Paolo Marzolini

Partner

Profile

Paolo Marzolini is a founding partner of Patocchi & Marzolini. Paolo is acting as counsel representing clients and he is sitting as arbitrator in Switzerland and a number of other jurisdictions under various sets of arbitration rules (including, but not limited to, the ICC Rules, Swiss Rules, LCIA Rules, UNCITRAL Rules, DIAC Rules, ISTAC Rules, VIAC Rules, CAM Rules, DIS Rules, CAS Rules, JAMS Rules, QICCA Rules and WIPO Rules).

Paolo has had practical experience in a number of systems of law such as Italian, Swiss, French, English, Spanish, U.S., German, Dutch, Bahamian, Libyan, Iranian, Qatari, Emirati, Egyptian, Chinese, South Korean, Japanese, Senegalese, Malaysian, Turkish, Romanian and Greek.

Paolo has worked in the international dispute resolution departments of leading law firms in Geneva and London.

Paolo has been involved in several major international arbitrations and his field of expertise includes construction disputes (including project financing disputes), IP disputes, turnkey contracts, consultancy agreements, joint venture agreements, agency, licensing in the pharma industry, State contracts, contracts and disputes in the aviation and aerospace industry, M&A and post-M&A disputes, gas price review disputes, banking and finance disputes, sport and sponsoring disputes, commodities disputes.

Paolo has experience acting as mediator and counsel in mediations in commercial cases.  He is listed in the panel of mediators for IP disputes jointly drawn up by the WIPO and the Chamber of Arbitration of Milan.

Paolo has also experience as member of dispute boards in complex construction projects.

Paolo has served as case manager at the Chamber of Arbitration of Milan in the period 2003-2007 and, in that capacity, he has acted as administrative secretary to domestic and international arbitral tribunals in over 150 arbitrations.

He completed his graduate and post-graduate studies in Geneva and Zurich (Swiss Arbitration Academy, ArbP, 2010), Pavia (Laurea in giurisprudenza Dr. iur., 2002) and Paris (University of Paris 1, Pantheon – Sorbonne and Cornell Law School, Institute of International and Comparative Law, International Arbitration and Litigation, 2001).

Paolo has published extensively on international arbitration and is very often called as lecturer in seminars dealing with arbitration-related matters.

Paolo serves as a member of the Court of the Swiss Arbitration Centre (1 June 2020), as a member of the Special Committee of the Court of the Swiss Arbitration Centre (1 July 2022) and as Secretary to the Court of the Swiss Arbitration Centre (1 January 2024); he is former co-chair (2015-2016) and current member of the Advisory Board of ArbIt – Italian Forum for Arbitration and ADR as well as member of the International Bar Association (IBA), the International Council for Commercial Arbitration (ICCA), the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (MCIArb), the Swiss Arbitration Association (ASA), the Italian Arbitration Association (AIA), the Geneva Bar Association and the Pavia Bar Association.

Recommendations

Paolo is a resourceful, reputable and experienced practitioner in the field ofarbitration”; “He is hardworking, diligent and accurate”; He is, importantly, very hands-on” (Who’s Who Legal: Arbitration 2024).

“Paolo ensures highly professional standards and extreme competence in arbitration proceedings” “He is very well equipped to handle the stress of clients and explores alternative solutions to produce satisfying outcomes” “Mr Marzolini is highly structured and organised in his approach to arbitration matters” (Who’s Who Legal: Arbitration 2023).

“Paolo Marzolini is an outstanding arbitration lawyer, very responsive, practical”; he “is very responsive and capable of giving strategic legal advice to increase the chances of success of the proceedings.  His practical judgement and litigation skills inspire confidence”; “I have been working with Paolo Marzolini for over a year and I can say that he is a very talented lawyer with unique skills.  He manages to propose and implement complex strategies with incredible attention to all details. He works very hard to make sure nothing is left to chance”; “Paolo Marzolini is an incredible professional, very competent and effective in negotiations” (Legal 500 2022).

Paolo Marzolini is “One of the best Swiss lawyers I have ever met” “He is very responsive and capable of giving strategic legal advice to increase the chances of success of the proceedings” “His practical judgement and advocacy skills inspire confidence” “He is very committed and highly active in the managing of the cases” (Who’s Who Legal: Arbitration 2022).

Paolo Marzolini “has a great legal mind and his attention to detail is remarkable”; he is “Very competent and professional”; he “is the most enthusiastic and driven colleague I have ever worked with.  He is very hardworking and responsive and has one of the sharpest minds in the business. Despite the highly demanding nature of the work, he is a joy to work with”; “We worked closely with Paolo Marzolini, who is brilliant, meticulous, very hard working and a pleasure to watch in action” (Legal 500 2021).

Paolo Marzolini “is meticulous and leaves no stone unturned”, “He has a very acute sense of strategy which always points the client in the right direction”, “Paolo shows dedication to his clients and an obsessive care for details”, “He has excellent strategic vision” (Who’s Who Legal: Arbitration 2021).

Paolo Marzolini “possesses vast experience in the field of arbitration.  He combines experience as counsel and as arbitrator” (Legal 500 2020).

Paolo Marzolini is a “‘thoughtful and meticulous’ lawyer who is applauded for his ‘very acute sense of strategy, which always points the client in the right direction’” (Who’s Who Legal: Arbitration Future Leaders 2020).

Paolo Marzolini is “‘super smart and outstanding’, and ‘very well known’ for his ‘strategic vision and broad legal knowledge’”(Who’s Who Legal: Switzerland – Arbitration 2020).

Paolo Marzolini is “efficient, competent and collaborative” (Legal 500 2019).

Paolo Marzolini is “highlighted for his ‘strong legal knowledge’ and ‘precise legal reasoning’. He wins high praise from sources one of whom notes, ‘He impressed me with his dedication to his client as well as his mastery of the facts and the law’” (Who’s Who Legal: Arbitration Future Leaders 2019).

“Paolo Marzolini has ‘a great sense of strategy’, say sources who consider him ‘one notch above most other practitioners’ in the arbitration space” (Who’s Who Legal: Switzerland – Arbitration 2019).

“Paolo Marzolini of Patocchi & Marzolini has strong experience acting as counsel on Swiss law-governed matters, as well as in other jurisdictions under ICC, UNCITRAL and WIPO rules. He represents clients in construction, IP, finance and M&A-related disputes.” (Chambers and Partners 2019).

Paolo Marzolini is “’definitely one to watch’ in the arbitration space. He possesses invaluable experience handling proceedings under various international rules including ICC, Swiss and UNCITRAL Rules” (Who’s Who Legal: Switzerland – Arbitration 2018).

Paolo Marzolini “impresses peers and clients alike with ‘his knowledge and outstanding mastery of the file. Market sources say they ‘would recommend him for all arbitration-related matters’” (Who’s Who Legal: Arbitration Future Leaders 2018).

Paolo Marzolini “impressed me for his dedication to the client and his capacity to leave no stone unturned in order to pursue the client’s interests.  I also appreciated and valued his strategic skills and his legal analysis” (Who’s Who Legal: Arbitration Future Leaders 2017).

“The ‘excellent’ Paolo Marzolini is extremely highly regarded by his peers. He acts as both counsel and arbitrator on a broad range of commercial cases” (Who’s Who Legal: Switzerland – Arbitration 2017).

Paolo Marzolini is “very thorough” (Legal 500 2017).

Paolo Marzolini is regarded as a ‘star’ in the field and is recognised for his ‘strategic’ and ‘practical’ approach to cases” (Who’s Who Legal: Switzerland – Arbitration 2016).

Ranked by Chambers and Partners 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019 as “Arbitration Counsel”.

Paolo Marzolini is “very diligent” (Legal 500 Europe, Middle East & Africa 2016).

Ranked by ExpertGuides in the Guide to the World’s Leading Experts in Commercial Arbitration (2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018).

English, Italian, French, Spanish