Paolo Michele Patocchi

Profile

After practising for four years in Geneva (1982-1986), Paolo Michele Patocchi further specialised in international trade law and arbitration in London (1986-1988). He then joined an international law firm in London as an associate (1989-1991). In 1989 he was appointed lecturer at the Faculty of Law of Geneva (Department of Private International and Comparative Law, Head: Prof. Dr. Pierre A. Lalive) to take over the lecture on the Introduction to the Anglo-American Law Tradition (1989-2006).

Having returned to Switzerland in 1992, Michele joined a national law firm in Zurich. In 1994 he moved back to Geneva and joined another national law firm where he was made a partner in 1997. He has been in charge of the International Arbitration Group of the Geneva office of that firm from 1997 until 2013. In 2014 he established Patocchi & Marzolini with Paolo Marzolini.

Whether as counsel or as an arbitrator, Michele has taken part in over 250 international arbitrations to date. He has also advised on the Swiss law of contract, the Swiss law of international arbitration and the Swiss private international law, as an expert or amicus curiae.

As a practising lawyer or as an arbitrator, Michele has been called upon to work on matters involving a number of legal systems other than Swiss law, including in particular the laws of Albania, Algeria, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, China, Egypt, England and Wales, Ethiopia, France, Germany, Hungary, India, Italy, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Latvia, the Netherlands, Palestine, Peru, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Qatar, Russia, Spain, South Korea, Turkey, the UAE, the U.S.A. and Venezuela.

Michele has been a lecturer at the Faculty of Law of Geneva (1989-2006) and at the Geneva School for Translators and Interpreters (ETI; 1990-1993) and he has been teaching international commercial arbitration at the Faculty of Law of İ. D. Bilkent University (Ankara) since 2013. He has taught the first five-day module (Introduction to International Arbitration) at the Swiss Arbitration Academy in October 2008 and October 2009.

Michele has also been active in international law. He has been on the ICSID list of arbitrators since 2012 (List of arbitrators designated by the Swiss Government) and has been involved in two ICSID cases, two ICSID Additional Facility Rules cases, one ICSID annulment case and one case under the OIC Treaty.

He has been a member of the team in charge of representing the Swiss Confederation before the International Court of Justice in the legal proceedings brought by the Kingdom of Belgium with respect to an alleged breach of the Lugano Convention by Switzerland. These proceedings were withdrawn by the Kingdom of Belgium after Switzerland filed its first memorial setting out its preliminary objections.

Michele has collaborated with the arbitral institutions of the Swiss Chambers of Commerce in the past two decades. After the arbitration rules of the Swiss Chambers were unified in 2004, he was the first President of the National Arbitration Committee and the Special Committee in charge of hearing challenges (2004-2006) and a member of the Arbitration Court of the Swiss Chambers’ Arbitration Institution from 2013 to 2016. From 2005 to 2011 he has been a non-resident member of the Arbitration Committee of the Milan Chamber of Commerce. From 2001 to 2019 he has been a member of the Board of the Swiss Arbitration Association.

Recommendations

Paolo Michele Patocchi "is an outstanding arbitrator in the market" "He is one of the best arbitration specialists in Switzerland" "He is a very experienced counsel and arbitrator" (Who's Who Legal: Arbitration 2024).

Ranked by Chambers and Partners 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024 amongst “Most In Demand Arbitrators – Europe-wide”, “Arbitrators – Switzerland” and “Arbitration Counsel – Switzerland”.

Paolo Michele Patocchi “has unmatched experience and is a very skilled arbitrator” “Paolo is one of the best I’ve ever worked with in the arbitration space” “He is a leading figure in civil law arbitrations” (Who’s Who Legal: Arbitration 2023).

Paolo Michele Patocchi is “very disciplined and will make sure every detail stands right” “He possesses strong knowledge of Swiss law and is a star of the Swiss arbitration system” (Who’s Who Legal: Arbitration 2022).

Paolo Michele Patocchi “is one of the leading authorities in the practice of international arbitration and commands respect from both clients and peers” (Legal 500 2021).

Paolo Michele Patocchi is “among the world’s most creative and analytical minds in arbitration” “He is an exceptional talent and is very admired by all people that meet and/or work with him” “I would recommend him without hesitation” “A sharp mind” “Excellent chairman skills on both jurisdictional and substantial aspects” (Who’s Who Legal: Arbitration 2021).

Paolo Michele Patocchi is “a leading figure in the arbitration community; he is thorough and very knowledgeable. He is invaluable for clients given his unparalleled experience in all domains of international dispute resolution practice” (Legal 500 2020).

Paolo Michele Patocchi is well respected for his “outstanding legal knowledge and practice skills”, as well as his extensive experience advising on international arbitration and contract law (Who’s Who Legal: Switzerland – Arbitration 2020).

Paolo Michele Patocchi is “among the world’s most creative and analytical minds in arbitration”, say peers who add: “He is an exceptional talent and is very admired by all people that meet and/or work with him” (Who’s Who Legal: Arbitration 2020).

Paolo Michele Patocchi is a “leading arbitration figure” and is recommended for his “great experience in all domains of international dispute resolution” (Legal 500 2019).

Paolo Michele Patocchi gains emphatic recognition from peers this year as “one of the best names in the market”. He is highlighted for “his huge experience in arbitration and mastery of the law, as well as his great sense of strategy” (Who’s Who Legal: Switzerland – Arbitration 2019).

Paolo Michele Patocchi is “noted for his ‘professionalism and unparalleled knowledge’ by peers. Sources are ‘impressed by his huge experience and mastery of the facts’ as well as his ‘great sense of strategy’” (Who’s Who Legal: Arbitration 2019).

Paolo Michele Patocchi is ”a master of both facts and law” according to sources – one of whom praises his performance in arbitration proceedings, noting: ”He is able to drive and streamline the process in a very efficient way” (Who’s Who Legal: Switzerland – Arbitration 2018).

Paolo Michele Patocchi is “an extremely good arbitrator” who comes recommended by sources for his “expertise and dedication to his clients” (Who’s Who Legal: Arbitration Thought Leaders 2017).

Paolo Michele Patocchi is “very knowledgeable and experienced” (Legal 500 2017).

“Effusive sources describe the ‘outstanding’ Paolo Michele Patocchi as ‘one of the best arbitrators in the country’” (Who’s Who Legal: Switzerland – Arbitration 2017).

Paolo Michele Patocchi is “lauded as ‘one of the best arbitrators around’, and is recognised for his ‘prestigious practice’” (Who’s Who Legal: Switzerland – Arbitration 2016 and Who’s Who Legal: Arbitration 2017).

Paolo Michele Patocchi is “very experienced and reliable” (Legal 500 Europe, Middle East & Africa 2016).

Ranked by ExpertGuides in the Guide to the World’s Leading Experts in Commercial Arbitration and in the Best of the Best guide.