Annie Elfassi

Annie advises local and international clients on sensitive disputes involving civil law, corporate law, insolvency, compliance, information technology and sanctions-related issues. Her practice spans commercial and corporate disputes, arbitration, recognition and enforcement of arbitral awards, sanctions-related matters and employment litigation.

Clients value her ability to manage complex matters requiring both litigation strategy and practical coordination across jurisdictions, courts, arbitral forums and stakeholders. She regularly handles high-value disputes, urgent court applications, shareholder conflicts, directors’ and managers’ liability matters, debt recovery and enforcement proceedings.

        Commercial litigation and corporate disputes:

• Represented banks in matters involving the freezing of accounts and assets and debt recovery.
• Represented minority and majority stakeholders in shareholder disputes, including claims for the suspension and voidance of shareholder resolutions.
• Represented clients in directors’ and managers’ liability proceedings and in proceedings relating to interim or ad hoc administrators.
• Advised a US private equity firm in claims for breach of several agreements against minority shareholders.
• Initiated successful recovery actions, including bankruptcy claims.
• Represented alternative investment fund managers in disputes with funds and general partners.
• Handled compliance, investigations, reorganisations and bankruptcy matters.
• Represented clients before urgent judges in applications for interim or ad hoc administrators, suspension of resolutions and related urgent measures.
• Represented clients in court in connection with escrow applications.
  
  Arbitration:
  
  
• Represented a Luxembourg company in high-value LCIA arbitration proceedings relating to an alleged breach of a shareholders’ agreement.
• Represented a diamond dealer company in high-value HKIAC arbitration proceedings against a minority shareholder.
• Represented investors in high-value ICC arbitration proceedings relating to an alleged breach of agreement and forced redemption of shares.
• Represented a market-leading manufacturer in a high-value Luxembourg Arbitration Centre arbitration involving the construction and operation of production facilities.
• Advised a Danish private equity firm in arbitration and bankruptcy proceedings relating to the sale of an ice cream production facilities manufacturer.
  
  Recognition and enforcement of arbitral awards:
  
  
• Represented a Swedish investor in ICSID arbitral award enforcement proceedings against an Eastern European state.
• Represented a Shanghai-based company in CIETAC arbitral award enforcement proceedings against a Luxembourg company.
• Represented Russian shareholders of an oil and gas company in UNCITRAL arbitral award enforcement proceedings against an Eastern European state.
• Represented a Mexican oil and gas company in ICC arbitral award enforcement proceedings against another Mexican company.
  
  Sanctions, compliance and investigations:
  
  
• Represented an AIFM in a sanctions-related matter.
• Represented a French service provider in resisting the enforcement of a service agreement concluded with a Russian counterparty in Luxembourg based on public policy grounds arising from EU sanctions.
• Advised an investment fund on potential sanctions breaches arising from the distribution of dividends to a Cayman company owned by an EU-sanctioned individual.
• Represented an alcoholic beverage company in resisting the enforcement of two Austrian judgments in favour of a Russian state-owned company based on public policy grounds arising from EU sanctions.
• Advised a Luxembourg seed producer on European sanctions risks arising out of indirect sales of goods to Russian companies under Regulation 833/2014.
  
  Employment litigation and advisory work:
  
  
• Successfully protected a client in proceedings with a former manager before both the Labour Court and the Luxembourg District Court sitting in commercial matters.
• Represented a major company in a harassment-related claim and advised clients on redundancy matters in the context of restructurings.
• Provided employment counselling and drafted employment contracts, global and split contracts, LTIP schemes, handbooks, codes of conduct, warrant schemes, stock option plans and termination documentation.

Firm level:

• Chambers Europe 2026: Band 3 in Dispute Resolution and Band 3 in Employment
• Legal 500 2026: Tier 2 in Dispute Resolution and Tier 2 in Employment
• Leaders League 2026: Leading in Commercial Litigation, International Arbitration, Labor Law and Tax Litigation; Excellent in Investigations & White-Collar Crime
• ITR 2023: Tax Controversy Firm of the Year

Individual rankings:

• Chambers Europe 2026: Band 2 in Dispute Resolution and Band 3 in Employment
• Legal 500 2026: Leading Partner in Dispute Resolution
•  Leaders League 2026: Leading in Labor & Employment, Tax Litigation, International Arbitration and Commercial Litigation; Excellent in Investigations & White-Collar Crime

• Secretary of the Luxembourg Chapter of the Women’s White Collar Defense Association.
• Member of the board of LAA (Luxembourg association of arbitration).
• Member of the board of Associazione Internazionale Giuristi di Lingua Italiana.
• Member of the Camera di Commercio Italo-Lussemburghese.
• Member of the Ladies in Law Luxembourg Association.