In addition, Shaparak has broad experience in pre- and post-arbitration litigation before the French courts, having represented clients in some 25 set-aside proceedings. She was also involved in enforcement proceedings of numerous awards against sovereign States. Shaparak is recognised as a Global Leader for arbitration in Who’s Who Legal, which notes she is “absolutely fantastic at complex international disputes”, “very dedicated, experienced, sharp, meticulous and hardworking”, and “is able to provide sound solutions and strategy for extremely complex and difficult issues”. Global Arbitration Review highlights that she has “great advocacy skills and handles her cases with determination and dedication”.

For the last twelve years, Shaparak has been a lecturer in international arbitration, teaching courses on enforcement proceedings at a number of prominent universities, such as Sciences Po Paris and Paris II – Panthéon-Assas.

She is admitted in Paris and speaks French, English, Italian, and Persian.