"Gerold Zeiler … is a key name in the market who is lauded by sources as "one of the top counsel and arbitrators of his generation".Who is Who Legal 2020
Gerold Zeiler is partner with our firm and an expert in national and international dispute resolution, with a strong focus on international commercial arbitration and complex litigation.
Gerold has extensive experience representing clients and serving as an arbitrator in both commercial and investment arbitration forums – more than 200 at the last count and is a seasoned litigator before Austrian courts.
In 2018, the ICC World Council appointed Gerold as the Austrian member of the ICC Court. He is also listed on the panel of arbitrators of the Vienna International Arbitral Centre (VIAC), the Singapore International Arbitration Centre (SIAC), the Korean Commercial Arbitration Board (KCAB), the International Commercial Arbitration Court at the Ukrainian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Arbitration Court at the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Romania, the Indian Council of Arbitration, the Thailand Arbitration Center (THAC), the Shanghai Arbitration Commission (SHAC) and the Czech Arbitration Court.
A graduate of the University of Vienna (Mag.iur. 1988; Dr.iur. 1996) and the Washington University in St. Louis (LL.M. 2016), Gerold is a co-editor of the Austrian Yearbook on International Arbitration, a member of the Publications Board of the ABA Section of Dispute Resolution, a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (FCIArb) and a former president of the Austrian Arbitration Association (ArbAUT). His published work includes a comprehensive commentary on Austrian arbitration law (Schiedsverfahren, 2nd edition, 2014). He regularly speaks at international conferences and guest lectures a university course at Graz University.
Gerold works in English (fluent) and German (native), has a basic Italian and a reading Spanish.
Highlights of Gerold’s work include the following:
Representing a former board member of an Austrian international gambling company in the negotiations of his separation from the company.
Representation of a Korean luxury car dealer in a court proceedings against an Austrian supplier (Austrian courts).
Representation of a global leader in packaging and paper in a post M&A dispute regarding the purchase of an Asian company ( EUR 70 million, ICC/Singapore).
Representation of an Austrian construction company in arbitral proceedings against a large European engineering and construction group regarding damage claims arising from the construction of an industrial plant (EUR 15 million, ICC).
Representation of a Southern European state in an investment arbitration against a Slovenian investor regarding the privatisation of a power plant (EUR 720 million, ICSID).
Representation of a Central European construction company in court proceedings on disbursement of performance and advance payment guarantees (EUR 1.4 million, Austrian court).
Representation of a major European insurance group in arbitral proceedings against a major American insurance group regarding reinsurance claims arising from a global insurance programme (EUR 8 million, VIAC).
Representation of an European industry holding company in arbitral proceedings against an Asian industrial group regarding indemnity and warranty claims following an M&A transaction in the paint and coatings industry (EUR 7 million, ICC).
Interested in specific aspects of Gerold’s recent work? Contact vienna@zeilerfloydzad.com for further reference cases.
Professional Experience
Education
Zeiler (speaker), Words of Welcome, Annual MAA International Commercial Law & Arbitration Conference, 31.03.2023.
Zeiler (panelist), “Iura Novit Arbiter: Too Good to be True?”, Gabriel Arbitration Conference 2022, Zurich/Switzerland, 25.10.2022.
The media these days is full of speculations on the future of gas supplies to Europe in the wake of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Will gas continue to flow and what if one side turns off the taps? Discussions have recently been fueled by the infamous Ruble Decree as well as evolving EU sanctions law and the latest curtailments of flows to Poland and Bulgaria.
In our latest Disputes for Tea | Energy webinar, Gerold Zeiler, Lisa Beisteiner and the energy team give an overview of some of the underlying legal fundamentals to help you better grasp and navigate the fast-changing landscape. With this webinar we hope we can bring some clarity – at least on the basic questions of regulatory and contract law arising in the rapidly moving political and economic discourse.
Zeiler (editor), “Austrian Yearbook on International Arbitration 2022” co-edited with Christian Klausegger, Peter Klein, Florian Kremslehner, Alexander Petsche, Nikolaus Pitkowitz and Irene Welser, January 2022.
Zeiler (speaker), discussion on “Die Besonderheiten der Beweisaufnahme in internationalen Schiedsverfahren”, University of Innsbruck arbitration event, 09.12.2021.
Hosted by Gerold Zeiler and Lisa Beisteiner.
Thursday, 12 May 2022
16:00 CET / 10:00 EST
“False Friends in Arbitration: A Transatlantic Comparison of Arbitrability”
Arbitrability and competence-competence are fundamental cornerstones of international arbitration. Yet, the meaning and application of these principles differs quite significantly across the Atlantic. Our team has experienced this first hand in cases worldwide across many sectors – from shipping to energy to construction.
Join us on May 20 for a comparative deconstruction of some of the basic rules applying at the intersection of state courts and arbitral tribunals with University of Innsbruck Professor Hubertus Schumacher and our New York partner Edward Floyd, moderated by Gerold Zeiler
Thursday, 20 May 2021
15:00 Central European Time / 09:00 Eastern Standard Time
Congratulations to our Gerold Zeiler for being ranked #1 arbitration lawyer in Austria, and to our Hans Georg Laimer for being ranked a leading employment lawyer by trend magazine!
We are proud to be ranked by the Legal 500 once again for our work in Arbitration and in Employment!
We are delighted to have all of our Vienna partners ranked in the 2021 edition of Chambers Europe!
We’d like to thank all of our wonderful colleagues and clients who recommended us both as a firm and as individuals to be included in the Chambers and Partners Global 2021 Guide.
We are thankful to our clients and peers who chose Gerold Zeiler as a Thought Leader in Litigation (2021) for Who’s Who Legal. Your support is much appreciated!
We are exicted to have been recognized by Who’s Who Legal 2021!
We are delighted to have multiple partners of ours ranked by Best Lawyers 2021 across a variety of categories.