Dr Alessandro Covi

Alessandro is a dispute resolution lawyer specializing in international arbitration proceedings and cross-border disputes. He has acted in arbitrations under various rules, such as ICC, DIS, SCC, UNCITRAL, CIETAC, NAI, ICSID, as well as ad-hoc arbitrations. Alessandro's practice focuses on complex technical disputes in the field of constructions, infrastructure, licensing of technology, and natural resources. Additionally, Alessandro has significant experience in representing sovereigns and corporations in investor-state-arbitration proceedings on the basis of bilateral or multilateral investment treaties, and regularly advises clients on public international law issues.

Besides his counsel work, Alessandro regularly acts as arbitrator in commercial disputes. Moreover, from 2021 to 2024, Alessandro served as co-chair of the DIS40, the young practitioners’ initiative of the German Arbitration Institute (DIS).

Alessandro is an Italian national qualified in Germany. He has studied in Passau, Münster, and Krasnoyarsk (Russia) and lived in Brazil. He speaks German, Italian, English, Portuguese and Russian.

What others say

Ranked in Arbitration Future Leaders – Non-Partners
Lexology Index 2024

Shortlisted as Rising Star for international arbitration
Legal 500 Germany 2024

Alessandro Covi is one of the go-to persons for investment and commercial arbitration
Legal 500 Germany 2024

Recognized as leading lawyer for Arbitration in Germany (Top-Anwalt für Schiedsverfahren)
WirtschaftsWoche-Ranking 2024

One of the most recommended lawyers for arbitration and mediation
Handelsblatt/Best Lawyers® 'Germany's Best Lawyers 2024'

Rising Star for commercial arbitration in Germany
Legal Media Group’s Expert Guides, The World’s Leading Lawyers 2022

Recent work

• Representing a leading manufacturer of wind turbines in an ICC arbitration initiated by the owner of a wind farm in the Baltic Sea regarding alleged damages caused to the wind farm with an estimated value of EUR 30 million (FIDIC, Swiss seat, German law applicable) 
• Representing the owner of an offshore wind farm in the North Sea in NAI arbitration proceedings against the manufacturer of the turbines regarding claims for rectification of defects worth EUR 100 million (FIDIC, Dutch seat, Dutch law applicable)
• Co-arbitrator in an ICC arbitration concerning the repayment of a credit line worth USD 9.6 million (German seat, German law applicable)
• Representing a German industrial group acting as EPC contractor in a refinery project in two parallel DIS arbitrations against the owner of the refinery and against the supplier of critical components with claims in excess of EUR 20 million (German seat, German law applicable)
• Sole arbitrator in an ICC arbitration under the Expedited Rules concerning the delivery of packaging equipment for foodstuff with claims worth approx. EUR 1 million (German seat, German law applicable)
• Sole arbitrator in a DIS-IHK arbitration concerning claims arising from an agency contract (German seat, German law applicable)
• Representing a German manufacturer of industrial bottling units in a EUR 123 million ICC arbitration against the Turkish customer arising from alleged defects of the equipment (Swiss seat, Swiss law applicable)
• Representing a German manufacturer of medical devices in a EUR 71 million ICC arbitration brought by a Brazilian competitor for trade secret infringements (Brazilian seat, German law applicable)
• Representing an English manufacturer of catalysts in a EUR 9 million DIS arbitration against the German co-owner of patents for exhaust aftertreatment systems for Diesel engines concerning royalty payments (German seat and law)
• Representing a German industrial group in a EUR 10 million ICC arbitration against the south-Korean EPC contractor in a dispute arising from the construction of a fertilizer plant in the UAE (FIDIC, English seat, English law applicable)
• Representing a German investor in a EUR 380 million treaty arbitration against the Republic of Kosovo in a dispute arising from the failed privatization of the national telecommunication provider
• Representing a central-Asian state in a USD 16 million treaty arbitration brought by the Turkish operator of an international airport
• Representing a central-Asian state in proceedings concerning the set aside of a USD 500 million treaty award secured by a Moldovan investor in the national oil and gas sector at the seat of arbitration, representing the same state in recognition and enforcement proceedings concerning the same award in the UK, the US, the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, Italy and Sweden

Curriculum vitae

• Volunteer work in an NGO in São Paulo, Brazil, 2002 to 2003
• Legal studies in Passau, Münster and Krasnoyarsk (Russia), 2003 to 2009
• Working on a PhD dissertation in international investment law and working part time in a boutique law firm in Hamburg, 2009 to 2013
• Legal clerkship in Hamburg, including, amongst others, training with a leading arbitration boutique in Hamburg and a leading arbitration boutique in Milan, as well as training with the secretariat of the energy charter treaty in Brussels, 2013 to 2015
• Practicing commercial and investment arbitration in leading international law firms in Frankfurt, 2015 to 2024
• Practicing international arbitration at Kapellmann and Partners in Frankfurt and Hamburg since 2024