Currently based in Paris and Brussels, Michel is a native French speaker, with fluency in German and English and a good understanding of written and spoken Dutch. He also has a basic knowledge of Spanish.

Michel discovered mediation at the WIPO Arbitration & Mediation Center in Geneva where he was initially trained, then in New York City. Ultimately he trained in mediation at the world-renowned Harvard Law School.

Although Michel has been appointed as a mediator in about 100 cases, he is also active in the field of international arbitration. Michel has worked for investors in several countries including Ukraine ( Lvov, Kiev ) and Portugal (Madeira) and has good contacts in the US and Japan. As a student , he worked for several years in India and South East Asia.

Michel began his career working as a Belgian lawyer for a major German lawfirm , Walter Esser und Partner, in Germany (Aachen), where he practised law for 15 years in the fields of commercial law (contract law), construction , banking, corporate law, transportation, distributorship, IP, real estate and torts. He mainly advised German clients, including banks, insurance companies and manufacturing companies of various sizes.
Meanwhile he developed his own practice in Belgium and later joined the well known law firm Lallemand & Legros in Brussels. Michel also passed the French Bar exam and subsequently joined the Paris Bar.

Michel is also trained in conducting examinations and cross-examinations.

Since 2008 Michel teaches commercial mediation at the HEC-Managing School of the University of Liege and at the national lawyers’ academy.

Chairman of the arbitral tribunal in a dispute related to the extension of a hydro-electric power plant (public/private investment). German DIS Rules applicable.

Chairman of the arbitral tribunal in a French post M&A and technology transfer dispute.

Chairman of the arbitral tribunal in a Flemish-German transport dispute.

ICC-appointed sole arbitrator in a  dispute involving French-German delivery & assemblage of a manufacturing plant.

CEPANI-appointed arbitrator in a dispute involving a major French company investing in the construction of a commercial mall.

CEPANI-appointed arbitrator in a dispute involving a major multi-national food company and relating to a real estate issue.

CEPANI-appointed arbitrator in an IP dispute involving a racing pilot.

 

Chairman of an arbitral panel in a construction dispute.

Acting as mediator on cases including :

ICC mediation concerning a French-Middle East dispute regarding the distribution of industrial material.

ICC mediation involving Swiss and African corporations in a dispute regarding a road construction in Africa.

ICC mediation involving several European companies in a dispute concerning a major chemical plan’s expansion.

Mediation arising from a dispute between the main contractor and a subcontractor regarding the work on a nuclear plant.

Mediation arising from a dispute between lessor and entrepreneur over a building site machinery rental contact.

Mediation arising from a dispute among associates of an engineering study bureau.

Mediation arising from a dispute among shareholders of a significant real estate investor company.

Mediation arising from a dispute between a major bank and its client over the financing of real estate and building projects.

Mediation arising from a dispute between a design agency and a major bank over the intellectual property of the external arrangement of the bank’s network of agencies.

Mediation arising from a dispute between the State adminisitration and the owner of a countryside resort about alleged infringement (Court-appointed mediator).

Mediation arising from a dispute between associates of an electrical company about defective workmanship.

Mediation arising from a dispute between assignor and transferee of a major industrial painting company (Cepani-appointed mediator).

Mediation arising from a dispute involving a telecom company. (Cepani-appointed mediator).

And mediations arising from various disputes in the multiple fields including construction, M&A, distribution, contractual relationships, investment, transportation, IP, insurance, banking & finance (including criminal offenses), real estate & lease.

 

Education

Certificate in US Foreign Policy

University of North Carolina in Charlotte

Master Degree in Law with honors

State University of Liège – Belgium

Preparotory course for the admittance

examination in the law faculty

Albert-Ludwigs State University of Friburg-en-Brisgau
Germany

Post graduate course on EU Law

and Intellectual Property Law

State University of Liège – Belgium

Additionnal Education Related to mediation

Training Program on mediation in intellectual property disputes

WIPO – Geneva, Switzerland

Advanced workshop on mediation

WIPO – Geneva, Switzerland

Advanced workshop on mediation

WIPO (liaison office) – New-York, USA

Advanced workshop on mediation

Harvard Law School – Cambridge, USA

Education

1976

Certificate in US Foreign Policy

University of North Carolina in Charlotte

1979

Master Degree in Law with honors

State University of Liège – Belgium

1983

Preparotory course for the admittance examination in the law faculty

Albert-Ludwigs State University of Friburg-en-Brisgau
Germany 

1985

Post graduate course on EU Law and Intellectual Property Law

State University of Liège – Belgium

Formation complémentaire en médiation

1996

Training Program on mediation in intellectual property disputes

WIPO – Geneva, Switzerland

1997

Advanced workshop on mediation

WIPO – Geneva, Switzerland

1999

Advanced workshop on mediation

WIPO (liaison office) – New-York, USA

2001

Advanced workshop on mediation

Harvard Law School – Cambridge, USA

Occupations

Assistant researcher at the State University of Liège – Labor Law faculty

Substitute presiding judge at the Torts’ Court in Verviers

Elected Speaker for the Annual Bar Opening Ceremony

Chairman of the Young Bar Association

Member of the Bar Council of Verviers

Affiliations

Member of the panel of arbitrators and mediators of ICDR

AFA : French Arbitrators Association

CEPANI: Belgian Committe for National and Internation Arbitration & Mediation

CMAP: Center for Mediation & Arbitration at the Chamber of Commerce of Paris

DIS: The German Arbitration Institute (Pending)