Interview with: Dr. Axel Buhr, Partner

What do you see as the main points that differentiate Gabriel Arbitration from your competitors?

Gabriel Arbitration is a highly specialized boutique law firm: We focus on handling arbitration cases. Acting as counsel or arbitrators in arbitration proceedings is all we do, non-stop. This differentiates our firm from many full-service providers on the market.

This strong focus ensures that every lawyer of our law firm knows what he or she is doing, and is up to the task.

Which practices do you see growing in the next 12 months? What are the drivers behind that?

The pandemic put many companies in jeopardy. The war in Ukraine and the sanctions implemented in response to it are causing further economic disruption that will be difficult to manage for many businesses.

The economic downturn is likely to induce a considerable number of commercial disputes. It therefore appears safe to assume that the dispute resolution teams will not run out of cases any time soon.

We are here to assist clients navigating through these difficult times.

What’s the main change you’ve made in the firm that will benefit clients?

At Gabriel Arbitration, we believe it to be true that too many cooks spoil the broth. We prefer small teams with partners who know a case not only from a helicopter perspective but have their feet on the ground. In our experience, consistency is king, and much easier (and less expensive) to accomplish with a smaller team than with a dozen of lawyers.

That said, we will not be easily outnumbered. We have increased our headcount and will continue to do so in the future.

Is technology changing the way you interact with your clients, and the services you can provide them?

Since the pandemic, video calls have definitely become a standard communication tool, especially for the communication with our international clients who are spread around the globe. That said, video calls are also a staple for the communication between the arbitral tribunal and the parties during the proceedings, the conduct of case management conferences being a prime example.

Can you give us a practical example of how you have helped a client to add value to their business?

At the end of the day, being able to win a case for a client is the single most important test for any dispute resolution lawyer. We are happy to say that we have been able to so in most cases.

That said, making reliable assessments at the beginning of the journey about the likelihood to succeed is not less important for our clients.

Are clients looking for stability and strategic direction from their law firms – where do you see the firm in three years’ time?

Our clients are definitely looking for stability and strategic direction as far as the representation in an arbitration case is concerned. Stability is evidently an important factor for our clients: Arbitration proceedings are an endurance sport and have more in common with a marathon than a 100 meters sprint.

We strive to grow healthily during the next three years. Guaranteeing the high quality of work that our clients expect is a top priority for our law firm.