Alexandra C. Johnson
Partner
Attorney at law, LL.M.
Cours de Rive 13
1204 Geneva
Switzerland
T +41 22 999 96 48
alexandra.johnson@pestalozzilaw.com
Alexandra Johnson is a partner and member of Pestalozzi's Litigation & Arbitration team in Geneva. She focuses on representing clients in international arbitrations and complex commercial disputes. She also frequently advises clients on Swiss contract law and represents parties in challenge proceedings against arbitral awards and in enforcement proceedings before Swiss courts. Besides her work as party counsel, Alexandra Johnson regularly sits as arbitrator under various arbitration rules.
Alexandra Johnson has more than 20 years of experience in international arbitration. She has acted as counsel and arbitrator (either as sole, party-appointed or presiding arbitrator) in numerous arbitration proceedings, both ad hoc and institutional (e.g., ICC, LCIA, Swiss Rules, CAS) and in various sectors such as energy, life sciences, construction and infrastructure projects, distribution and licensing, post-M&A and shareholders agreements, as well as sport-related disputes.
Alexandra Johnson also regularly appears before the Swiss Federal Supreme Court in challenge proceedings against arbitral awards, and is often retained to enforce arbitral awards in Switzerland. Alexandra Johnson is Vice-President of the Court of the Swiss Arbitration Centre. She is also Co-Chair of the Swiss Arbitration Association (ASA) Geneva Local Group, Head Lecturer and member of the Academic Council of the Swiss Arbitration Academy, as well as a member of the ICC Commission on Arbitration and ADR and member of the Advisory Board of the Jamaican International Arbitration Centre (JAIAC). She sits on the Board of Directors of the Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research Ltd. and of the LICR Fund, Inc. and is a director of the Swiss Arbitration Hub Ltd. Alexandra Johnson has been appointed Vice Chair of the International Bar Association’s Arbitration Committee for the 2024-2025 term.
She is listed on the panel of arbitrators of the AAA/ICDR, ADR, BVI IAC, CAS, CPR, EDAC, JAIAC, HKIAC, ICC Swiss Commission of Arbitration and SIAC. Some of the recent work highlights include:
- Represented an Indian conglomerate in a construction arbitration related to a large EPC oil field project in the Middle East.
- Represented a State-owned Company in a multi-billion ICC arbitration regarding an international gas sale contract and a gas price review dispute.
- Represented a major English investment company in setting aside proceedings before the Swiss Federal Supreme Court in the context of a multi-million shareholders' dispute.
- Represented B.V.I. and Luxembourg claimants in an ICC arbitration relating to a shareholders' agreement with parallel proceedings before English courts.
- Represented a US company in a Swiss Rules international arbitration concerning a license and distribution agreement in the pharmaceutical sector.
- Co-counsel in an ICC arbitration concerning an international gas sales contract and gas price review dispute.
- Co-arbitrator in an ICC arbitration regarding a dispute over a joint-venture in the oil sector.
- President of the Arbitral Tribunal in an ICC arbitration regarding a distribution agreement in the medical sector.
- Co-arbitrator in an ICC arbitration regarding a post-M&A dispute in the financial sector.
- President of the Arbitral Tribunal in an ICC arbitration regarding a construction project in Turkey.
- President of the Arbitral Tribunal in an ICC arbitration regarding an infrastructure project in Greece.
- President of the Arbitral Tribunal in a Swiss Rules arbitration regarding a shareholders' dispute.
- President of the Arbitral Tribunal in a Swiss Rules arbitration regarding a license and distribution agreement.
- Sole arbitrator in an ICC arbitration regarding a post-M&A dispute.
Alexandra Johnson is dual national Swiss and Jamaican. She graduated summa cum laude in 1997 from the Law School of the University of Neuchâtel and holds an LLM (2001) from Harvard Law School (Fulbright Scholar). She is admitted to the Geneva and New York bars.
Alexandra Johnson regularly speaks and writes on international arbitration topics and is highly recognized by leading legal directories. In particular, she is recommended by Chambers Global and Europe, Legal 500 and is listed as a Thought Leader Arbitration 2022 by Who's Who Legal. She received a Distinguished Service Award from the American Arbitration Association in 2010.
Some of the recent accolades include:
- "Exceptional responsiveness, unwavering client focus, and razor-sharp acumen." (The Legal 500, 2024)
- "She is very careful on the detail and is client-focused." (Chambers Global, 2023)
- "Alexandra is highly respected throughout the international arbitration community." (Who's Who Legal, 2023)
- "She is responsive and her advice is clear and on-point." (Who's Who Legal, 2023)
- "Incredibly strong." (Who's Who Legal Arbitration, 2022)
- "Stand-out name." (Who's Who Legal Arbitration, 2022)
- "Alexandra is a very prominent arbitration practitioner with a huge following." (Who's Who Legal, 2022)
- "She is an excellent arbitration lawyer." (Who's Who Legal, 2022)
- "Alexandra is very responsive and great to work with." (Who's Who Legal, 2022)
- "Alexandra Johnson is a very well-connected and knowledgeable arbitration lawyer with deep expertise as counsel and arbitrator in complicated disputes." (Who's Who Legal, 2022)
Career
- Partner at Pestalozzi
- Partner at a Swiss law firm
- Partner at a Swiss law firm
- Counsel at a Swiss law firm
- Senior Associate at a Swiss law firm
- Senior Associate at a Swiss law firm
- Associate at an international law firm, London
- Associate at an international law firm, New York
- Bar admission: New York (not practicing)
- Harvard Law School, LL.M. (Fulbright Scholar)
- Research Assistant at the Faculty of Law, University of Neuchâtel
- Bar admission: Switzerland
- Associate at a Swiss law firm
- Trainee at a Swiss law firm
- University of Neuchâtel: lic. iur. (summa cum laude)
Languages
French, English
Expertise & Industries
EnergyLife Sciences
Litigation & Arbitration
Restructuring & Insolvency
White-Collar Crime
Membership
- Swiss Bar Association (SAV)
- Vice-President of the Arbitration Court of the Swiss Arbitration Centre
- Co-Chair of the Swiss Arbitration Association (ASA) Geneva Local Group
- Vice-Chair of Arbitration Committee of International Bar Association
- Member of the ICC Commission on Arbitration and ADR
- Member of the ADR Commission of the Geneva Bar Association
- Head Lecturer and Member of the Academic Council of the Swiss Arbitration Academy (SAA)
- Member of the Advisory Board of the Jamaican International Arbitration Centre (JAIAC)
- Harvard European Law Association (HELA)
- London Court of International Arbitration (LCIA)
- Past Board Member of ArbitralWomen
- Past Board Member of ICDR Young & International