Friedrich Schwank
Senior Partner and Founder of Law Offices Dr. F. Schwank
Friedrich is an Attorney, Mediator and Arbitrator focused on art law, copyright, entertainment and commercial law. He is a founding member of STEP Austrian Branch and former lecturer of the Export Business Program at University of Economics Vienna, teaching graduate courses on International Commercial Arbitration. He is the author of a contribution on the artist Theo Kerg (1909 - 1993) in Theo Kerg: Au Fil du Temps, ed. by Carlo Kerg, Edition 2022. Forthcoming publications include topics on Art and the Rule of Law and the Gifting of Art in the KULA ring o Melanesia. Recent publications include chapters on Austrian law in the books International Succession, 5th edition, ed. by Louis Garb and Richard Norridge, Oxford University Press 2022; International Estate Planning, 2nd edition, ed. by Henry Christensen III, LexisNexis 2021; International Secured Transactions, ed. by Dennis Campbell, Oceana New York 2022; World Intellectual Property Rights and Remedies, Laws with Commentary, ed. by Dennis Campbell, Oceana New York 2021. Friedrich is a frequent speaker and has published extensively on issues related to law and business affecting the international trade of art.
Friedrich`s law practice has included arbitration and mediation since 1983. He has served as Arbitrator and Mediator in a wide range of art law and commercial disputes at both domestic and international level. He is a member of the Chartered Institute of Arbitration, London, the Swiss Arbitration Association, Panel of the Dispute Resolution Board of Arbitrators, Panel of Arbitrators of the Asian International Arbitration Centre, and International Panel of Arbitrators of the Vienna International Arbitral Centre. He has participated as faculty and judge at International Bar Association- sponsored biannual events, and has conducted training at the ICC International Chamber of Commerce, Court of Arbitration. He delivered lectures on International Arbitration, inter alia, in London, New York, Sydney, Zurich, Prague, Paris, Shanghai, Milano, Munich, Moscow, Helsinki. He was appointed to the Arbitration and Mediation pools of CAfA in November 2022.
He is Past Board Member of the American Law Firm Association - International and Co-Founder of STEP Austria Branch. He is the Austrian delegate to the International Securities Committee of the ILA International Law Association, a member and past executive of the International Academy of Estate and Trust Law, San Francisco, as well as the Professional Advisor to PaN Austria – Partner of All Nations, which is promoting worldwide cultural exchange.
Friedrich Schwank’s educational background includes: a doctorate (J.D.) in both Austrian and Canonical Law, University Innsbruck; a Fellowship of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, London.
Jurisdiction: Austria