Sports Arbitration

March 31, 2022

As part of Paris Arbitration Week 2022, the BVI International Arbitration Centre is proud to organize yet another exciting thought leadership session. Taking place live from Paris on March 31st, 2022 at 2:30 PM to 4:30 PM (GMT), “Sports Arbitration” speakers include: Victor Bonnin Reynes, William Sternheimer, Hervé Le Lay and Chiraz Abid. This session will be moderated by Hana Doumal.

Register today: HTTPS://WWW.EVENTBRITE.COM/E/SPORTS-ARBITRATION-TICKETS-287964017127

Hana Doumal

Ms. Hana Doumal leads the Secretariat of the BVI International Arbitration Centre. Hana has served in the arbitration sector at leading international firms and arbitral institutions in Hong Kong, Washington, D.C. and Paris. She has experience in commercial arbitration and investor-State arbitration, working in English, French and Spanish.

Before joining the BVI IAC, Hana was a Registered Foreign Lawyer in the international arbitration practice of Pinsent Masons in their Hong Kong office. She previously worked as a Registered Foreign Lawyer with the arbitration team of King & Wood Mallesons in Hong Kong, and before that, as Counsel at the Hong Kong International Arbitration Centre (HKIAC). Her experience also includes an externship at the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID) in Washington, D.C. In Paris, she was an associate in the International Litigation and Arbitration practice of Foley Hoag, and she completed internships at Allen & Overy and Herbert Smith Freehills.

Hana received her Master of Laws in International Legal Studies from the Georgetown University Law Center in Washington, D.C., and her Master of Laws in Arbitration and International Business Law, with honors, from the University of Versailles Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines. At the University of Paris I - Panthéon-Sorbonne, she received both her Master of Laws in Comparative Law and Arab Countries Law and her Maîtrise in International Law. Hana received her Bachelor of Laws from the University Complutense of Madrid, with honors, after studying at the University of Rouen.

William Sternheimer

William joined Morgan Sports Law in January 2019 after spending then years at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), initially as Counsel, then as Managing Counsel & Head of Arbitration and finally as Deputy Secretary General. Prior to that, William worked for a leading international law firm in Paris for three years, in commercial arbitration.William’s practice is focused on international arbitration and alternative dispute resolution in the context of sports disputes, and more specifically football-related disputes: contractual (employment, transfers), disciplinary (corruption, match-fixing, Financial Fair Play), regulatory and governance disputes. During his time at the CAS, William oversaw approximately 940 CAS arbitrations, with more than 700 of those related to football. Since joining Morgan Sports Law, William has acted for Neymar Jr and a very famous football agent in the context of disciplinary proceedings before UEFA, FIFA and/or the CAS, for many football players in their contractual disputes with clubs, and Ukrainian tennis player Dayana Yastremska in a doping-related matter.

Hervé Le Lay

A French Avocat, Hervé Le Lay is a partner in Brown Rudnick's International Litigation & Arbitration Practice. He is based in the Paris office. He acted as counsel and as arbitrator in numerous arbitration proceedings both institutional (ICC, SCC, LMAA, etc.) and ad hoc and before State courts. He often assists clients at a pre-litigation stage, including in mediations/conciliations. Assisting private entities or States, Hervé Le Lay has particularly gained experience in disputes relating to mining, energy, infrastructures, construction, telecoms, financing, M&A, insurance-reinsurance, media, sports and entertainment, international distribution and sales, joint ventures and shareholders agreements. Hervé is an arbitrator at the Court of Arbitration for Sports (CAS) and has a vast experience in sport-related arbitration (disciplinary, regulatory, commercial disputes). Hervé Le Lay also has experience in International Trade Law and assisted in proceedings before the WTO and the European Commission. He is a graduate of the Institut d’Etudes Politiques de Paris (Sciences Po), Université Paris Ouest-Nanterre, Université Panthéon-Sorbonne and the Ecole de Formation du Barreau de Paris (EFB).

Chiraz Abid

Chiraz is a PhD holder and a French qualified lawyer. She advises and represents companies in various commercial arbitration proceedings, either ad hoc or instituational (ICC, SCC, AFA, CMAP, LCIA, CCAT, CRCICA, etc.) covering numerous applicable laws and seats of arbitration. Chiraz's experience spans the commercial spectrum, with a particular focus on construction, transportation, energy and natural resources. Chiraz represents also her clients in enforcement and annulment proceedings of international arbitral awards before French courts, and acts as arbitrator. She is a regular speaker at arbitration conferences, lecturer in arbitration law at the Paris Bar School, and is also the author of numerous articles in the professional legal journals. Chiraz is equally fluent in Arabic, English and French.

Victor Bonnin

Victor Bonnin is a Spanish lawyer specialised in international arbitration. He is also a solicitor admitted in England and Wales. Victor has not only a Spanish law background but also a Swiss law background. Victor is the Secretary General of the Spanish Club of Arbitration and has an extensive experience in international commercial arbitration, investment arbitration and sports arbitration. He has acted in many cases as arbitrator, counsel or as secretary of arbitral tribunals. Victor has been listed in the Who's Who 2017 to 2021 Under 45 Future Arbitration Leaders lists. In 2020 and 2021 he has also been ranked in Chambers: Most in Demand Arbitrators and in the list of Leders League: Spain's Best Arbitrators.