Grant Hanessian

Grant Hanessian is an independent arbitrator in New York, specializing in international, investor-state and complex commercial disputes.

Mr. Hanessian has acted as arbitrator and counsel in a wide range of commercial and treaty disputes arising under the laws of many common and civil law countries and public international law. Prior to July 2020, he was a partner at Baker McKenzie, where he practiced for 33 years, and served as global co-head of the firm's International Arbitration Practice, head of its International Arbitration Practice in North America and head of its New York office Litigation Department.

Mr. Hanessian was the U.S. member on the International Chamber of Commerce's International Court of Arbitration in Paris from 2015 to 2021 and chair of the Arbitration Committee of the U.S. Council for International Business (U.S. national committee of the ICC) from 2015 to 2020; he was a member of the ICC's Commission on Arbitration and its Task Forces on Arbitration Involving States or State Entities (2013-2015) and on Financial Institutions and International Arbitration (2017-2019) (leader of Investment Arbitration and Banking & Finance work stream).

He is a member of International Centre for Settlement of Investment Dispute’s Panel of Arbitrators, the American Arbitration Association—International Centre for Dispute Resolution's International Advisory Committee and its Advisory Committee on Brazil, Vice President (for U.S.) of the London Court of Arbitration's North American Users' Council, a member of the Singapore International Arbitration Centre's User's Council, the International Arbitration Club of New York, the Arbitration Committee of the International Institute for Conflict Prevention and Resolution, the New York City Bar Association's Committee on International Commercial Disputes, Club Español del Arbitraje, and the Panel of Recognized International Market Experts in Finance (P.R.I.M.E.) Arbitration Rules Drafting Committee, Fellow of the College of Commercial Arbitrators and Chartered Institute of Arbitrators and founding board member of the New York International Arbitration Center.

Mr. Hanessian is editor of ICDR Awards and Commentaries Vol. I (Juris Pub. 2012) and Vol. II (forthcoming Juris Pub. 2022) and co-editor of International Arbitration Checklists (Juris Pub., 3rd ed., 2016), Gulf War Claims Reporter (ILI/Kluwer, 1998), Baker & McKenzie's International Litigation & Arbitration Newsletter (2010-2020) and Baker & McKenzie's International Arbitration Yearbook (2009-2019).

Mr. Hanessian is annually recommended by Chambers Global and USA Guides (described as "strong arbitrator," “careful, measured and brings tremendous experience”, “really thoughtful, very detailed, decisive,” "well prepared and asks the right questions,” "a mastermind," "people go back to him again and again because of his command of the matters," "exceptionally experienced," "his attention to detail and ability to handle complex procedural issues sets him apart," an "elite lawyer" who is "very experienced, hugely knowledgeable and effective," a "powerful advocate for clients"), Legal 500 (described as "a great practitioner" with a "strong commercial profile"), PLC Which Lawyer, The International Who's Who of Commercial Arbitration ("superb counsel and arbitrator"), and Expert Guide to Leading Practitioners in International Arbitration (ranked among "Best of the Best" in international commercial arbitration).

Mr. Hanessian is an Adjunct Professor of Law at Fordham Law School, where he teaches the International Commercial Arbitration and LL.M. International Arbitration Practicum courses. He is a frequent speaker at arbitration conferences and law schools around the world

• LL.M. degree in International Law from Columbia University
• J.D. degree from NewYork University
• B.A. degree from the University of Pennsylvania.

• American Arbitration Association/International Centre for Dispute Resolution, New York, NY
  • Member, International and Complex Commercial Cases panels
  • Member, Rules Revision Committee (2010-2015)
  • Member, International Advisory Committee
  • Member, Latin American Advisory Committee
  • Member, Advisory Committee on Brazil
• British Virgin Islands International Arbitration Center, Tortola, British Virgin Islands, Panel of Arbitrators
• Center for International Investment and Commercial Arbitration, Panel of Arbitrators, Lahore, Pakistan
• Ciesp/Fiesp Chamber of Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration, Sao Paulo, Brazil, List of Arbitrators
• International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes, Washington DC, Panel of Arbitrators
• International Chamber of Commerce, Paris
  • U.S. member of the ICC International Court of Arbitration (2018-2021)
  • U.S. alternative member, ICC International Court of Arbitration (2015-2018)
  • Member, ICC Commission on Arbitration and ADR
    • Task Forces on Arbitration Involving States or State Entities (2009-2012)
    • Task Force on Financial Institutions and International Arbitration (leader of Investment Arbitration and Banking & Finance work stream) (2013-2016)
  • U.S. Counsel for International Business (US committee for ICC), Arbitration and ADR Committee
    • Chair (2015-2020)
    • Vice Chair (2013-2014)
• Korea Commercial Arbitration Board, Seoul, Korea, Panel of Arbitrators
• London Court of International Arbitration, London, Vice president (for United States), North American Users' Council
• Panel of Recognized International Market Experts in Finance (P.R.I.M.E.), The Hague, Netherlands, Member, Drafting Committee, Finance Arbitration Rules
• Singapore International Arbitration Center, Singapore, Users Council

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