Dear YAAP Members and Friends,
We hope you had an exciting and adventurous summer. In this issue of our newsletter, we have plenty of updates and upcoming events to share with you.
First of all, we are thrilled to introduce the latest additions to our YAAP Advisory Board:
Sonja Otenhajmer (Partner at CMS),
Stephanie Rohmann (Associate at Baker McKenzie), and
Alexander Zollner (Counsel at Wolf Theiss). They come with diverse backgrounds and extensive experience in international arbitration, bringing fresh perspectives to YAAP. They are already working hard behind the scenes on future YAAP events and initiatives. Welcome Sonja, Stephanie, and Alexander!
We would like to use this opportunity to say a big
THANK YOU to our departing YAAP Advisory Board Members Lisa Beisteiner (Partner at ZFZ), Filip Boras (Partner at Baker McKenzie) and Niamh Leinwather (VIAC Secretary General). Their contributions to YAAP over the last few years have been invaluable. They have brought not only a wealth of expertise but also a lot of fun, passion and commitment to YAAP. We celebrated Lisa, Filip and Niamh at our last YAAP Roundtable. Check out some photos from the event below, where you can also find more information about other upcoming and past YAAP events.
*** UPCOMING YAAP EVENTS ***
20 September 2023: YAAP Roundtable – “Is Your Investment Clean?”
At our YAAP Roundtable next week, Katherine Khan (Freshfields, Vienna) and Samuel Trujillo (Freshfields, Frankfurt) will be discussing whether the legality of the source of funds used for investments truly matters. While there is agreement that a party’s corrupt acts when making an investment should have repercussions, the debate intensifies when the lawfulness used to make the investments are brought into question. We hope that you join us for this interesting discussion and look forward to catching up with you again after the summer break!
Date: Wednesday, 20 September 2023, 7 pm
Venue: Café Korb, Brandstätte 7/9, 1010 Wien
Registration: Please RSVP on the
YAAP Website
8 November 2023: YRAP-VIAC-YAAP Annual Conference – “New Horizons in Construction Arbitration”
Save the date for the second edition of our joint event with our friends from the Young Romanian Arbitration Practitioners (YRAP) and the Vienna International Arbitral Centre (VIAC) in Bucharest, Romania. This year’s event explores how international arbitration can best contribute to the efficient resolution of construction disputes in view of the current realities and emerging trends. Stay tuned for more information on the program and speakers.
Date: Wednesday, 8 November 2023
Venue: Bucharest, Romania
Registration: Details will follow soon.
30 November 2023: Below40-event at the occasion of the Vierländerkonferenz
A premiere: For the first time, YAAP, DIS40, ASAbelow40 and colleagues from Liechtenstein are organising a below40-event at the occasion of the annual Vierländerkonferenz, which is taking place on 1 December 2023. The below40-event is kindly hosted and supported by the WU Vienna. More information about the program and speakers will follow shortly.
Date: Thursday, 30 November 2023, 3.30 pm
Venue: Sky Lounge of WU Vienna, Welthandelsplatz 1, 1020 Wien
Registration: Details will follow soon.
*** EVENTS SUPPORTED BY YAAP ***
3 November 2023: Testifying Crossroads – Comparing Witness Examination in the U.S., Austria and International Arbitration
Mark your calendars for an interesting event supported by YAAP: a comparative law panel discussion on witness examination in the US, Austria and international arbitration. The panel discussion will be followed by a reception. More information about the program and speakers will follow shortly.
Date: Friday, 3 November 2023, 6 pm
Venue: Juridicum, Schottenbastei 10-16, 1010 Wien, Dachgeschoss
Registration: Details will follow soon.
*** PAST YAAP EVENTS ***
15 June 2023: “All-Star” YAAP Roundtable & Drinks
We enjoyed spending a wonderful summer evening with many of you at our last YAAP Roundtable at Heuer in Vienna. It was a very special occasion for us as we put the spotlight on our departing YAAP Advisory Board Members Lisa Beisteiner (Partner at ZFZ), Filip Boras (Partner at Baker McKenzie) and Niamh Leinwather (VIAC Secretary General). Lisa, Filip and Niamh discussed their personal journey to becoming successful arbitration practitioners and, most importantly, we took the opportunity to spend this wonderful evening in great company of friends and colleagues.
13-15 July 2023: Summer Retreat - Embracing Change
We are pleased to report that the 5th edition of our Summer Retreat, which took place from 13-15 July 2023 in Vienna, was an outstanding success. This year's theme was "Change," and the event lived up to its promise by offering a transformative experience for all attendees.
Who Was There?
The retreat was aimed at arbitration practitioners under 40, including attorneys, arbitrators, in-house counsel, and academics. We were thrilled to host a diverse group of professionals from around the world.
Focused Sessions on Change
The retreat was structured around interactive modules that delved into the complexities of change:
- Involving People in Change: Eytan Gellis led this session, focusing on how to engage teams and stakeholders in the change process.
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Overcoming Opposition to Change: Henrik Wehrs provided strategies for navigating resistance to change, whether it comes from within an organisation or from clients.
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Legal Design Workshop: Anna Balmes offered a hands-on workshop on how legal design thinking can be a catalyst for change in the way we approach legal services and arbitration.
Networking and Relationship Building
The relaxed setting of Hotel Schloss Wilhelminenberg was perfect for networking, allowing attendees to strengthen existing relationships and make new friends.
Highlights of the Event
- Welcome Reception: The retreat began with a casual welcome reception at Heuer, Karlsplatz, setting the tone for the interactive sessions that followed.
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Interactive Workshops: The workshops were the core of the retreat, providing actionable insights and tools for embracing change in professional settings.
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Group Discussions: These allowed for a more intimate exchange of ideas and experiences, adding depth to the workshop themes.
Check out photos of the event here:
https://www.arbitrationsummerretreat.com/gallery
Participant Feedback
The feedback has been overwhelmingly positive, with attendees particularly appreciating the practical, hands-on approach to managing change in their professional lives.
What's Next?
We are already in the planning stages for next year's retreat and look forward to building on the success of this year's event. Save the date for 11-13 July 2024. The location will be announced soon!
Thank you to everyone who participated and contributed to making this year's retreat a memorable experience.
Best regards,
Ulrich & Yoanna (YAAP Co-Chairs)
