Ilija is a partner in the Paris office. Ilija has experience acting for States, corporate clients, and individuals in arbitrations conducted under the ICSID, UNICTRAL, ICC, LCIA and SCC arbitration rules, among others. He has a multi-disciplinary practice covering investment-treaty, gas-pricing, infrastructure, general commercial, public international law, and annulment & enforcement matters. He has extensive experience with corruption- and fraud-related disputes.
Ilija is a Member of the ICC International Court of Arbitration, and an ambassador for the Vienna International Arbitral Centre.
Ilija is recommended in The Legal 500 France, and he has featured in the Lexology Index since 2020, including as a Global Elite Thought Leader. The guide hails him as “one of the most outstanding legal minds of his generation”, someone who “knows the cases inside out. Clients and peers note that “Ilija is, without doubt, a future superstar of international arbitration”, and that he is “able to handle the most complex commercial and investment cases with ease”.
Since 2019, Ilija has delivered training on the New York Convention, arbitration, international investment law, and dispute prevention and management to judges and State officials from the six Western Balkan States (Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, North Macedonia, Montenegro, Kosovo and Serbia).
Ilija is member of the Paris and New York bars, and teaches international arbitration at the Université de Fribourg, in Switzerland. Ilija holds an LLM from Harvard law School, a Magister Juris from the University of Oxford, and an LLB from Saints Cyril and Methodius University.
Bar and court admissions
Representing DEPA, the main natural gas supply company in Greece, in an SCC arbitration against Gazprom, arising out of a long-term gas sale and purchase agreement – Swedish law applies
Representing a European subsidiary of an Asian LNG trader in respect of two price-review arbitrations (ICC and LCIA) arising under back-to-back LNG supply and purchase agreements – English law applies
Advising a multinational natural gas and electrical energy utilities company in respect of its long-term LNG and gas contracts with different suppliers, including in respect of price revision, force majeure, and EU law issues
Representing the Republic of North Macedonia in an ICSID arbitration against Amadeus Group under the Albania-North Macedonia BIT regarding an investment in the construction sector
Representing the Republic of North Macedonia in an ICSID arbitration against FCL Ambiente under the Italy-North Macedonia BIT in respect of a PPP agreement regarding the principal waste processing enterprise in the country
Representing the State of Montenegro in an LCIA arbitration commenced by a consortium under a long-term lease agreement and regarding the failed development of a hotel complex – Montenegrin law applies
Representing a Middle Eastern energy company against a Western European State in respect of retroactive taxes imposed by the State
Representing a European public enterprise responsible for constructing the State roads in an ICC arbitration against a Spanish construction company. The contract is based on the FIDIC Red Book
Representing a Ministry of Finance of a European State in an ICC arbitration against a consortium of European infrastructure companies, relating to a project for the improvement of the wastewater infrastructure in the country. The contract is based on the FIDIC Red Book
Representing an aviation consultancy firm in an ICC arbitration seated in Geneva against a major aircraft manufacturer. The dispute arose from a series of consultancy contracts governed by French law. The consultant sought payment of unpaid remuneration and financial relief in connection with the termination of the relationship. A substantial victory was achieved
Representing Sharr Beetling’s GmbH, a subsidiary of multinational cement group, Titan Cement in an UNCITRAL arbitration arising out of a share purchase agreement. A favourable award was obtained. Kosovo law governed
- LLM, Harvard Law School
- Magister Juris, University of Oxford
- LLB, Ss Cyril and Methodius University, Skopje