Profile

Listed by Who's Who Legal (in 2022 and 2021) as one of the ten most highly regarded arbitration practitioners in Europe, Middle East and Africa, Athina Fouchard Papaefstratiou is an independent arbitrator based in Paris.

She has worked for 15 years in two of the most renowned international arbitration groups globally (Eversheds Sutherland and Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer) and in a boutique law firm specialized in Africa-related arbitration (Lazareff Le Bars), before establishing her own practice in 2022, focusing mainly on missions as arbitrator.

Athina Fouchard Papaefstratiou has significant experience in Africa-related arbitration, as well as in arbitration involving States and State entities. Her sector focus is on telecommunications, construction, energy and corporate disputes.

Her experience includes arbitrations under the ICC, ICSID, UNCITRAL, PCA, LCIA, Swiss Arbitration Centre, ACIC and CCJA arbitration rules.

She publishes, teaches and speaks in conferences on issues of arbitration, international law and contract law.

Athina Fouchard Papaefstratiou is listed as arbitrator in the major arbitration institutions in the world, and she is a member of several prestigious professional groups. She a founding member (and former co-head) of AfricArb, an association of professionals focusing on Africa-related arbitration, a member of the ICC Commission on Arbitration and ADR and a Board member of the Arbitration Committee of ICC Greece. She is a CIArb Fellow, a member of the Executive Committee of the CIArb European Branch, and she served in 2020 as the Head of the CIArb YMG.

She is a Greek citizen, registered with the Bar in Paris and in Athens, and works in English, French and Greek.