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Maria Polakova
Partner
Mária Poláková's primary practice focus is investor-state and commercial international and domestic litigation cases. Her experience includes drafting substantive and procedural submissions in arbitration proceedings under UNCITRAL and ICSID rules, and work on assessments of prospective claims.
Mária served as a co-chair of Young International Council for Commercial Arbitration (Young ICCA) in 2013 and 2014 and subsequently served as a member of the organization's advisory board. Young ICCA is a worldwide arbitration knowledge network for young arbitration practitioners that functions under the auspices of the International Council for Commercial Arbitration (ICCA).
Mária is also involved in the project Guide to Arbitration Places under the auspices of Delos, a new innovative arbitration institution established in Paris in 2014.
During her studies at Charles University, Mária won several awards, including for excellence and the Best Speaker Award at the Central and Eastern European Moot Court in EU Law, for which she was awarded a visit at the Chambers of Advocate General Eleanor Sharpston at the European Court of Justice in Luxembourg.
- Advising the Czech Republic in an investment arbitration case brought by the German investor ECE concerning alleged interference with a real estate development project. The client prevailed in all claims and was awarded the majority of costs.
- Advising the Czech Republic in a series of investment arbitration cases brought by investors in the sector of renewable energy.
- Advising the Slovak Republic in the ICSID arbitration brought by EuroGas (US) and Belmont Resources (Canada) in the mining sector. The Slovak Republic prevailed on jurisdictional grounds and investors' claims for over €239.7 million were dismissed.
- Advising the Slovak Republic in its second UNCITRAL investment arbitration against the Dutch health insurance company Achmea. The arbitral tribunal dismissed all claims at the jurisdictional stage and awarded the Slovak Republic most of its legal costs.
- Advising an Eastern European gas company in an ICC arbitration against its major gas supplier.
- A series of arbitration and court cases regarding a complex dispute between a US-based real estate investor and a former tenant.
- Advising an EU-based company in an international arbitration based on a supply contract.
- Assessing prospective claims of investors under the Energy Charter Treaty and bilateral investment treaties.
Education
- University of Cambridge, LL.M., 2009
- Charles University in Prague, LL.M., summa cum laude,, 2008
Admissions
- Czech Republic, 2013
Languages
- Slovak
- Czech
- English
- French
- Recommended in The Legal 500 Europe, Middle East & Africa 2016 in dispute resolution, Czech Republic
- Recommended in The Legal 500 EMEA 2016 Edition