Shirin Saif
Shirin Saif is a Dispute Resolution Partner in Stockholm. She is an experienced commercial arbitration practitioner and litigator and her primary focus is international disputes involving complex technologies. Shirin has acted as counsel in telecommunications, construction and infrastructure, pharmaceuticals, product liability, IT, oil and gas, post-M&A, and various other commercial disputes before numerous judicial and arbitral bodies in Sweden and abroad. She also has significant experience as counsel in investment treaty arbitrations. Along with acting as counsel, Shirin also acts as an arbitrator and administrative secretary. She holds a Swedish LL.M. degree from Uppsala University and a U.S. LL.M. degree from UCLA.
Shirin is recognized within Dispute Resolution in Sweden by international legal directories, such as Chambers Global/Europe, The Legal 500, Who’s Who Legal and Benchmark Litigation. Shirin is also recognized as a future leader in arbitration by Who’s Who Legal (Who’s Who Legal: Future Leaders – Arbitration 2023) as well as a national leader in Sweden (Who’s Who Legal: National Leader in Arbitration 2023).
According to clients, Shirin is “brilliant, has a great command of the law and is a pleasure to work with” (The Legal 500, 2022). She is “top quality – bright, tenacious and a great team player”, “very responsive and user-friendly” (The Legal 500, 2023). She is further described as “exceptional” (The Legal 500, 2023), “excellent to work with”, “always available, proactive and up to speed with all the matters she handles” (Chambers Global, 2023) as well as “outstanding and highly able with good judgement” with her “strong analytical abilities” (The Legal 500, 2021).
Clients also comment that she “stands out for her commitment to the case” (The Legal 500, 2022) praising that “she will leave no stones unturned and is fully committed and commercially oriented” (Chambers Global, 2023).
Also, according to clients, Shirin is a “fierce arbitration practitioner” who “always exceeds client expectations in commercial and investment arbitration” (Who’s Who Legal, 2022).
Shirin Saif’s experience includes advising:
- The Kingdom of Sweden in a BIT claim against Sweden brought by an Australian investor in the mining industry;
- A Russian state-owned gas company in several multi-billion dollar SCC arbitrations against a Ukrainian state-owned company concerning the supply to, and transit of natural gas through, Ukraine;
- A Middle-Eastern state against a contractor in a USD 450 million construction dispute under the UNCITRAL Rules;
- A global investment company in a SEK 400 million dispute against the seller of shares in a target company;
- A global transportation company against the Swedish subcontractor in an infrastructure dispute under the SCC Rules;
- A Russian investor in two separate investment treaty disputes against two European countries;
- An American Private Equity company in a SEK 300 million dispute against the seller of a target company;
- A world-leading oil and gas company against an energy provider in challenge proceedings before the Court of Appeal concerning an underlying dispute valued at USD 250 million;
- A commercial satellite company in an UNCITRAL arbitration against a CIS space company regarding a satellite launch services agreement;
- A leading company in the wine and spirits industry against the Swedish state-owned alcohol sales monopoly Systembolaget in challenge proceedings in both the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court.
Roschier (2016-), Senior Associate (2016-2020), Partner since 2020
Mannheimer Swartling Advokatbyrå, Senior Associate in Stockholm and Moscow (2012-2016)
Danowsky & Partners, Associate (2009-2010)
Member of the Executive Committee of the Swedish Arbitration Association
Member of the Swedish Bar Association
Member of the IBA Investment Arbitration Sub-committee
Member of the Young Arbitrators Sweden (YAS)
Member of the Swedish Arbitration Association
Member of the Young Arbitrators Forum of the International Chamber of Commerce
Member of the ICDR Young and Professional
University of California, Los Angeles, LL.M. (2011)
Uppsala University, LL.M. (2009)
English, Swedish, Farsi
Top quality – bright, tenacious and a great team player, very responsive and user-friendly.
The Legal 500