Jean Pierre Harb has been practicing for more than 25 years in the areas of international commercial arbitration and construction disputes. He routinely represents clients in pre-arbitration phases (including dispute adjudication boards and mediations) and acts as lead counsel or co-counsel in ad hoc and institutional international arbitration proceedings (International Chamber of Commerce, United Nations Commission on International Trade, London Court of International Arbitration, International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes, the Stockholm Chamber of Commerce, Organization for the Harmonization of Business Law in Africa, Cairo Regional Centre for International Commercial Arbitration, Dubai International Arbitration Centre, and Swiss Chambers).
Jean Pierre recently led arbitrations in the fields of civil construction, engineering, procurement, oil and gas projects, aviation, hotel management, development projects, shareholders and joint venture disputes, distribution, and service agreements.
Jean Pierre is also regularly nominated to act as chairman, sole arbitrator, and party-appointed arbitrator in arbitration proceedings. He has been nominated to the panels of several arbitration institutions and has significant experience working in jurisdictions beyond France, particularly in the Middle East and Africa.
Jean Pierre is a member of the ICC Institute and of various arbitration institutions.
He has been recognized by Chambers Global, The Legal 500, Who's Who Legal: Arbitration, and Who's Who Legal: Construction.
Experience
The following represents experience acquired prior to joining Jones Day.
Acted for a construction company in various arbitrations relating to infrastructure projects in the Gulf and in Central Asia.
Acted for an Arab state-owned company in relation to post-award dispute in France.
Acted for a Central Asian bank in ICC arbitration in relation to a dispute over a demand guarantee and the sale of a factory.
Acted for a subcontractor in ad hoc arbitration against the main contractor in relation to caliper and cleaning issues of some sections of the "BTC pipeline."
Represented a French manufacturer of aircraft components in ICC arbitration against a major aircraft company.
Represented an oil & gas company in a dispute with an operator under a share production agreement in the Gulf.
Acted for the designer of a shipyard crane against a Chinese state-owned company in relation to breach of cooperation and confidentiality agreements and ownership of patent.
Acted for a Central Asian state in ad hoc (UNCITRAL) arbitration brought by a Swiss company pursuant to a bilateral investment treaty.
Represented a U.S. franchisor of a coaching program in ICC arbitration brought by a French franchisee.
Represented a major contractor in UNCITRAL arbitration against a Middle Eastern state in relation to the performance of an EPC contract.
Acted for two major airline companies in ICC arbitration involving European competition law issues.
Acted for a major French pharmaceutical company in ICC arbitration related to the termination of a license/distribution agreement.
Represented a major construction company in ICC arbitration brought by a subcontractor in relation to marine infrastructure works in the Gulf.
Acted for a major tobacco company in ad hoc arbitration brought by a licensee.
Acted for a French manufacturer of luxurious perfumes and cosmetics in ICC arbitration against a European distributor.
Acted in ICC proceedings for a Japanese manufacturer of baby car seats against a French supplier in relation to a dispute over defective products.
Represented a U.S. major cocoa company in ICC arbitration brought by a consultant.
Additional Publications
- August 2021
Recent French Construction Law Lessons – Good Faith and implied acceptance, in The International Construction Law Review, volume 38, part 4 (2021)
Additional Speaking Engagements
- February 10, 2025
Orally pleading the case "through" witness examination, ICC Advance Training - November 28, 2024
Problems, risks, and pitfalls in construction arbitration: procedural and case management tools to tame the beast, 2nd MENA International Forum, Sciences Po - November 30, 2023
Construction and Infrastructure disputes in the MENA Region, Science Po - November 8, 2023
L'arbitrage d'investissement au service du Made in Morocco – Made in Morocco Days - October 31, 2023
European perspective of the UK Reforms in commercial arbitration – ARBITRA - October 19, 2018
Independence and Impartiality of Party Appointed Expert - PMG Seminar - September 20, 2017
From Construction Claims to Arbitration: lessons learned - CIArb/CRCICA Joint Conference - February 29, 2016
Arbitrators’ Responsibilities to Avoid Conflicts of Interest, 31st Annual Joint Symposium of Arbitrators, Queen Mary SIA / ICC Institute - February 11, 2016
Arbitrators and Specialized Knowledge - GAR Live - October 28-November 1, 2015
Emergency Arbitrator: An Arbitrator’s Perspective, UIA 59th Congress - October 25-26, 2015
Effective Management of Construction Arbitration, ICC - Society of Construction Law Annual Conference - May 27, 2015
Emergency Arbitration, ICC Asia Regional Conference - May 25-27, 2015
ICC Asia Regional Conference on International Arbitration - The Role of In-house Counsel in Arbitration Proceedings - February 12, 2015
Emergency Arbitration and Interim Measures, ICC YAF - December 5, 2014
Dispute Resolution in Aeronautics, ICC Conference - October 20-22, 2014
ICC PIDA: Selection and Appointment of Arbitrators - June 27, 2014
Ethics for counsel and parties in international arbitration, Chambre de Commerce franco-arabe - March 10-12, 2014
ICC 2nd annual MENA Conference - December 5, 2013
ICC Young Arbitrators Forum - June 11, 2013
ICC PIDA Training on International Commercial Arbitration - November 19-23, 2011
Claim Procedure under FIDIC Contracts - October 6, 2011
The New ICC Rules - June 9-11, 2011
ICC arbitration rules, ICC Workshop - May 12, 2011
The new IBA Rules on the Taking of Evidence in International Arbitration - April 4, 2011
The Taking of Evidence in International Arbitration, MACI, Versailles University - March 30, 2011
New arbitration rules in France - May 10, 2010
Confidentiality in Arbitration, Petrobras seminar - April 20, 2010
Arbitration in the Gulf, Siemens seminar - June 30, 2009
Privilege and Arbitration - March 26, 2009
Reducing the Costs of Arbitration Proceedings - February 6, 2009
Enforcement of Arbitration Award, Barcelona Bar - January 22, 2007
Take the Witness, Juris Conference
- New York University (LL.M. 2001); University of Paris I Panthéon-Sorbonne (DESS 1997); University of Paris II-Panthéon Assas (DEA 1997); St. Joseph University of Beirut (Law Degree 1996)
- Paris
Chambers Global (2025): "Jean Pierre is a really strong, thoughtful arbitration partner and clients enthuse that he is ‘a very astute lawyer for us.’"
Legal 500 (2023): "Tight and experienced team, very attentive to customers and experts, that finds the right balance in its relations with all parties. No arrogance and very pleasant to work with."
- French, English, Arabic