Simon Vorburger

Dr. Simon Vorburger is a partner based in Quinn Emanuel’s Zurich office. He is a Swiss and New York qualified attorney.

Simon’s practice focuses on both international commercial and investment treaty arbitration. He also represents parties in domestic and international litigation and advises clients in cross-border multi-jurisdictional disputes as well as pre-litigation strategy. Moreover, Simon sits as an arbitrator.

His areas of specialization include energy and infrastructure projects, construction and engineering, manufacturing, disputes involving the financial industry, and long-term delivery and sales contracts. He also has extensive experience in insolvency-related issues, in particular, the interplay between international disputes and cross-border insolvency proceedings.

Simon holds a law degree as well as a PhD from the University of Zurich and an LLM from New York University (NYU) School of Law. He was a visiting researcher at Harvard Law School and a visiting scholar at the Columbia University Law School Center for International Commercial and Investment Arbitration (CICIA), where he also contributed to the drafting of the American Law Institute's (ALI) US Restatement on International Commercial Arbitration. Simon was also a Fellow at the Pollack Center for Law and Business at New York University (NYU) Stern Business School.

Simon is a lecturer in law at the University of Zurich School of Law. He regularly speaks at international conferences on topics related to arbitration and litigation. He frequently publishes in the field, notably, he has authored the book “International Arbitration and Cross-Border Insolvency” as well as the legal commentary on energy disputes in the leading treatise “Arbitration in Switzerland: The Practitioner's Guide”.

The Legal 500 ranked Simon among the “Next Generation Partners” in arbitration and describes him as “extremely smart”, “outstandingly knowledgeable and perfectly organized” and points out his “broad international experience”. He has been identified among the “Thought Leaders Global Elite” and a “National Leader” in Commercial Litigation. He was also named a “Future Leader in Litigation” and “Future Leader in Arbitration” by Who’s Who Legal and Global Arbitration Review who note that he “excels at resolving complex issues” and that respondents praised his “astute legal mind” and consider him an “incredibly sharp counsel when it comes to complex commercial arbitration.” Further, Simon has been recognized as “Rising Star” in Commercial Arbitration by Euromoney’s Expert Guides and was in November 2019 the recipient of the “Rising Star in Commercial Arbitration” Award by Euromoney Legal Media Group, one of only three arbitration practitioners to be so honored.