MARC S. PALAY is an accomplished trial and arbitration lawyer with over 40 years of experience providing strategic advice and skilled representation of clients in international commercial arbitrations and complex transnational litigation. Marc is a hands-on advocate and accomplished trial lawyer who regularly takes complex, high-stakes disputes through to hearing and award.
Marc’s practical, hands-on approach garners praise from clients and peers, as is reflected in the research conducted by the leading industry publications such as:
- Legal 500 EMEA 2025 – Ranked for Dispute resolution: arbitration – Switzerland, clients state that “Marc Palay is an excellent litigator and exactly the trusted ally you need to resolve complex arbitration disputes.”
- Chambers Europe and Chambers Global 2024 — Ranked for Arbitration (International) — Europe-wide, with sources saying “Marc is very experienced in international arbitrations. He delivers effective cross examinations and strategy.”
- Chambers Europe and Chambers Global 2023 — Ranked for Arbitration (International) — Europe-wide, with sources saying “Marc Palay has a strong practice in Europe and beyond.”
- Chambers Global 2022 — Ranked for Arbitration (International) — Europe-wide, where interviewees commented that “he puts himself in the shoes of an in-house lawyer and is ready to go the extra mile.”
- Best Lawyers in Switzerland 2022 — Ranked for Arbitration and Mediation, International Arbitration and Litigation.
- Chambers Global 2021 — Ranked for Arbitration (International) — Europe-wide, clients praised “His major skill has to do with the ability to see through the facts and see all the potential consequences and risks. He also has a good ability to evaluate chances.”
- Chambers Europe 2021 — Ranked for Arbitration (International) — Europe-wide, sources said that he “is very well prepared and leaves no stone unturned; he is thorough and works very hard,” and has a “deep knowledge of technical and commercial aspects of our sector,” further highlighting: “We get really tailor-made advice.”
Marc’s experience extends across a broad swath of business disputes, including complex contract, fraud, energy, products liability, securities, construction, insurance and competition disputes, as well as intellectual property matters arising out of licensing and technology transfer agreements. He is a trusted advisor to many of the world's leading enterprises on a wide variety of international commercial matters and has extensive experience in the drafting and negotiation of international commercial agreements.
Marc’s industry experience is equally vast, ranging from pharmaceuticals and healthcare, to fertilizers, metals and minerals, to large infrastructure projects and semiconductor technology. Marc understands the need for litigation counsel to align itself with business objectives, as well as in-house counsel’s need to manage disputes, large and small.
Marc is a true international lawyer. Qualified in the United States where he had a successful trial practice, he has been based in Geneva for the past 24 years. He does all his own advocacy and has represented a diverse set of clients in high-stakes disputes, including leading U.S., European, Middle Eastern and Asian firms. His thorough understanding of international arbitration and diverse legal systems means that Marc is a valued adviser and “interpreter” for clients facing complex cross-border dispute resolution issues.
Marc has successfully represented clients in over 50 disputes before a wide variety of international arbitral and judicial forums, including the International Chamber of Commerce, the Swiss Chambers of Commerce, the Stockholm Chamber of Commerce, the International Centre for Dispute Resolution, the Iran-U.S. Claims Tribunal and other arbitral institutions. He has also supervised litigation in more than a dozen foreign jurisdictions, and continues to represent multinational companies before various state and federal courts throughout the United States. Marc has been counsel of record in a number of leading U.S. cases involving the recognition and enforcement of international arbitral agreements and awards.