Yas Banifatemi is a Partner in Shearman & Sterling’s International Arbitration Group and heads the firm’s Public International Law practice.
She has appeared as counsel in both investment treaty and commercial arbitrations, with particular focus on investment, oil & gas, disputes arising from mergers & acquisitions and joint ventures, and general commercial matters. She also sits as arbitrator, in both investment and commercial matters.
Yas Banifatemi has been praised as being a “star performer,” a “brilliant lawyer with a sharp intellect” and a “prominent figure in international arbitration,” also “having a considerable presence in public international law” in Chambers Global. Clients also commented on the “clarity of her opinions,” describing her as “incredibly impressive all round” and a “reliable and robust advocate” having a “thorough understanding of the law she practices.” She appears in the “45 Under 45” feature of American Lawyer’s January 2011 issue, a ranking of “The Best and the Brightest” female lawyers under 45, and in the “45 Under 45” feature of Global Arbitration Review’s August 2011 issue, a global ranking of the leading figures of the international arbitration bar under 45.
Yas Banifatemi holds a Ph.D in Public International Law from Panthéon-Assas University (Paris II) and an LLM from Harvard Law School. She teaches International Investment Law at Panthéon-Sorbonne University (Paris I). She has authored numerous publications on international arbitration and public international law.
