Leonid Shmatenko

Leonid is admitted to practice in Switzerland, Germany, and (expected in 2025) England & Wales. He has more than 10 years of extensive experience advising corporations, sovereign states, private equity and venture capital funds, and high-net-worth individuals on resolving complex disputes. His expertise spans commercial and investment arbitration, data protection, and regulatory matters, with a particular focus on sectors including energy, construction, post-M&A, gaming, sports, and esports. Leonid represents clients in both state-court litigation and international arbitration, including ICSID, ICC, SAC, SIAC, DIS and ad hoc proceedings. He has acted as counsel, arbitrator, and secretary of the Tribunal in high-stakes cases across Europe, Asia, and beyond. Leonid has a notable track record in international disputes, including the representation of European energy companies in high-value gas pricing disputes, and advising states and investors in investor-State arbitrations. He also has significant experience in sports arbitrations, currently serving as a judge of the Swiss Sports Tribunal. Leonid is currently a Ph.D. candidate in Public International Law at Heinrich-Heine-University Düsseldorf and is completing his LL.M. studies at the Instituto Superior de Derecho y Economía (ISDE) in Madrid. Leonid is regularly lecturing at prominent institutions such as the University of Hagen and Yaroslav Mudryi National Law University. He is also one of the founders of the NGO “United for Ukraine,” which was shortlisted for the Financial Times Innovative Lawyers’ Award in 2023 in the category of “Legal Department: Innovation in Operational Efficiency,” recognizing its exceptional work in this area. Leonid is also a founding member to various esports initiatives and legal advisor to esports clubs and federations. Leonid has been consistently recognized as a rising star in the legal field, being listed among the Who’s Who Legal (WWL) Future Leaders in Arbitration and recommended by Legal500 for his expertise in international arbitration, dispute resolution, and esports arbitrations.