About Inka Hanefeld
Dr. Inka Hanefeld primarily acts as arbitrator and counsel in international arbitration proceedings in the fields of international trade, industrial plant and machine building, energy, banking & finance, as well as in post-M&A and investor-State disputes.
Her expertise has been recognized in various international rankings.
From 2013 to 2019, Inka was nominated by the Federal Republic of Germany for the ICSID list of arbitrators. From 2015 to 2020, she was also a member of the LCIA London Court of International Arbitration, and from 2015 to 2021, Inka served as Vice-President of the ICC International Court of Arbitration.
Before establishing her own private practice in 2005, Inka worked in the dispute resolution department of a leading international law firm for seven years from its offices in Vienna, New York, Frankfurt, and Hamburg. She holds a Master of Laws in International Legal Studies (LL.M.) from New York University School of Law and is admitted to the German and New York Bar. Moreover, she is a member of the Paris Bar (Directive 98/5/EC).
Her working languages are English and German.
Contact
Recognitions
Dr. Inka Hanefeld "earns endorsements for being simply great as an arbitrator thanks to her experience in international trade, post-M&A and investor-state disputes."
Inka Hanefeld is a leading arbitration practitioner extolled by peers as 'brilliant' and 'impressive'. She is exceptionally active in the field and is acclaimed as 'precise, efficient and very capable of handling the largest cases'.
Inka Hanefeld is a highly sought-after arbitrator and counsel known for 'consistently delivering top-class service in complex cases'.
Inka Hanefeld of Hanefeld Rechtsanwälte is regarded as 'very impressive' by her peers. Recognized both as arbitrator and counsel, her expertise in project, trade and post-M&A related disputes is 'top drawer'.
Inka Hanefeld is a 'top arbitrator', 'very professional' with a 'distinct sense of justice'.
Described by one interviewee as "outstanding," Inka Hanefeld is widely considered one of the leading arbitrators in the German and European market, presiding over energy, finance and state-investor disputes, with particular expertise in ICC and ICSID procedures.
Inka Hanefeld [...] has both studied and practiced in New York. She is a well-regarded arbitrator whom interviewees champion as 'extremely organized and sharp-minded'.
"Hailed as an extremely talented and effective advocate for her clients, sources praise Inka Hanefeld [...] for her arbitration expertise."
Inka Hanefeld is "experienced, hands-on and clearly someone to be recommended" in a list of top European arbitrators. Another interviewee praises Inka Hanefeld for her diligence, saying: "You won't ever find a single legal issue she has missed."
Inka Hanefeld [...] in Hamburg is recognized as 'an outstanding choice for arbitration cases - a fantastic advocate with a very successful track record'.
Dr. Inka Hanefeld is "one of the best in the industry"; [an arbitrator] "that only few can match on the international stage"
"Dr. Inka Hanefeld [has] great expertise in the field"; "[is] sensationally well prepared."; "[is] absolutely reliable as co-arbitrator."; "[is] a pioneer for her generation."; "[is] experienced and well connected."
Instruments
Areas of practice
Experience
- More than 100 cases as arbitrator, including cases with amounts in dispute valued in the several billions and several cases involving States or State entities
- Co-Arbitrator: 71 arbitrations (ICC, ICSID, SCC, DIS, PCA, VIAC, CEAC, ad hoc), 6 of which involved State-controlled entities or a sovereign State and 3 of which constituted investor-State Treaty Arbitrations
- Presiding Arbitrator: 40 arbitrations (ICC, ICSID, LCIA, DIS, GMAA, CEAC, Hamburg CC, ad hoc), 6 of which involved State-controlled entities and 4 of which constituted investor-State Treaty Arbitrations
- Sole Arbitrator: 7 arbitrations (ICC, DIS, VIAC, Hamburg CC), 1 of which involved a State-controlled entity
Party representation in numerous domestic and international arbitral proceedings (e.g., ICC, ICSID, DIS, ZHK, VIAC, AAA, ad hoc)
- 3x Member of an ICSID Annulment Committee
- 1x Member of a LCIA Challenge Division
Languages and nationality
- English
- German
- German
Curriculum vitae
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2011
Founder of HANEFELD
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2006 - 2011
Friedrich Korch Hanefeld, Hamburg
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2002 - 2005
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer, Dispute Resolution Department, Frankfurt and Hamburg
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2002
New York State Bar Exam
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1999 - 2002
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer, Dispute Resolution Department, Vienna and New York
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1998 - 1999
Master of Laws in International Legal Studies (LL.M.), New York University School of Law
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1997 - 1998
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer, Dispute Resolution Department, Vienna
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1995 - 1997
Legal traineeship (Referendariat) in Lower Saxony including work experience with the United Nations Organization for Industrial Development (UNIDO) in Vienna
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1995
Doctor of Laws (Dr. iur.), University of Hamburg
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1989 - 1993
Studies of law at the University of Hamburg
Speeches
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International Arbitration in the new Era of Virtual Reality
Harvard International Arbitration Law Students Association
Cambridge, USA
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Arbitration: Past, Present and the Future
CIArb Diploma in International Arbitration
Oxford, United Kingdom -
Procedural and Practical Implications of Sanctions on Arbitration Proceedings
ICC Germany 4th Arbitration Day
Frankfurt, Germany -
Inherent Powers in Arbitration
Copenhagen Arbitration Day
Copenhagen, Denmark
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Fighting Institutional Bureaucracy
Arbitration Forum of the Law and Economics Foundation
St. Gallen, Switzerland
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Inherent Powers of Arbitrators to Streamline the Proceedings
Science Po Conference
Paris, France -
Introduction to Young Arbitral Practitioners
YAWP
Singapore, Singapore -
Dispute Resolution Venue Germany – The Arbitration Perspective
BMJV
Berlin, Germany -
The Work of the ICC Court in Practice
Finnish Arbitration Days
Helsinki, Finland -
Regional Challenges to Arbitration in Germany
LCIA
Tylney Hall, United Kingdom -
Regional Challenges to Arbitration in Germany
1st European ICC Conference
Paris, France -
Challenges facing arbitrators in investment arbitration
International Investment Arbitration
Oxford, United Kingdom
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Women in Arbitration
Conference organized by Young ArbitralWomen Practitioners
Zurich, Switzerland
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Limits to Party Autonomy imposed by Mandatory European Law
Conference hosted by NYU
New York, USA
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The Value of the IBA Guidelines on Taking of Evidence
Convergence and Divergence of Investment and International Commercial Arbitration Conference
Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic -
Predictability and flexibility seen from a client's perspective
DIS Fall Conference
Berlin, Germany
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Dispute Resolution with regard to the Construction and Development of Off-Shore Wind Farms (in German)
Energy Arbitration Center Switzerland
Berlin, Germany -
Annulment of Arbitral Awards from the Arbitrator's and Parties' Perspective (in German)
Hamburger Schiedsgespräche
Hamburg, Germany -
Project Finance Arbitration Panel
Annual Spring Symposium at New York University
New York, USA
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Arbitration in Banking & Finance
Lecture at New York University
New York, USA
Publications
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The Prague Rules – The New Contender and its Old Champion
Festschrift für Roderich Thümmel zum 65. Geburtstag am 23.10.2020, pp. 283 et seq.
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Country Report: Germany
Weigand / Baumann (eds.), Practitioner’s Handbook on International Commercial Arbitration, 3rd ed. -
§ 20 Arbitral Awards (in German)
Salger / Trittmann (eds.), Internationale Schiedsverfahren – Praxishandbuch
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Inherent Powers to Streamline the Proceedings
European International Arbitration Review 2017, pp. 49 et seq.
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International Arbitration between standardization and flexibility - Predictability and flexibility seen from a client’s perspective
SchiedsVZ 2015, pp. 20 et seq.
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Alternative Dispute Resolution with regard to (Off-Shore) Wind Farms (in German)
EnWZ 2014, pp. 537 et seq.
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Arbitration in Banking and Finance
NYU Journal of Law & Business 2013, pp. 917 et seq.
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Enforcement of Arbitral Awards that are Incapable of being Executed under Domestic Law
NYU Transnational Notes
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Country Report: Germany
Weigand (ed.), Practitioner’s Handbook on International Commercial Arbitration, 2nd ed.
Academic appointments
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Fellow lecturer at the New York University School of Law
September 2012/2016, May 2020 -
Lecturer at the University of Hamburg for domestic and international arbitration
2011 until 2013
Memberships
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Member of the Governing Body of the ICC International Court of Arbitration
Since 2022 -
Vice President of the ICC International Court of Arbitration
From 2015 to 2021 -
Member of the London Court of International Arbitration (LCIA)
From May 2015 to May 2020 -
Member of the ICDR International Panel of Arbitrators
Since March 2015 -
Nominated by the Federal Republic of Germany for the ICSID list of arbitrators
From 2013 to 2019 -
ICC "Task Force on Arbitration involving States or State Entities"
Former Member - Vice President of the ICC Court Alumni Group