Nina Lauber-Thommesen

Independent Arbitrator

About

Nina Lauber-Thommesen is an independent arbitrator based in Geneva, Switzerland.

The strength of her expertise and breadth of knowledge comes from a unique combination of Nordic legal background (Norwegian bar), extensive practice in Switzerland and with Swiss law, and solid experience in international dispute resolution. She has acted as presiding arbitrator, co-arbitrator, sole arbitrator, and counsel to parties in a wide range of cases and industries, with particular focus on construction, energy, joint ventures and industrial cooperation, M&A, banking and finance, agency and distribution, sales contracts, licencing agreements and sports related disputes.

Before starting her own practice in 2023, Nina Lauber-Thommesen was Counsel at Lévy Kaufmann-Kohler, a leading international arbitration boutique based in Geneva, Switzerland. She joined Lévy Kaufmann-Kohler in 2015 after having obtained an LL.M in International Dispute Settlement (MIDS, Geneva, 2011) and thereafter spent four years in the international arbitration group of Python & Peter, also in Geneva (2011-2015). She acquired her first law degree (Master of Laws, 2007) and trained for the Norwegian bar (norsk advokatbevilling) in Bergen, Norway (2010).

"Nina is a star of her generation." "She is attentive, pleasant, firm and procedurally brilliant."
Lexology Index: Arbitration Future Leaders - Partners 2025
"Nina is very structured and diligent in her approach." "She writes well and is excellent in her analysis." "She is very responsive and professional."
Who's Who Legal Global Guide - Arbitration Future Leaders 2024
"She is very precise and thorough." "Nina is poised and firm yet manages to create an atmosphere where everyone feels comfortable." "She has very good management control of proceedings."
Who's Who Legal Global Guide - Arbitration Future Leaders 2023
“LKK partner Sébastien Besson says she is ‘efficient, pragmatic and pleasant to work with’ and brings a ‘rare combination of Nordic legal background, international expertise and Swiss arbitration law knowledge and experience.’”
Global Arbitration Review (GAR), 15 January 2021

Experience

As an arbitrator, Nina Lauber-Thommesen draws on fifteen years of valuable experience as presiding arbitrator, co-arbitrator, sole arbitrator, counsel to parties, and tribunal secretary in international commercial arbitrations.

She has also advised clients in multijurisdictional litigations and court proceedings related to recognition and enforcement of arbitral awards. She strives to be fair, efficient and pragmatic. She is also mindful of differences in procedural traditions and expectations, and the importance of remaining flexible in that regard. She believes in thorough preparations and considers that attention to facts and sensitivity to commercial matters are prerequisites for sound decisions.

Nina Lauber-Thommesen has been involved in more than sixty international commercial arbitrations, including more than fifteen as arbitrator, under a variety of arbitration rules, such as the ICC Rules, the Swiss Rules, the SCC Rules, the DIA Rules, the UNCITRAL Rules, the CAM Rules and the LCIA Rules, and many national arbitration acts and substantive laws from the civil law and common law traditions. Her experience covers a broad spectre of international contracts such as works and services contracts, distribution and sales contracts, joint venture agreements, shareholder and share purchase agreements, as well as agency and licensing agreements.

Nina Lauber-Thommesen speaks Scandinavian languages (Norwegian mother tongue), English and French. She is active in professional networks in the Nordic countries and in Switzerland. 

Education and bar admission

  • LL.M., International Dispute Settlement (MIDS), Geneva University Law School and Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies, 2011.
  • Admitted to the Norwegian Bar (norsk advokatbevilling), 2010.
  • Law Degree (Master of Laws), Faculty of Law, University of Bergen, 2007.
 
  • SCC arbitration involving parties in Sweden and Switzerland over a dispute related to contracts for energy supply, maintenance, and lease of cryptocurrency mining equipment.
  • SCC arbitration involving parties in Finland and Lithuania over a dispute related to a shareholders agreement in the retail industry.
  • Swiss Rules arbitration involving parties in Switzerland and Austria over a dispute related to a contract for marketing and sales in the hospitality industry.
  • DIA arbitration involving parties in Denmark, Italy, Kenya and Ghana over a dispute related to a share purchase agreement in the energy industry.
  • SCC arbitration involving parties in Sweden and the Philippines over a dispute related to a contract for distribution of marine engines.
  • DIA arbitration involving parties in Denmark and Mexico over a dispute related to a contract for sale and purchase of soil amendments in the agriculture industry.
  • Swiss Rules arbitration involving parties in Germany and Senegal over a dispute related to a debt acknowledgement and repayment agreement.
  • LCIA arbitration involving parties in Switzerland and Germany over a dispute related to contract for transportation services.
  • ICC arbitration involving parties in Switzerland and Canada over a dispute related to a cooperation agreement in the financial industry.
  • SCC arbitration involving parties in Sweden and Turkey over a dispute related to a contract for design, manufacture and supply of steel structures.
  • ICC arbitration involving parties in Denmark and the United States over a dispute related to a distribution agreement in the agriculture industry.
  • DIA arbitration involving parties in Denmark and the United States over a dispute related to a services agreement.
  • SCC arbitration involving parties in Sweden and China over a dispute related to a contract for production and streaming of e-sports events.
  • Multijurisdictional dispute involving a high-net-worth individual and a major bank in connection with alleged fraudulent misappropriation of assets.
  • ICC arbitration involving parties in Norway over a dispute related to a settlement agreement.
  • Ad hoc arbitration (UNCITRAL Arbitration Rules) involving parties in Brazil and Switzerland over a dispute related to an industrial cooperation agreement.
  • LCIA arbitration involving parties in France, the Netherlands, Switzerland and the United States over a dispute related to joint venture agreements in the communications industry.
  • CAM arbitration involving parties in Italy and Spain over a dispute related to a contract for design, delivery and erection of biofuel production facility.
  • ICC arbitration involving parties in France and Iran over a dispute related to a contract for engineering and construction of an underground gas storage
  • ICC arbitration involving parties in France, Algeria and Cyprus related to a contract for seismic surveys in the petroleum industry.
  • ICC arbitration involving parties in Italy and Romania over a dispute related to the design and construction of a motorway.
  • ICC arbitration involving parties in Austria, Germany, Japan and Romania over a dispute related to a railway rehabilitation project.
  • Swiss Rules arbitration involving partis in Egypt, Germany and Switzerland over a dispute related to a contract for supply of medical equipment.
  • ICC arbitration between parties in France and Lebanon over a dispute related to a consultancy agreement in the broadcasting industry.
  • Ad hoc arbitration (UNCITRAL Arbitration Rules) involving parties in China, France and Iran over a dispute related to a contract for supply of industrial equipment in the oil and gas industry.
  • Related Swiss Rules arbitrations involving parties in Switzerland and the Netherlands over a dispute related to contracts for collateral monitoring and management in the trade finance industry.
  • ICC arbitration involving parties in Turkey, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates over a dispute related to a contract for construction works in the infrastructure industry.
  • ICC arbitration involving parties in Sweden and France over a dispute related to a licencing agreement in the pharmaceutical industry.
  • ICC arbitration involving parties in Australia and Hong Kong over a dispute related to a contract for supply of iron ore.
  • ICC arbitration involving parties in Iran and Italy over a dispute related to a contract for manufacture and supply of components and equipment in the petrochemical industry.
  • ICC arbitration involving parties in Germany and the United States over a dispute related to a contract for supply of raw metals.
  • Swiss Rules arbitration involving parties in Austria and Switzerland over a dispute related to a share purchase agreement.
  • ICC arbitration involving parties in the Netherlands and Turkey over a dispute related to a share purchase agreement.
  • Ad hoc arbitration (ad hoc procedural rules issued by the arbitral tribunal in consultation with the parties) involving parties in Iran and the United Arab Emirates over a dispute related to a contract for supply of chemicals in the petrochemical industry.
  • ICC arbitration involving parties in France and the United States over a dispute relating to shareholders agreements and share purchase agreements in the aerospace and automation industries.
  • ICC arbitration between parties in Germany and Russia over a dispute related to the design and manufacture of industrial equipment.
  • Swiss Rules arbitration involving parties in England, France, Germany and Switzerland over a dispute related to a share purchase agreement.
  • ICC arbitration involving parties in Spain and France over a dispute related to a share purchase agreement in the environmental services and infrastructure industries.
  • ICC arbitration involving parties in Germany, Italy and Romania over a dispute related to a distribution agreement in the agriculture industry.
  • Related ICC and Swiss Rules arbitrations involving parties in Turkey and Ukraine over a dispute related to an infrastructure construction project.
  • ICC arbitration involving parties in Slovenia over a dispute related to a voice hubbing agreement in the telecommunications industry.
  • ICC arbitration involving parties in Switzerland related to a licence agreement in the modelling industry.
  • ICC arbitration involving parties in Switzerland and Bermuda over a dispute related to an operation and management agreement in the aviation industry.
  • ICC arbitration involving parties in Canada and France over a dispute related to a share purchase agreement.
  • ICC arbitration involving parties in Germany, France and Italy over a dispute related to a share purchase agreement.
  • Management of Construction Arbitrations, in collaboration with Prof. Olivier Caprasse, in: Construction and arbitration – The Essential Building Blocks, collective book edited by Dirk De Meulemeester, Wolters Kluwer 2024
  • Introduction to the Swiss Rules 2021 and Commentary to Articles 33-35, in collaboration with Prof. Sébastien Besson, in: Swiss Rules of International Arbitration Commentary, 3rd, collective book edited by Zuberbühler/Müller/Habegger, Schulthess 2023.
  • Virtuelle forhandlinger i voldgift – Særlig om voldgiftsrettens kompetanse til å beslutte virtuell hovedforhandling, in collaboration with Haakon Orgland Bingen, in: Tidsskrift for forretningsjus, Vol. 27, Issue 2, 2021.
  • Introduction to the Swiss Rules 2012 and Commentary to Articles 31-33 in collaboration with Prof. Sébastien Besson, in: Swiss Rules of International Arbitration Commentary, 2nd, collective book edited by Zuberbühler/Müller/Habegger, Schulthess 2013.
  • Threshold Issues, Switzerland, in collaboration with Prof. Sébastien Besson and Dr Daniel Greineder, in: Arbitration of M&A Transactions: A Global Practical Guide, collective book edited by Poulton, Globe Law and Business 2013.
  • Guest Lecturer on Jurisdiction, Swiss Arbitration Academy, Zürich, February 2025.
  • Speaker, session on “Management of Construction Arbitrations” during CEPANI Colloquium on Construction & Arbitration, Brussels, November 2024.
  • Foredragsholder, Voldgiftsutdannelse 2024-2025, Oslo, November 2024.
  • Speaker, two panels on “Navigating Global and Regional Sanctions in International Arbitration” and “Breaking Barriers: The Evolution of Women’s Participation in Arbitration” during the GIAC Arbitration Days, Tbilisi, October 2024.
  • Speaker, DIA Women in Arbitration podcast series, available at https://www.spreaker.com/episode/it-s-a-duty-to-support-other-women–62191349.
  • Speaker, Inaugural Women in Arbitration Event during the Copenhagen Arbitration Day, September 2024.
  • Panellist, seminar on “Arbitration Hot Topics” orgnized by hub.brussels and CEPANI, Oslo, June 2024.
  • Speaker, SWAN ARBeritivo, Stockholm, May 2024.
  • Guest Lecturer on Jurisdiction, Swiss Arbitration Academy, Zürich, February 2024.
  • Speaker, Ciarb Young Members Group (YMG) event on “Provisional measures in international arbitration: too much too soon or too little too late?”, Geneva, November 2023.
  • Panellist, VILTOFT Lunch Seminar on “How Do We Enable Truly
    Efficient Arbitration in the Future?” during the Copenhagen Arbitration Day, October 2023.
  • Panelist, voldgiftssamling om ugyldighetssøksmål arrangert av Wikborg Rein og BAHR, Oslo, September 2023.
  • Panellist, Joint Rising Arbitrators Initiative/ASA Below 40/Swiss Arbitration Centre Conference on “First Arbitrator Appointments – How to Get There and How to Get It Right”, Zürich, February 2023.
  • Moderator, Opening Session on “Trends and Challenges”, Norwegian Arbitration Day 2023, Oslo, January 2023.
  • Speaker, IBA Arb40 Workshop on Arbitral Award Writing, London, November 2022.
  • Moderator, Joint DIS40 Nord/YAC/YAPN International Arbitration Seminar & Workshop, Oslo, October 2022.
  • Moderator, YAPN International Arbitration Seminar on recent developments in the Nordic countries, titled “Country Updates”, Oslo, November 2021.
  • Panellist, Session on “Useful Pointers for First-Time Arbitrators”, Nordic Arbitration Day 2021, Copenhagen, October 2021.
  • Panellist, ICDR Y&I (Virtual) Swiss Chalet Debate on “Summary Dispositions and Document Production”, online, April 2021.
  • Panellist, Oslo Centre for Commercial Law (OCCL) debate on “Virtual hearings”, online, March 2021.
  • Moderator, YAPN panel debate on benefits and shortcomings of arbitration titled “Arbitration has teeth”, Oslo, June 2019.
  • Moderator, workshop on “Prague Rules v. IBA Rules on the Taking of Evidence”, International Arbitration Seminar jointly organized by DIS40 Nord, YAPN and YAC, Copenhagen, 7-8 September 2018.
  • Speaker on subject “Hearings – preparation, conduct, pleadings and witness examination”, International Centre for Dispute Resolution (ICDR) Young & International, Faculty of Law of the University of Belgrade and Serbian Arbitration Association  joint seminar on “Best practices of International Arbitration”, Belgrade, 21 December 2016.
  • Moderator and member of Steering Committee, Young ICCA Skills Training Workshop titled “The Hearing: Evidence and Argument”, Geneva 7 October 2014.
  • Speaker on subject “Extra-arbitral remedies and sanctions: professional disciplinary and civil liability”, 2013 ASA Below 40 Fall Seminar titled “The straight and narrow – legal and ethical rules applicable to counsel, experts and arbitrators”, Zürich 8 November 2013.

Contact

Nina Lauber-Thommesen
Nina@lauber-thommesen.com