Commercial speakers

Michael Polkinghorne is a Franco-Australian dual-qualified lawyer, resident in Paris where he heads White & Case's Paris arbitration group and is co-leader of the office's pro bono practice. He is a recognised specialist in the energy sector and has served as counsel and arbitrator in arbitrations conducted under most major institutional rules. He is the former Australian member of the International Court of Arbitration of the ICC, and is a council member of the ICC Institute (and was also a member of the ICC Task Force on arbitrations involving state entities). He has in recent years been involved in a number of mediations, notably in the industrial gas sector, and has served in over two dozen cases as arbitrator (sole, party-appointed or chair), predominantly in the energy sector, under the ICC, LCIA, SCC, Bahrain CDR, FAI, Thai MoJ and UNCITRAL rules. He has also testified as expert witness on international best energy practices.

Michael is also a member of the panel of arbitrators of the BVI International Arbitration Centre, eBRAM (Panel of Arbitrators, Mediators and APEC Neutrals), the Asian International Arbitration Centre, OHADA, and the Korean Commercial Arbitration Board. He has recently been included on the Global Arbitrators and Counsel Lists of the Office of the Ombudsman for United Nations Funds and Programmes.

Michael has a significant transactional practice, advising clients in the energy and infrastructure development fields. He has advised a number of petroleum clients on projects in South East Asia, the Russian Federation, India, China and West and North Africa.
Admitted to practice in both common and civil law jurisdictions, Michael is a member of the Legal Advisory Taskforce of the European Energy Charter Secretariat. He has written extensively on energy dispute resolution and foreign investment, and provides courses on long-term energy contracts and dispute resolution. He has taught at the Paris Bar School and several business schools.