Counsel services

Flexible, focused expertise for case-driven needs

Through Thieffry Dispute Resolution, Vanessa Thieffry offers targeted, ad hoc counsel services for clients who need focused expertise without engaging a full-service firm. Her practice is built around flexibility: one-off strategic advice at a critical procedural juncture, reinforcement when in-house or external teams face resource constraints, or specialist construction input on discrete issues.

This model suits legal departments and law firms seeking rapid, case-specific support rather than on-going representation. Her arbitrator experience sharpens her counsel work. She understands how tribunals assess evidence and weigh arguments, and applies that perspective to every mandate, however limited in scope.

Targeted advisory services for every stage of construction disputes

Thieffry Dispute Resolution provides four categories of targeted advisory services:

  • Co-counseling: she supports lead counsel teams in arbitration proceedings, contributing procedural strategy, drafting, and construction-specific expertise;
  • Claims preparation: she assists clients and advisors in structuring delay, disruption, and quantum claims for clarity and persuasive impact;
  • Claims and dispute management: she advises on dispute strategy during project execution, helping to resolve issues before they escalate to formal proceedigns;
  • Dispute boards and adjudication: she advises and represents clients before DABs, DRBs, and adjudication panels under FIDIC, NEC, or other contractual frameworks.

Each engagement is scoped to the client’s precise requirements, with fees structured to reflect the defined scope and maintain proportionality.

Selected experience

Dispute board | ICC Emergency Arbitration | ICC Arbitration | Energy | Infrastructure

Acted for two consortia in adjudication proceedings (dispute board), followed by ICC emergency proceedings and substantive arbitration in a dispute arising out of a contract for the construction of a dam in an African State. Contract type: FIDIC Yellow Book. Language: French. Applicable law: French law. Seat: Paris, France.

Adjudication | ICC Arbitration | Energy | Infrastructure | Nuclear

Acted for a state-owned French contractor in numerous adjudication proceedings and ICC arbitration arising out of a contract for the maintenance and rehabilitation of a nuclear power plant. Contract type: NEC3 EPC. Language: English. Seat: London, United Kingdom.

ICC Arbitration | Energy | Infrastructure | Nuclear

Acted for state-owned French contractors in two ICC arbitration proceedings concerning the design and project management of nuclear power plants in France. Contract type: multiple beskope contracts. Language: French. Seat: Paris, France.

ICC Arbitration | Oil&Gas | Commercial

Advised a provider of helicopter services in a commercial dispute relating to services to an offshore oil platform in Europe. Contract type: bespoke. Language: English. Applicable law: French law. Seat: Paris, France.

ICC Arbitration | Joint Venture

Co-counsel in an arbitration arising out of a joint-venture agreement in the context of a cartel between American and Japanese parties. Language: English. Applicable law: Law of an American State. Seat: Paris, France.

ICC Arbitration | Construction | Oil&Gas

Advised a subcontractor in a dispute arising out of an ad hoc contract for the rehabilitation and construction of pipelines between Lebanese and British parties. Language: English. Applicable law: UAE law. Seat: Dubai, UAE.

ADCCAC Arbitration | Construction

Advised a contractor in a dispute arising out of a design and build contract for an aluminum plant between Lebanese and UAE parties. Language: English. Applicable law: UAE law. Seat: Abu Dhabi, UAE.

ICC Arbitration | Commercial

Advised an investor in an arbitration arising out of share purchase and joint venture agreements between Lebanese, Romanian and Irish parties.

ICC Arbitration | Hospitality

Advised a manager in a dispute arising out of hotel management agreements between Moroccan and Swiss parties. Applicable law: French law. Seat: Paris, France.

Enforcement proceedings

Advised a beetroot producer in the enforcement strategy in France of an ICC arbitration award.

DIFC Court | Commercial

Advised a client in DIFC Court proceedings bringing claims for conspiracy, inducement to breach contract, and misuse of confidential information.

Ad hoc Arbitration | Construction | PPP | Domestic arbitration

Advised a contractor in a French domestic arbitration arising out of an ad hoc construction subcontract in the context of a public-private partnership for works in a student hospital. Language: French. Applicable law: French law. Seat: Etampes, France.

FNTP Arbitration | Construction | Domestic arbitration | Ex aequo et bono

Advised a co-contractor in a dispute arising out of a consortium agreement between French parties. Language: French. Applicable law: French law. Seat: Paris, France.

Dispute management | Technology | Construction

Advised a market leader in the information technology sector on a dispute with a supplier arising out of the construction of a data centre.