Sebastiano Nessi is a senior associate in the Geneva office of Schellenberg Wittmer. Trained in both civil and common law, Sebastiano specializes in international arbitration (commercial, investment and sports) and commercial litigation.
Sebastiano’s clients and cases have spanned most continents, including Europe, Asia, North America and Africa. He has acted as counsel in a range of complex arbitrations, both ad hoc and under each of the major institutional rules (AAA, CAS, ICC, LCIA, SCC, SIAC, Swiss and UNCITRAL), with seats in Geneva, London, New York, Paris, Singapore and Stockholm, and has been instructed to represent clients in commercial court cases. Sebastiano has a broad range of expertise with a particular focus on energy, commodities, pharmaceuticals, joint ventures, aerospace and construction disputes.
Sebastiano has also acted as counsel in investment treaty cases and advises clients on the structuring of investments. Additionally, he has advised states on the negotiation and drafting of trade and investment treaties. Sebastiano has represented clients on a range of court applications related to arbitration, including setting-aside proceedings before the Swiss Supreme Court, enforcement of arbitral awards and interim relief in support of arbitration. Sebastiano also sits as arbitrator (sole arbitrator, co-arbitrator, chairperson).
Sebastiano Nessi has written and spoken on arbitration issues, as well as teaching commercial and investment arbitration at the University of Paris I, Panthéon-Sorbonne and Sciences Po Law School (2013–2017). Sebastiano is a member of the Swiss Arbitration Association (ASA), ASA below 40, LCIA’s young international arbitration group (YIAG), the German Institute of Arbitration’s (DIS) 40, ICDR Young & International, the ICC’s young arbitrators forum and Hong Kong 45.
Sebastiano Nessi graduated from the University of Geneva in 2004 (summa cum laude) and was admitted to the bar in Switzerland in 2006. In 2009, he earned a Master of Laws (LLM) from Columbia Law School (New York). He was awarded the title of Arbitration Practitioner (ArbP)