Future Leaders

Katherine Bell is a senior associate in Schellenberg Wittmer's dispute resolution group in Zurich. Her main areas of practice are domestic and international commercial litigation and arbitration. She specialises in the resolution of disputes arising out of complex construction, engineering and infrastructure projects across a variety of industries. She acts as counsel and arbitrator in arbitral proceedings, represents parties in litigation proceedings before Swiss courts, and assists clients in the drafting and negotiation of construction contracts.

Examples of Katherine's expertise in construction matters include: representing the Swiss subsidiary of an Austrian construction company in litigation proceedings before Swiss courts against a Swiss property developer in a dispute related to a turnkey contract for the construction of a business hotel; acting as sole arbitrator in an arbitration between an Austrian and a Turkish company in the field of hydropower technologies in a dispute related to the supply of electromechanical equipment; representing a multinational company in an ICC arbitration against a shipyard operator in a dispute over a contract regarding the delivery of technical equipment and representing a German party in ICC arbitration proceedings against an Eastern European party in a dispute under a series of supply and engineering contracts related to a metals processing plant.

Katherine regularly publishes in her areas of expertise. She is a member of several professional institutions, including the Swiss Arbitration Association, the Arbitral Women Association, the ICC Young Arbitrators Forum and YConstruction.

Prior to joining Schellenberg Wittmer, Katherine was a contract manager for an international healthcare company based in Zug, Switzerland. Katherine was also a legal intern at the High Prosecutor's Office of the Canton of Bern. Thereafter she served as a law clerk with the District Court of Horgen, Zurich, where she was also chair of the conciliation authority for disputes relating to the tenancy and lease of property.