Karl Pörnbacher heads the firm’s international arbitration team in Germany. Together with his multinational team of over 20 experienced international arbitration lawyers, he has represented clients in more than 100 international and domestic arbitrations as counsel. He has further been appointed as an arbitrator in more than 50 cases, both as chairman/sole arbitrator and co-arbitrator. Karl is an expert in alternative dispute resolution, with broad experience in the structuring and conduct of alternative dispute resolution proceedings.

His experience includes disputes related to energy (gas, oil, renewables with a focus on off-shore wind), construction and infrastructure projects, supply-chain disputes in the aeronautic, life science and automotive industry and post-M&A disputes. Karl and his team have experience in arbitration proceedings under a variety of rules, including the ICC, LCIA, ICDR, AAA, SICAC, VIAC, Danish Chamber of Commerce, Polish Chamber of Commerce, DIS and Swiss Rules, as well as in ad-hoc proceedings. He also represents clients in mediations, dispute board proceedings and adjudications.

One of his focus areas are disputes relating to South/Eastern Europe and the Caucasus region.

Karl is a member of the Advisory Boards of VIAC and he serves as Chair of the Arbitration Court of the German-Polish Chamber of Commerce in Warsaw. He is a member of the scientific advisory board of the MuCDR (Munich Center for Dispute Resolution) and the BayCDMA (Bayreuth Center for Dispute Resolution, Mediation and Arbitration). He teaches arbitration at the University of Bayreuth.

Karl is fluent in English, French, Polish and German.