Derains & Gharavi International

Sophia Von Dewall

Partner

Biography

NATIONALITY: Dutch
LANGUAGES: Dutch, English and French
ADMISSION: Amsterdam and Paris (Directive 98/5/EC)
OFFICE: Paris

Sophia von Dewall is partner at Derains & Gharavi and has acted in numerous international arbitration proceedings, as well as in legal proceedings before Netherlands state courts. She has handled arbitrations conducted under the arbitration rules of the NAI, CEPINA, ICC, HKIAC and ICSID. Her areas of practice include international investment disputes and international commercial disputes arising out of international contracts, joint-venture and shareholder relationships and large infrastructural projects. She also acts as arbitrator in international arbitration proceedings.

Sophia is admitted to the Amsterdam Bar and registered in the Paris Bar. She obtained an LL.M. in Public International & European Law (cum laude) and an LL.M. in Dutch Law (cum laude) from the University of Amsterdam.

ILLUSTRATIVE EXPERIENCE AS COUNSEL

EXPERIENCE AS ARBITRATOR

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Since 2022 Partner, Derains & Gharavi (Paris)
2017-2021 Counsel, Derains & Gharavi (Paris)
2012 – 2016 Associate, Derains & Gharavi (Paris)
2008 – 2012 Associate (Dispute Resolution), Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP (Amsterdam, New York and London)
2005 – 2008 Associate (Corporate), Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP (Amsterdam)
2004 Legal intern at the Legal Secretariat of the United Nations Compensation Commission (UNCC) (Geneva)

EDUCATION

2004 LL.M in Public International & European Law, cum laude, University of Amsterdam including a semester at the University Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne (exams passed: Droit de la Concurrence (Competition Law);
Droit international économique (International Economic Law); and Droit du commerce international (International Business Law)
2003 LL.M in Dutch Law, cum laude, University of Amsterdam

MEMBERSHIPS

LEGAL PRACTICE AREA REGISTRATION IN THE NETHERLANDS

Sophia von Dewall has registered the following legal practice area in the Netherlands Bar’s register of legal practice areas (rechtsgebiedenregister): arbitration.

Based on this registration, she is required to obtain ten training credits per calendar year in this registered legal practice area in accordance with the standards set by the Netherlands Bar

Publications

“Tribunal Secretaries: How to prevent a friend from turning into a foe”, Arbitral Secretaries – Reports from the joint NAI-Cepani colloquium, Wolters Kluwer 2018, pp. 69-80.

“Does apparent bias automatically give rise to conflicts of interest?”, Opening the Black Box of Conflicts of Interest, Bruylant 2016, pp. 139-148.

View all publications