For businesses that trade across borders, arbitration is often the most practical way to resolve disputes. The parties choose the tribunal and the procedure, proceedings are confidential, and an award can be enforced in more than 170 countries under the New York Convention. Mediation, used well, can settle the same dispute in weeks.
The work starts long before any dispute: an arbitration clause drafted carelessly — the wrong institution, an unclear seat, a mismatch with the governing law — can generate a second dispute about where the first one should be heard.
Our work includes
- Drafting and negotiating arbitration and mediation clauses
- Choice of institution, seat, rules and governing law
- Representation before Bulgarian and international arbitral institutions
- Mediation and structured negotiations
- Recognition and enforcement of foreign arbitral awards in Bulgaria
- Annulment proceedings against arbitral awards
- Combined (multi-tier) dispute resolution procedures
Questions clients ask
Is an arbitration clause binding in Bulgaria?
Yes. A valid clause excludes the jurisdiction of the Bulgarian courts over the disputes it covers. If one party sues in court anyway, the other can object and the court will decline the case, provided the objection is raised in time.
Can a Bulgarian court review an arbitral award?
Only on narrow grounds — such as invalidity of the arbitration agreement, breach of the right to be heard, non-arbitrability of the dispute or conflict with public policy. The court does not reconsider the merits.