Future Leaders

Katherine Bell is a senior associate (counsel as of 1 January, 2021) 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 arbitration  matters include: 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 organizations, including the Swiss Arbitration Association, the Arbitral Women Association, the ICC Young Arbitrators Forum and YConstruction.

Prior to joining Schellenberg Wittmer in 2014, Katherine was a contract manager for an international healthcare company. Katherine was also a legal intern at the High Prosecutor's Office of the Canton of Bern, after which she served as a law clerk at the District Court of Horgen, Zurich, where she was also chair of the conciliation authority for disputes concerning tenancies and leases