Giulio Palermo is an arbitration specialist qualified in Switzerland, Italy and Spain.
Over the past 15 years, Giulio has been involved in over 50 international arbitrations (out of which more than 20 as arbitrator and more than 30 as counsel) in English, Spanish, Italian and French administered by all major institutions (e.g. International Court of Arbitration, Court of Arbitration for Sport, Swiss Chambers’ Arbitration Institution, Corte de Arbitraje de Madrid, London Court of International Arbitration, Milan Chamber of Arbitration, etc.), in matters including transnational sales contracts, construction, shareholders’ agreements, agency, distribution and license agreements, joint ventures, post M&A disputes, sport etc.
In 2023, he has been ranked among the 40 best lawyers (worldwide) in the category Global Elite Thought Leader – Under 45 by Who’s Who Legal. In 2020, he was voted as the most highly regarded arbitration practitioner in Europe by Who’s Who Future Leaders. Clients and peers single him out as “an excellent lawyer with unquestionable advocacy skills” who “tackles complex issues with ease and is a pleasure to work with” and who “has a sharp intellect and is incredibly quick at resolving issues as they arise”.
Giulio is a CEDR-accredited mediator and advises clients on contractual matters, pre-arbitration/litigation assessments, negotiations and mediations.
He is also deeply involved in sports disputes, with a special focus on disciplinary matters. In particular, he is an arbitrator of the Court of Arbitration for Sport and a member of the Sport Resolutions’ International Panel of Arbitrators and Mediators. Moreover, in his role as UEFA Ethics and Disciplinary Inspector, he represents UEFA in proceedings before the latter’s internal disciplinary and appeal bodies.
He is an active member of several professional associations (e.g. President of the Swiss Chapter of the Club Español e Iberoamericano del Arbitraje and Member of the Plenary of the Madrid International Arbitration Centre).
Before joining Archipel, Giulio practiced arbitration in Geneva with Lalive, in Madrid with Juan Fernández-Armesto and in Paris with the ICC International Court of Arbitration. He initially trained with Barbera & Associati in Rome practising domestic and cross border commercial litigation.
He holds an LL.M in International Commercial Arbitration from Stockholm University and an LL.M in International Business Law from the Instituto de Empresa Law School in Madrid.
An arbitration powerhouse.
Clients love Giulio Palermo.
An excellent lawyer with unquestionable advocacy skills [who] tackles complex issues with ease and is a pleasure to work with.
Practice areas
- International arbitration
- Sports law
- International contracts
Recent arbitrator appointments
- President in proceedings under the ICC Rules between a Spanish entity and a Romanian state-owned entity, concerning construction activities (seat: Paris / applicable substantive law(s): Romanian law)
- Sole arbitrator in proceedings under the ICC Rules between Spanish and Vietnamese individuals and entities, concerning certain M&A deals (seat: Valencia / applicable substantive law(s): Spanish law)
- Co-arbitrator in proceedings under the Arbitration Rules of the Milan Chamber of Arbitration between Belgian, UK and Italian entities, concerning certain M&A deals and IP rights (seat: Milan / applicable substantive law(s): Italian law)
- Sole arbitrator in proceedings before the Corte de Arbitraje de Madrid between a Swiss and a Spanish entity, concerning a distribution agreement (seat: Madrid / applicable substantive law(s): Spanish law)
- Co-arbitrator in proceedings under the SCC Rules between a Russian and an Italian entity, concerning a supply contract (seat: Stockholm / applicable substantive law(s): CISG and Swedish law)
- Sole arbitrator in proceedings under the Swiss Rules between Italian individuals and entities, concerning a share purchase agreement and a bank guarantee (seat: Geneva / applicable substantive law(s): Swiss law and Panamanian law)
- Sole arbitrator in proceedings under the ICC Rules between a German entity and several Mozambican entities, concerning sales of goods and compliance with a settlement agreement (seat: Zurich / applicable substantive law(s): Swiss law and Mozambican law)
- Sole arbitrator in proceedings before the Corte de Arbitraje de Madrid between Spanish and Brazilian entities, concerning an agent’s fees under a sports contract (seat: Madrid / applicable substantive law(s): Spanish law)
- Sole arbitrator in proceedings under the Swiss Rules between several Italian individuals, concerning issues of inheritance (seat: Geneva / applicable substantive law(s): Italian law)
- Sole arbitrator in proceedings under the aegis of the European Arbitration Association between Spanish, US and Russian entities, concerning a franchise agreement (seat: Madrid / applicable substantive law(s): Spanish law and Russian law)
Recent counsel work
- Counsel of two North American companies in a multi-party ICC arbitration related to the exploitation of natural resources in Africa
- Counsel of a top-level athlete in a CAS arbitration related to the interpretation of a cooperation agreement through which the athlete provisionally obtained the most significant reduction of suspension in the history of athletics
- Counsel of a European sovereign state in an ad hoc arbitration against another European state and a European state-owned company
- Led an investigation into alleged breaches of the UEFA Disciplinary Regulations by several officials and a club competing in the UEFA Europa League
- Counsel of an Italian company in a multi-party ICC arbitration related to construction and engineering contracts
- Counsel of an Italian company in an ICC arbitration related to the construction of foundry machinery
- Counsel of a Swiss/ Albanian football player in a CAS arbitration overturning a FIFA decision related to a change of football nationality
- Counsel of Europe’s largest producer of fertilizers in an ICC arbitration related to a contract for the supply of specialised mining equipment
- Counsel of a Swiss company in an ICC mediation/arbitration related to licensing agreements in the food and beverage industry
- Counsel of an African football federation in a CAS arbitration against the Confederation of African Football
Professional affiliations
- Co-Founder of the Sports Arbitration Moot
- President of the Swiss Chapter of the Club Español e Iberoamericano del Arbitraje
- Member of the Plenary of the Madrid International Arbitration Centre
- Former President of the Italian Chapter of the Club Español e Iberoamericano del Arbitraje (2017-2020)
- Former Co-Chair of the Club Español e Iberoamericano del Arbitraje menos 40 (2017-2018)
- Former Co-Chair of the Italian Forum for Arbitration and ADR (2015-2016)
- Former Regional Representative of the Young Arbitrators Forum of ICC (2013-2016)
