Sports & Commercial Arbitration

Micael Totaro is a Swiss qualified attorney-at-law who specialises in international commercial and sports arbitration.

He has been involved as co-counsel and secretary in over 50 international arbitration proceedings (ICC, Swiss Arbitration, CAS). His practice encompasses a wide range of commercial topics, such as sponsoring, licensing, distribution & agency, employment, purchases and trading, web-based user agreements, mergers & acquisitions, joint venture, shareholder agreements and corporate matters. He has also acted in numerous arbitration-related litigation proceedings, including debt enforcement and attachments proceedings, enforcement and recognition of arbitral awards.

Micael has nearly 10 years of experience at the highest level of the sports industry. He has been involved in some of the most critical operations of the commercialisation of sports, including major sponsorship deals, development and organisation of international sports events, supply of equipment, licensing and distribution of TV/Media rights and broadcasting/live feed production agreements.

He has also acquired an extensive knowledge of the resolution of sports-specific disputes, having acted before the Court of Arbitration for Sport and major sports federations’ judicial bodies (FIFA, UEFA, FIBA, FIVB, UCI), in a variety of cases related to governance and associative matters, players’ eligibility and transfers, clubs or agents-related disputes, disciplinary and anti-doping proceedings.

AREAS OF EXPERTISE

> Commercial Arbitration > Sports Arbitration > Commercial Contracts > Sports Law INDUSTRY SECTORS > Sports > Media & Entertainment > Web 3.0, Blockchain & Cryptocurrencies Trading > Commodities Trading > Retail, Luxury Goods & Fashion > Food & Beverages > Events, Hospitality & MICE REPRESENTATIVE CASES > Co-counsel in a > USD 150 million dispute representing a trader in an ICC arbitration against one of the leading cryptocurrencies’ centralised exchanges. > Co-counsel for a top bicycle brand in a dispute related to major sponsorship agreements and agency’s fees. > Co-counsel for FC BARCELONA in a EUR 3 million dispute related to the purchase of an option right related to a rising-star player. > Co-counsel for FC BARCELONA before the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in a transfer dispute involving the Brazilian player NEYMAR JR. and his first club SANTOS FC. > Co-counsel for a majority shareholder in the M&A operations related to the acquisition of the Haute Route Series by the Ironman Group. > Co-counsel for a professional cycling team in a dispute against its bicycle sponsor. > Co-counsel for a professional cycling team in the sale of the shares of its managing entity and the takeover of the UCI WorldTour licence. > Co-counsel for a high-end sports clothing company in a sponsorship dispute. > Secretary to the Tribunal in a commercial arbitration concerning a licensing and construction dispute (SCAI). > Assistant to the President of a CAS Panel in a multimillion TV & Media Rights arbitration.

> Associate, Peter & Kim, Geneva (2023-)

> Associate, LBS LEGAL (formerly SCHOEB Avocats), Geneva (2018-2022)

> Trainee lawyer, SCHOEB avocats, Geneva (2016-2018)

> Legal Intern, MARTENS Rechtsanwälte, Munich (2015-2016)

> Legal Affairs Manager, Fédération Internationale de Volleyball (FIVB), Lausanne (2014-2015)

> Teaching assistant to Prof. Antonio Rigozzi, Chair of Sports Law of the University of Neuchâtel (2012-2014)

French, English, Italian, German (passive), Spanish (passive)

> Member of the FIVB Tribunal (contractual matters) (2021-)

> Member of the UCI’s Arbitral Board and Disciplinary Commission (2020-)

> Member of the Geneva Bar and the Swiss Bar associations (2018-)

> Member of the Swiss Association of Sports Law (ASDS) (2012-)

> CAS - Ecole d’avocature (ECAV), University of Geneva (2012)

> MLaw, University of Neuchâtel (2012)

> BLaw, University of Geneva (2010)