Winston & Strawn Expands International Arbitration Practice With Arrival of Franz Stirnimann to Geneva Office

GENEVA, March 7, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Winston & Strawn LLP announced today that it continues to expand its renowned international litigation and arbitration group with the addition of Dr. Franz Stirnimann Fuentes to its Geneva office. Stirnimann most recently practiced at Lalive in Geneva, where he was counsel, and was previously an associate at Winston in Washington, D.C. and Geneva and at Gomez-Acebo & Pombo in Madrid.

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Stirnimann, who joins the firm as a partner, has more than twelve years experience in complex international arbitration and litigation, as well as cross-border corporate transactions. He has represented clients in contract as well as treaty-based arbitrations (ICC, ICSID, Swiss Rules, SCC, DIS, UNCITRAL and ad hoc) under the laws of a number of European, South American and African countries as well as public international law, and involving a broad array of industries. Stirnimann also serves as chair, party-appointed and sole arbitrator in a number of international arbitrations in Europe and Latin America.

Stirnimann is admitted to practice in Geneva, England & Wales and New York. A national of Switzerland, Peru, and Colombia, he works in English, Spanish and German and is fluent in French and conversant in Italian and Portuguese.

"We are delighted to welcome Franz to our Geneva office," said Ricardo Ugarte, managing partner of the firm's Geneva office. "His reputation and proven abilities in international arbitration and high-stakes litigation as well as Swiss commercial law will strengthen our Geneva office and enhance the firm's international dispute resolution practice in Europe and Latin America."

"We are also excited that the addition of Franz's knowledge and experience will add to the firm's growing dispute resolution capabilities and its renowned global litigation services," said Tom Frederick, chairman of the firm's litigation department.

Last month, Winston added prominent finance and dispute resolution attorney Andrei Yakovlev to its Moscow and London offices.  Highly-regarded litigator Michael Madden joined Winston's U.K.-based litigation practice late last year.

"I am delighted to be rejoining my colleagues at Winston and working closely with the high-caliber international disputes team assembled in Geneva, London, Paris, Moscow, New York, Chicago and Washington, D.C.," said Stirnimann. 

Stirnimann received his J.D. in 1996 from University of Fribourg in Switzerland; his LL.M., with distinction, from Georgetown University Law Center in 2001; and his Ph.D. summa cum laude from University of Zurich in Switzerland in 2004. He has also been a visiting professor and lecturer in a number of Latin American and Swiss universities.

Winston & Strawn LLP is an international commercial law firm with 15 offices in North America, Asia and Europe.  More information about the firm is available at www.winston.com.

SOURCE Winston & Strawn LLP