In the energy sector, every year of a dispute means frozen CAPEX, no revenue from the facilities, and the risk of losing funding and reputation. In Poland, commercial disputes take years to resolve, with the parties having practically no influence over the progress of the court proceedings. In arbitration, it tends to be a matter of months. A well-managed arbitration process is a key element of project risk management, just as important as provisions for delays or the budget for… maintenance.
18 June 2026
9:00-12:00
Where: Garden Lounge, Warsaw, ul. Bonifraterska 17, 3rd floor
Registrations are subject to verification and places are limited.
The event is designed for:
- CEOs, CFOs
- Heads of Legal, General Counsels (GC)
- Energy project managers (renewable energy, wind farms, power plants) (PM)
- Investment Directors / Development Directors
Agenda
1 Networking and coffee
2 Block 1
- How is a “dispute” affecting an energy project?
- When is arbitration a good idea, and when isn’t it?
- Common court proceedings vs arbitration – in terms of time, cost, confidentiality, control over experts, composition of the adjudicating panel, and predictability.
- What should a CEO or project manager know about the arbitration process to be able to ask the right questions to lawyers and avoid a few very costly mornings at a later stage?
3 Break: Networking and coffee
4 Block 2
- Case: dispute over a “delay” in the construction of renewable energy facilities and lost revenue, taking into account support schemes in the energy sector.
- What contractual provisions can effectively protect revenue if a project is delayed? What data does PM need to collect in order to defend such claims?
- Arbitration clauses and project management – a few practical rules for PMs/GCs on how to report and escalate a dispute.
- Energy investments in the operational phase – arbitration aspects of operation and maintenance (O&M) contracts.
5 Break: Networking and coffee
6 Block 3
- Q&A / discussion / mini cases.
- Summary, take-away checklists: before signing a contract, during a project, in the event of a dispute.
The event is organised by:
- JDP Law Firm
- British Polish Chamber of Commerce
- Advantage Austria
- Polish Lithuanian Chamber of Commerce
- Italian Chamber of Commerce in Poland
- Polish Canadian Chamber of Commerce
Speakers:
Michał Drozdowicz – radca prawny (Attorney-at-law), Partner, Head of Energy and Renewables Practice.
Head of Energy / Renewables, with over twenty years of experience in advising Polish and foreign companies on, among others, crucial domestic investment projects regarding (conventional) energy sources and energy infrastructure.
He specialises in energy law with a focus on renewable energy. Michał advises clients on renewables development and acquisition projects, including in particular due diligence checks in M&A transactions and RES financing, primarily in the PV sector. He supports clients in regulatory issues, key aspects of energy agreements, including connection agreements, component supply agreements, construction contracts, O&M agreements, and long-term power purchase agreements between producers of energy and corporate recipients (PPA, cPPA).
Before joining JDP, he gained experience in global law firms, being in charge of the national energy practice in one of them. Michał has been regularly recognised in international legal rankings (Chambers & Partners, Who’s Who Legal, IFLR 1000, Legal 500). In 2020, he was granted the Lexology’s Client’s Choice award.
Maria Łabno – adwokat (Attorney-at-law), Counsel in the Litigation and Arbitration Team, the Infrastructure Team.
She specialises in court and arbitration proceedings, in particular regarding construction and infrastructure projects (primarily for the energy, road and tram sections) and production. She assists clients in developing strategies to resolve disputes amicably, including in negotiating settlement agreements; she also advises on post-arbitration and enforcement proceedings. Her extensive experience includes day-to-day legal advice on contract performance, including infrastructure projects and contracts awarded in the public procurement regime. Her clients include both investors and contractors. She effectively handles criminal proceedings and advises clients on managing crisis situations.