Elmar Keusgen

Elmar focuses his practice on international dispute resolution matters, with a specific emphasis on commercial and investment arbitration.

Prior to joining Herbert Smith Freehills' Frankfurt office, Elmar was based in the firm's Johannesburg office, where he worked as a legal analyst within the Alternative Legal Services (ALT) practice group of the firm. 

Elmar's recent experience includes being an active part of counsel teams representing:

• a Central Asian state against investors in their attempt to enforce a multi-million dollar ECT award in several jurisdictions around the globe
• the liquidator of an oil and gas company against the entity's former shareholders in a half a billion USD claim based on fraud allegations
• a German manufacturer in a USD 136 million construction arbitration under the ICC Rules seated in Zurich against a Turkish company
• a major US health-care company in a USD 50 million arbitration under the ICC Rules seated in London against a German company

 

Background

Elmar holds two degrees from the North-West University in South Africa, a Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.) and a Bachelor of Commerce (B.Com), where his studies were focused on Law and Financial Accounting. 

He is currently completing a Master of Laws degree (LL.M.) at the Queen Mary University of London’s School of International Arbitration, specialising in international dispute resolution.

Elmar speaks English, Afrikaans and has a working knowledge of German.