Michael Buisset
About Michael
Michael is a Partner in the Commodities team, and the head of HFW’s Geneva office, having previously worked in London and Singapore. He specialises in international litigation, arbitration and commercial contracts, with an emphasis on commodities and shipping.
As a native French and German speaker, Michael practices in English, French and German. He is qualified as an English solicitor as well as a French Avocat.
He has acted on behalf of clients in arbitrations in numerous jurisdictions, including London, Geneva, Zurich, Paris, Dubai, Singapore and Hong Kong. Michael has run hundreds of international arbitrations in the past 20 years under various rules (ICC, LCIA, Swiss Rules, LMAA, GAFTA, FOSFA, SIAC, SCMA, UNCITRAL and HKIAC) and subject to both civil and common law procedural and substantive laws.
As part of his commodities work, Michael advises commodity traders, producers, financiers and insurers on all aspects of their business, including international sale of goods, commodity trading contracts for most soft and hard commodities, transportation and letters of credit issues. He has particular experience of disputes involving grain and fertiliser cargoes as well as oil, mineral ores and coal shipments.
As part of his shipping work, Michael advises shipowners, charterers and P&I Clubs on all aspects of dry shipping litigation and arbitration, including charterparties, bills of lading, ship sale and purchase, marine insurance (hull, cargo and P&I) and contracts of affreightment.