Medici is proud to announce that its partners have been recognised in the Lexology Index 2026 – Arbitration.

This recognition highlights the expertise and dedication of our team in international arbitration and reinforces our commitment to excellence and fairness in dispute resolution.

We are sincerely grateful to our loyal clients and peers for their constant support.

A big thank you to the entire team for its remarkable efforts, dedication, and enthusiasm.

The 45th ICC Institute of World Business Law Conference, held in Paris on 14 November 2025, has just concluded after a highly engaging edition that brought together leading practitioners, academics, and experts from across the international arbitration community. This year’s theme, “Monetary Remedies in International Arbitration,” offered a rich platform for substantive and forward-looking exchanges.

As part of this program, Caroline Duclercq, partner of Medici, contributed to one of the conference’s key sessions: Panel: “The Devil in the Detail”: she participated in this in-depth discussion alongside Sirshar Qureshi, focusing on two frequently underestimated components of arbitral awards: the arbitration costs and interest, and the evolving approaches adopted across different jurisdictions.

The session was co-chaired by Chié Nakahara and Michael Polkinghorne, who steered the debate with their recognised expertise and added valuable perspective to the conversation.

This year’s conference once again demonstrated the ICC Institute’s central role in shaping contemporary arbitral thought and fostering high-level dialogue among practitioners worldwide.

Medici is proud to contribute to these important discussions and to support ongoing reflection on key issues in international dispute resolution.

Medici Law Firm is pleased to share its recent contribution, published by the Centre de Médiation et d'Arbitrage de Paris (CMAP), focusing on one of the most crucial phases of the arbitral process: the enforcement of arbitral awards.

In this article, From Award to Enforcement: Mastering the Endgame, Caroline Duclercq, Partner and CMAP-accredited arbitrator, and Valérie Kasparian, Associate, outline the five key reflexes that help anticipate obstacles and maximise the chances of successful recovery.

The 5 Essential Reflexes

• Assessing the debtor’s solvency before initiating the arbitration
• Formulating precise and “enforceable” claims
• Reviewing the content of the award
• Seeking enforcement without delay
• Securing the service of the award and promptly initiating enforcement measures

This concise guide aims to assist practitioners facing this decisive stage for the first time.

Read the full article: https://lnkd.in/e7k6gzqi

Dubai Arbitration Week 2025 has come to an end after a particularly successful edition that gathered several thousand participants and reaffirmed Dubai’s position as a leading global center for international arbitration.

As part of this week-long program, Caroline Duclercq, partner at Medici, contributed to two flagship events:

• GAR Live Great Debate

• Caroline Duclercq took part in an Oxford Union-style debate on the motion: “This House believes that standardized PO1s and other procedural documents constitute bad case management techniques.”
• Together with Paul Blakeway (FCIArb), she presented arguments in support of the motion, engaging with Soraya Corm-Bakhos (FCIArb) and Tariq Baloch (KC) before a distinguished panel: Karim Nassif, Fatima Balfaqeeh (FCIArb C.Arb, MRICS, FCIPS), and Seung Wha Chang.

• Battle of the Seats of Arbitration

• In this interactive session, organized by Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP, Paris Place d'Arbitrage, and Delos Dispute Resolution, and gathering practitioners from Abu Dhabi, Delhi, Dubai, London, Paris, and Riyadh, Caroline Duclercq had the opportunity to advocate for Paris as the leading international arbitration seat.
• Her position gained strong support from both the audience and the panel, during an engaging exchange with experts including Sara Koleilat-Aranjo, Hafez Virjee, Alexander G. Leventhal, Saeed Al-Qahtani, Marion Smith KC, and Gourab Banerji.
• These contributions illustrate Medici’s continued involvement in high-level international arbitration events and the firm’s commitment to promoting excellence in dispute resolution.

Over two days, Kolwezi hosted high-level discussions on a topic that is both sensitive and strategic: extractive investments in conflict zones. This complex issue, at the intersection of international law, economic interests, public policy, and societal expectations, prompted in-depth reflection on the legal frameworks and practices to be adopted in such contexts.

Within this framework, Caroline Duclercq, partner at Medici, spoke on October 10 2025 during the panel dedicated to State responsibility, focusing specifically on the contractual liability of States. Her intervention shed light on the legal challenges faced by investors and public authorities operating in fragile environments.

More broadly, the discussions converged around a shared conviction: environmental and social considerations must now be fully integrated into investment strategies and public decision-making, particularly in high-risk areas.

At the end of the conference, the contributions were compiled in the book “Securing Extractive Investments in Conflict Zones”, recently published.

The Medici firm contributed an article on State contractual liability in the extractive sector, authored by Caroline Duclercq in collaboration with Maria Mironova.

Medici is proud to announce that it has once again been recognized among the leading law firms in the Best Lawyers / Best Law Firms 2026 rankings:

• National Tier 1 – International Arbitration
• National Tier 1 – Arbitration & Mediation
• National Tier 1 – Litigation

These distinctions highlight the firm’s ongoing commitment to excellence, precision, and teamwork in managing complex arbitration and litigation matters, both in France and internationally.

A heartfelt thank you to the firm’s entire team, notably Valérie Kasparian, Maria Mironova, Eliza Seran, Chiraz Abid, and Anissa Abdelhadi, whose consistent professionalism and commitment reflect Medici’s enduring values of excellence and collaboration.

Medici is proud to announce that its partners Marie-Laure Bizeau, Valence Borgia and Caroline Duclercq have once again been recognized in the 2026 edition of The Best Lawyer in France for their high caliber work in the International Arbitration and Arbitration and Mediation categories.

Valence Borgia has also been ranked in the Litigation category, reflecting the breadth and depth of expertise within our team.

These distinctions are the result of the work of the entire Medici team, to whom we extend our warmest thanks. The firm would also like to warmly thank its clients and peers for their trust and recommendations.

Link to the ranking: Best Lawyers 2026.

Arbitration proceedings are a collective work, much like a symphony: just as the conductor and its musicians must perform in harmony, arbitrators and parties must collaborate seamlessly to ensure an efficient procedure and a well-reasoned award. At a ‘MARDis’ conference organised by the CMAP, the speakers shared valuable advice, best practices, and key reflexes to foster the smooth conduct of arbitration proceedings. They presented five key themes, each reflecting an essential quality in arbitration:

(1) Clarity, achieved by playing “Dolce”, with gentleness and precision;

(2) Comprehensiveness, achieved by playing “Tutti”, in a spirit of collegiality and comprehensive vision;

(3) Responsiveness, embodied by “Attaca”, a fluid sequence of steps;

(4) Adaptability, expressed through “Rubato”, with flexibility and nuance;

(5) Efficiency, found in “Allegro”, ensuring fluidity through harmonious cooperation between parties, counsel and arbitrators.

The conference is available online on the following link : https://youtu.be/awg5aISX0zA

Medici warmly thanks the CMAP and in particular Sophie Henry and Jad El Hage for their warm welcome and the organisation of this event!

As the firm celebrates its 5th anniversary, we are delighted to have once again been ranked for 2025:

• Excellent in the “International Arbitration” category
• Highly recommended in the categories “Commercial Litigation up to €100M”, “PPP contracts” and “Construction litigation”
• Recommended in the category “Advising and contracts (markets and construction)”.

We are also honored by the recognition of our partners as arbitrators:

• Marie-Laure Bizeau, Excellent in the “Dispute Resolution” category
• Valence Borgia & Caroline Duclercq, Highly recommended in the “Dispute Resolution” category.

This recognition underscores our commitment to providing our clients with rigorous support, responsiveness and robust expertise in handling the disputes, both in France and internationally.

We are sincerely grateful to our loyal clients and peers for their unwavering support.

Many thanks to the entire team for their remarkable efforts, dedication and enthusiasm.

To discover our rankings, click here : Medici Law - Leaders League, Marie-Laure Bizeau (Medici) - Leaders League, Valence Borgia (Medici) - Leaders League, Caroline Duclercq (Medici) - Leaders League

 18 months of work, 7 stakeholders, 3 time zones, €400,000,000 at stake: it sounds like a pitch for a TV series, but it is the daily reality of many major infrastructure and construction projects. Behind the scenes, a discreet player ensures that everything goes according to plan: the contract manager. 

What is contract management? ????

Contract management is a cross-functional practice at the intersection of contract law, project management and business strategy. In complex projects, where contracts can run to hundreds of pages and every clause can affect the schedule and the budget, it is crucial to have a clear, rigorous and proactive view of contract execution.

In practical terms, the contract manager supports the project from its inception: negotiating the initial contract and its amendments, managing risks, monitoring deadlines and duties, anticipating and resolving disputes, throughout the project and after its completion. 

Why is it so important in complex projects? ⚠️

Take the example of a hospital construction project: several companies, subcontractors, a public project owner, sensitive equipment to be integrated, a strict delivery deadline.... The slightest delay or disagreement can have considerable financial, logistical and reputational consequences. 

So why opt for a lawyer rather than a traditional project manager?

Because in this type of project, the law is omnipresent.

In this context, the contract manager lawyer:

• identifies, negotiates and drafts sensitive clauses (penalties, liabilities, guarantees, conditions precedent, etc.);
• helps to structure an effective internal procedure by coordinating the sales and operational teams to ensure compliance with contractual obligations;
• alerts the parties to legal risks or potential obstacles;
• prepares, from the outset, the case file for possible litigation or arbitration proceedings.

At Medici, with nearly 20 years of experience in France and internationally, we are involved in all these stages:

• Upstream, to secure contracts and anticipate risks;
• During the project, to support operational teams in the event of failures in the field, ensure legal compliance, and to advise on effective internal processes;
• In the event of a dispute, to defend the client's interests, favoring an amicable settlement, and in case of failure, we represent our clients before the courts or in arbitration, thanks to our in-depth knowledge of the case acquired during the project follow-up as contract manager.

Thus, the involvement of a contract manager lawyer during the project is a real strategic and economic lever for the client. A study by the IACCM (International Association for Contract and Commercial Management) reveals that poor contract management leads to a 9.2% loss in project revenue, which has a significant impact on profit margins.

In large projects, anticipation is always better than repair. A well-managed contract becomes a real asset for the company, while a poorly managed contract can incur significant costs. ????

For more information: Contract Management.

#Medici #Contractmanagement