SAMANTHA NATAF
Nationalities — Israel, France
Bar Admissions — Paris, New York & Israel
Languages —French, English, Hebrew, Spanish & Brazilian Portuguese
Samantha Nataf is an international arbitration lawyer acting as counsel, arbitrator, and legal expert in complex commercial and investment disputes. She has handled cases under all major arbitration rules, including ICC, ICSID, LCIA, DIAC, CCJA, and UNCITRAL.
A member of the Paris, New York, and Israel bars, Samantha is qualified in both civil law and common law systems. She has acted in disputes involving a wide range of arbitral seats and applicable laws worldwide including (non exhaustive) Algeria, Belgium, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Canada, Egypt, France, Israel, Luxembourg, Morocco, Senegal, Singapore, Switzerland, Tunisia, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, and the United States (California, New York and Delaware).
Her practice focuses on high-value, technically complex disputes across aviation and aerospace, construction, defense, energy, infrastructure, mining, and telecommunications.
Samantha has special expertise in jurisdictional objections, complex multiparty proceedings, and set-aside actions, including proceedings to challenge arbitral awards before the French courts and other jurisdictions.
She has extensive experience with ICC arbitration, and served as a member of the ICC International Court of Arbitration from 2018 to 2024.
She also has significant experience in investment arbitration and was recently appointed to the ICSID Panel of Arbitrators following her designation by the State of Israel.
She is listed on major arbitrator rosters and is consistently recognized as a leading arbitration practitioner by Chambers & Partners, The Legal 500, and Leaders League.
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
Since 2026 — Founding Partner, NATAF Arbitration, Paris
2018–2025 — Partner & Co-Head, International Arbitration, De Gaulle Fleurance, Paris
2018–2024 — Member, ICC International Court of Arbitration, Paris
2015–2017 — Of Counsel, International Arbitration Group, E. Landau Law Offices, Jerusalem
2007–2014 — Senior Associate, International Arbitration Department, Dechert LLP, Paris
APPOINTMENTS TO PANELS OF ARBITRATORS
The International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID) (upon designation by the State of Israel)
The International Centre for Dispute Resolution-American Arbitration Association (ICDR-AAA)
The Singapore International Arbitration Centre (SIAC)
The Dubai International Arbitration Centre (DIAC)
The Mediation and Arbitration Center of Paris (CMAP)
The ICC French National Committee
The Korean Commercial Arbitration Board (KCAB)
The Shanghai Arbitration Commission (SHAC)
The Israeli Institute of Commercial Arbitration (IICA)
MEMBERSHIP
Council Member of the ICC Institute of World Business Law
Member of the ICC Commission on Arbitration and ADR
Member of ICC Israel & ICC France
Member of the Swiss Arbitration Association
Member of the French Arbitration Association
Member of the ICDR Israel Committee
Founding Member of the Israeli Forum for International Arbitration (IFIA)
Founding Member of the Association of French Speaking Lawyers of Israel (AJFI)
Former Member of the ICC International Court of Arbitration (2018-2024)
Former Member of the ICC Task Force on Disability Inclusion in International Arbitration
EDUCATION
2007 — LLM – University of California,Berkeley
2006 — Master 2 (Postgraduate Degree), Litigation, Arbitration & ADR, University Paris II Pantheon-Assas
2004 — DESS (Postgraduate Degree), International Business Law, University Paris V Rene Descartes
2003 — DEA (Postgraduate Degree), International Law, University Paris II Pantheon-Assas
2002 — Maîtrise (J.D. Equivalent), Private Law, University Paris II Pantheon-Assas