Paul Klaas

Commercial arbitrator, dual-qualified as American lawyer and English barrister; faculty, University of Minnesota Law School and Harvard Law School (taught the international arbitration courses); offices in Minneapolis and London

Experience

Commercial arbitrator on AAA, ICDR, JAMS, LCIA, ICC, and other institutional, industry, and ad hoc arbitrations as chair of arbitral tribunal, member of arbitral tribunal, and sole arbitrator (2002 to present)

Work History

Principal, North Coast Arbitration Chambers, Minneapolis (as to matters within the US) +++ Arbitrator Member, Maitland Chambers, Lincoln’s Inn, London (as to matters outside the US) [7 Stone Buildings, London WC2A 3SZ, United Kingdom; +44 (0)20 7406 1200; pklaas@maitlandchambers.com] +++ Partner, Dorsey & Whitney, LLP and Dorsey & Whitney (Europe) LLP, practicing in Minneapolis and London. Served, in various years, as chair of Dorsey’s dispute resolution, international, intellectual property, and international arbitration practice groups and as the head of Dorsey’s London office. Lead counsel in hundreds of lawsuits and arbitrations (1977 – 2014) +++ Adjunct Professor of Law, University of Minnesota Law School (teaching international commercial arbitration) (Fall Terms 2013 – 2021) +++ Adjunct Professor/Senior Lecturer, Dartmouth College (teaching classical and legal rhetoric) (Winter Term 2012, Winter Term 2015) +++ Lecturer on Law, Harvard Law School (teaching international commercial arbitration) (Spring Term 2015)

Cases

Representative arbitrations include: Colchester Aviation and BV Airways v. The Government of the British Virgin Islands (International Centre for Dispute Resolution, Miami) (sole arbitrator of dispute between airline and government arising from failed effort to establish non-stop air service from the continental US to the BVI; award issued; by agreement of the parties, neither the arbitration itself nor the award is confidential) +++ [US inventor/innovator] v. [Multinational pharmaceutical conglomerate] (ad hoc) (chair of arbitral tribunal deciding claims of breach of license agreement and theft of trade secrets involving chemical additives to nutritional products for human consumption; award issued) +++ [US technology developer and manufacturer] v. [German applied research organization] (International Centre for Dispute Resolution, New York) (sole arbitrator of dispute concerning 200+ patents to audio technology; award issued) +++ [Italian component manufacturer] v [US medical device manufacturer] (ICC International Court of Arbitration, Paris/London) (sole arbitrator, by joint nomination, of dispute arising from allegedly defective limb prostheses; award issued) +++ [Australian coal mining company] v. [Indian steel manufacturer] (London Court of International Arbitration) (sole arbitrator of $80 million contract claim; award issued) +++ [Belizean financial services firm] v. [Mexican resort and entertainment conglomerate] (International Centre for Dispute Resolution, Houston) (chair of arbitral tribunal deciding claims of breach of contract and fraud arising from debt placement; award issued; award confirmed, 2:17-CV-01292 C.D. Cal.) +++ [US aircraft components manufacturer] v. [UK subcontractor] (International Centre for Dispute Resolution, New York) (sole arbitrator of dispute arising from subcontract for manufacture of flap and slat equipment for commercial aircraft; award issued) +++ [US hotel chain] v. [US hotel chain franchisee] (JAMS, New York) (chair of arbitral tribunal deciding contract claim concerning exclusive use of name/brand in designated geographic area; settled by the parties after final hearing) +++ [French television service] v. [US satellite company] (International Centre for Dispute Resolution, New York) (chair of arbitral tribunal deciding misrepresentation claims as to satellite transponder; settled by the parties after preliminary hearings) +++ [US producer] v. [Canadian distributor] (ICC International Court of Arbitration, Paris/New York) (sole arbitrator of dispute over distribution rights to boar semen; settled by the parties before final hearing) +++ [Japanese food processing company] v. [US, UK, and German food processing companies] (International Centre for Dispute Resolution, New York) (sole arbitrator of corporate control issues among formerly-related corporations; award issued) +++ [US religious organization] v. [Australian religious organization] (International Centre for Dispute Resolution, New York) (sole arbitrator of contract and intellectual property dispute; settled by the parties after preliminary hearings and rulings) +++ [North American distributor] v. [Australian owner of winery] (International Centre for Dispute Resolution, New York) (member of arbitral tribunal deciding dispute concerning North American distribution rights of fine wines; settled by the parties after the hearing) +++ [French electronics manufacturer] v. [US airline] (ICC International Court of Arbitration, Paris) (lead respondent’s counsel for airline pilot training company in dispute with manufacturer of aircraft simulator; favorable award) +++ [US inventor] v. [Israeli manufacturer] (ICC International Court of Arbitration, Paris) (lead claimant’s counsel in dispute concerning patent and trademark rights to pistol; favorable interim award after first phase of hearings precipitated favorable settlement) +++ [German chemical manufacturer] v. [US chemical manufacturer] (Zurich Chamber of Commerce arbitration) (lead respondent’s counsel in trade secrets/licensing dispute concerning chemical coatings for containers; favorably settled)

Training

Multiple arbitration training courses and seminars, both as teacher and student

License(s)

Member of the Minnesota (US) bar +++ Barrister of England and Wales (Lincoln’s Inn)

Education

Harvard Law School J.D., 1977, cum laude +++ Dartmouth College A.B., 1974, magna cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa

Publications

Co-author, “International Arbitration Guidelines: Safe Ports for Arbitral Storms III” [experts; arbitration management] Arbitration: The International Journal of Arbitration, Mediation, and Dispute Management (November 2018), Vol. 84, No. 4, pp. 326-334 (reprint available upon request) Author, “The Value of Peach Orchards: Perils of Arbitrator Subject-Matter Expertise,” Zeitschrift für Deutsches und Amerikanisches Recht [ZDAR] (July 2018), pp. 47-51 +++ Author, “International Commercial Arbitration,” College of Commercial Arbitrators (2017), available at https://www.ccaarbitration.org/international-disputes/ +++ Co-author, “International Arbitration Guidelines: Safe Ports for Arbitral Storms II” [interviewing prospective arbitrators, non-participating parties, drafting awards, interest and costs] Arbitration: The International Journal of Arbitration, Mediation, and Dispute Management (August 2017), Vol. 83, No. 3, pp. 318-329 (reprint available upon request) +++ Co-author, “International Arbitration Guidelines: Safe Ports for Arbitral Storms” [jurisdiction, interim measures, security for costs] Arbitration: The International Journal of Arbitration, Mediation, and Dispute Management (May 2016), Vol. 82, No. 2, pp. 169-182 (reprint available upon request) +++ Author, “Technical Expertise of Advocates and Arbitrators in International Technology Arbitrations: Benefit or Burden?” in Rovine, A. (ed.) Contemporary Issues in International Arbitration and Mediation: The Fordham Papers (2013), Chapter 21, pp. 429-444 (reprint available upon request) +++ Lead author, “When Patients are Harmed, But Are Not Wronged: Ethics, Law, and History,” Mayo Clinic Proceedings; Volume 89, Issue 9; pp. 1279-1286 (September 2014) (reprint available on request)

Awards

Fellow and Board Member, College of Commercial Arbitrators +++ Chartered Arbitrator and Fellow, Chartered Institute of Arbitrators +++ Fellow, American College of Trial Lawyers (Minnesota chapter) +++ Chambers USA (“Noted Practitioner” as international arbitrator – in “USA – Nationwide” every year applied) +++ Chambers USA and/or Chambers Global (Top Ranked “Leading Individual” in Commercial Litigation) 2011-2015 (“…a diverse practice and extensive arbitration experience. He is described by clients as truly sensational in terms of strategy, approach, creativity, and instinct… with truly international experience.”) +++ InterContinental Finance Magazine (named one of the top 500 lawyers in the world in the 2013, 2014, and 2015 ’ICFM Leading Lawyers 500’) +++ “Minnesota Superlawyer” in the International, Alternative Dispute Resolution, Intellectual Property, Business Litigation, and Medical Malpractice categories (various years since 2003) Thomson Reuters

Panels

AAA (Commercial), ICDR (International), AAA/ICDR (Aerospace, Aviation, and National Security), BVIIAC, LCIA, ICC, CPR (Global Panel of Distinguished Neutrals, Healthcare and Life Sciences)

Associations

Member, Lincoln’s Inn (London) +++ Member, International Council for Commercial Arbitration (Practitioner Group, Academic Group) +++ Member, International Bar Association (Arbitration, Mediation, and Litigation committees; Intellectual Property and Entertainment Law Committee; Academic Committee) +++ Member of Editorial Board and Section Editor for Law, Mayo Clinic Proceedings peer-review medical journal

Miscellaneous

Qualified neutral under Rule 114 of the Minnesota General Rules of Practice for the District Courts (facilitative mediation) +++ Director, member of Executive Committee, and chair of Governance Committee of The Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra (Minnesota, USA) (2001-2014); Emeritus Director (2014 to present) +++ Director Emeritus and member of Governors’ Circle of The City of London Sinfonia Orchestra +++ Annual Pro Bono Award, National Law Journal (leader of 60-lawyer Dorsey team and principal author of report to American Bar Association concerning George W. Bush administration immigration appeals ’reforms’; cited by the U.S. Supreme Court in Dada v. Mukasey, 128 S. Ct. 2307 (2008)) +++ Community Member, Golden Valley (Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA) Bicycle and Pedestrian Task Force +++ Commissioner, City of Golden Valley (Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA) Environmental Commission