Silja Schaffstein specialises in commercial and investment arbitration. She frequently acts as arbitrator, counsel or co-counsel, or secretary of the tribunal in international and domestic ad hoc and institutional arbitration proceedings.

She was listed among the Most Highly Regarded EMEA Non-Partners in arbitration in 2024 and a Future Leader  in arbitration by Who’s Who Legal (Arbitration Future Leaders – Non Partners, 2020-2024), and has been listed as a Rising Star in the Legal 500 EMEA Dispute Resolution – Arbitration – Switzerland since 2021.

Silja’s experience spans all major arbitration rules, including ICC, LCIA, Swiss Rules, DIS, ICSID, UNCITRAL and WIPO, and a variety of national arbitration acts and substantive laws, of both the common law and civil law traditions. Silja also advises and represents clients with respect to arbitrations or arbitration-related court proceedings in Switzerland, in particular in connection with actions to set aside Swiss arbitral awards and to recognize or enforce foreign awards, including the freezing of assets located in Switzerland.

Her areas of specialization include international agreements such as joint ventures, shareholder and share purchase agreements, distribution, sales, works and services, as well as licensing contracts, in different industries, including banking and finance, pharmaceuticals, telecommunications, automotive, construction, energy and natural resources.

Silja currently is a member of the Swiss Arbitration Centre Marketing Committee.

Prior to joining Lévy Kaufmann-Kohler, Silja worked with Julian D M Lew QC at 20 Essex Street Chambers in London, United Kingdom, assisting him in all aspects of his work as international arbitrator and academic. She also held various research and teaching positions in the fields of private international law and international arbitration at the law faculty of the University of Geneva, the School of International Arbitration at Queen Mary, University of London, and the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO).

Silja speaks regularly and has published extensively on international arbitration, including her book titled The Doctrine of Res Judicata Before International Commercial Arbitral Tribunals (Oxford University Press, 2016).

A German national, Silja has dual common law and civil law training, being admitted to the Geneva and New York Bars. She holds a Ph.D. from Queen Mary, University of London and the University of Geneva, an LL.M. from Columbia University, as well a law degree and a post-graduate degree in advanced legal studies from the University of Geneva. Silja is fluent in German, English and French.