As Legal Netlink Alliance joins the supporting partners of SEEA 2026 in Athens, we explore why international arbitration matters to the region's economic future — and meet the people building a community around it.

Athens, 27 November 2026. The fourth edition of the South Eastern Europe Arbitration (SEEA) Conference will bring together arbitration practitioners, legal experts and members of the international business and legal communities for a discussion that reaches well beyond dispute resolution.

For South-Eastern Europe, arbitration is increasingly connected to some of the region's defining economic developments: cross-border investment, infrastructure modernisation, energy transition, commercial integration and the interaction of different legal systems.

Behind SEEA is a conviction that the region needs not only effective mechanisms for resolving international disputes, but also a stronger, better-connected community of professionals capable of advancing arbitration practice.

That is the vision Legal Netlink Alliance is pleased to support in 2026.

Why arbitration matters to South-Eastern Europe

South-Eastern Europe occupies a distinctive position in the European economy.

The region brings together EU Member States, EU candidate countries and other jurisdictions with different legal traditions, regulatory environments and stages of institutional development. At the same time, businesses operate across these borders, often through increasingly complex contractual relationships.

Infrastructure construction, energy projects, foreign investment, technology and cross-border commercial transactions all create opportunities for economic growth. They also create the potential for disputes involving multiple jurisdictions, specialised technical questions and substantial financial interests.

For businesses entering long-term international contracts, the availability of a credible and effective dispute resolution mechanism can influence how risks are assessed and investments are structured.

International arbitration offers parties the possibility of choosing specialist decision-makers, agreeing on procedural arrangements and obtaining awards that may be enforceable across borders under the New York Convention.

This is particularly relevant in sectors such as construction, energy and infrastructure, where disputes may involve complex technical evidence, contractual frameworks and parties from different jurisdictions.

The international arbitration community is also responding to business demands for greater efficiency, proportionality and procedural flexibility. Institutions such as the ICC have developed mechanisms including expedited procedures and case-management tools designed to make dispute resolution more responsive to the needs of its users.

But effective arbitration depends on more than rules and institutions. It also requires experienced practitioners, informed dialogue and opportunities for legal communities to learn from one another.

This is where SEEA has found its purpose.

A regional vision with an international outlook

SEEA was founded by Değer Boden and Tatiana Minaeva, who saw an opportunity to connect arbitration professionals across a region rich in legal expertise but divided by national borders and differing legal traditions.

For Değer Boden - of Boden Law, Turkey - the starting point was the value of bringing these perspectives together.

“SEEA was founded on the belief that bringing together the arbitration community across South-Eastern Europe would create valuable opportunities for dialogue, collaboration and the exchange of knowledge. The region has a rich diversity of legal traditions, highly accomplished practitioners and distinct perspectives that make it an important contributor to international arbitration. We wanted to create a platform that celebrates these strengths, encourages meaningful exchanges and fosters closer connections across the region and beyond. This vision remains at the heart of SEEA today”. Değer Boden, Founder, SEEA

That vision is particularly relevant in a region where international business frequently connects jurisdictions with different legal and commercial practices.

By creating opportunities for practitioners to exchange experience and discuss emerging challenges, SEEA helps make regional expertise more visible internationally while encouraging cooperation within South-Eastern Europe itself.

Its ambition is not simply to bring international arbitration discussions to the region, but also to ensure that the region's own experience and perspectives contribute to those discussions.

From a conference to a professional community

The first SEEA Conference took place in Vienna in 2023, followed by a second edition in Vienna in 2024 and a third in Athens in 2025.

The 2026 gathering marks its fourth edition — an opportunity to consider not only how far the initiative has come, but also what it can become.

For co-founder Tatiana Minaeva - Independent Arbitrator - the development of SEEA has been as much about the relationships created between conferences as the annual events themselves.

“I am delighted to have been part of SEEA from the very beginning, helping to put all the building blocks together and seeing the conference grow into what it is today. With three successful editions behind us, there is certainly a sense of accomplishment, but also the excitement of knowing that there are still many horizons to explore. For me, SEEA is not just about bringing people together once a year, but about building lasting connections and contributing to the development of arbitration in the region.” - Tatiana Minaeva, Founder, SEEA

Her perspective highlights an important distinction: a successful conference creates valuable discussions, but a successful professional community enables those discussions to continue, develop and translate into cooperation.

For arbitration practitioners working across jurisdictions, these relationships matter. They create opportunities to exchange knowledge about legal developments, understand different approaches to dispute resolution and build the professional trust that facilitates international work.

In a region whose economies are becoming increasingly interconnected, stronger professional relationships can help support the legal infrastructure that cross-border business requires.

A perspective from within the LNA community

Among those helping to develop SEEA is Nenad Stankovic, Senior Partner at Serbian LNA member firm Stankovic & Partners (NSTLAW), member of the LNA Europe Board and the SEEA Organizing Committee.

An experienced international arbitration practitioner, Nenad brings to the initiative a perspective shaped by cross-border disputes and the development of arbitration practice in South-Eastern Europe.

He sees the conference as an established meeting point for the region's arbitration community.

“SEEA has become a cornerstone event for the arbitration community in South Eastern Europe. I am pleased to continue supporting its development and look forward to welcoming participants to Athens for another year of insightful discussions and valuable connections.” - Nenad Stankovic, Senior Partner, NSTLAW; LNA Europe Board Member; SEEA Organizing Committee Member

His involvement also illustrates the contribution that international legal networks can make to specialist professional initiatives.

Law firms advising businesses across borders encounter the practical challenges of different legal systems every day. Their experience is particularly relevant to conversations about the accessibility, predictability and effectiveness of international dispute resolution.

Through practitioners such as Nenad, these conversations connect regional expertise with a broader international network of legal professionals.

Arbitration, investment and the economic future of the region

The significance of initiatives such as SEEA extends beyond the arbitration profession.

Major investments require more than capital and commercial opportunity. They also depend on the ability to manage legal risk, enforce contractual obligations and resolve disputes through credible procedures.

This is especially important for long-term projects involving international partners, complex supply chains and substantial commitments of resources.

In construction and infrastructure, arbitration can provide access to decision-makers familiar with technically demanding disputes. In energy, it can help parties navigate contractual disagreements arising from large-scale projects and changing commercial conditions. In cross-border transactions, it can offer a neutral forum where parties from different legal systems can resolve their differences.

Arbitration is not a substitute for strong national courts or sound legal institutions. Rather, it forms part of the wider framework of legal certainty that supports international commerce.

As South-Eastern Europe pursues greater economic integration and investment, the development of arbitration expertise, professional standards and institutional cooperation becomes increasingly relevant.

SEEA contributes to this process by creating a space where practitioners can examine these challenges collectively, exchange experience and strengthen connections across the region.

Why Legal Netlink Alliance is supporting SEEA 2026

For Legal Netlink Alliance, becoming a supporting partner of SEEA 2026 reflects a shared commitment to international cooperation, professional development and the exchange of legal expertise.

LNA connects independent law firms across jurisdictions, enabling members to collaborate on cross-border matters, share knowledge and build lasting professional relationships.

These same principles are central to the SEEA initiative.

The participation of Nenad Stankovic in the conference's Organizing Committee provides a direct connection between the two professional communities and an opportunity to bring the experience of LNA members into a broader regional discussion.

Supporting SEEA is therefore about more than supporting an event. It is about encouraging the relationships, expertise and professional dialogue that help international business operate with greater confidence across borders.

As the fourth SEEA Conference approaches, Athens will once again provide a meeting point for the arbitration community of South-Eastern Europe and beyond.

And if the vision of its founders is any indication, the most valuable outcomes may be not only the ideas discussed on 27 November, but also the collaborations that continue long after the conference ends.

SEEA 2026 | Fourth South Eastern Europe Arbitration Conference

27 November 2026 | Athens, Greece

The South Eastern Europe Arbitration Conference (SEEA) returns to Athens on Friday, 27 November 2026, for its fourth edition, held as part of the Athens Arbitration Days. SEEA continues to serve as a premier forum for dialogue on the most pressing issues shaping arbitration across South-East Europe and beyond.  

South-East Europe is navigating a period of profound transformation driven by geopolitical uncertainty, energy transition, technological innovation, evolving regulation and shifting investment priorities. These developments are creating new risks, new opportunities and increasingly complex disputes across the region. Bringing together leading arbitrators, practitioners, in-house counsel, mediators and institutional representatives, the SEEA 2026 Conference will examine the challenges arising from construction and infrastructure projects, energy investments, technological innovation, mediation and investor-State arbitration. The discussions will explore how arbitration can continue to provide effective, commercially sound and responsible dispute resolution in an increasingly complex and interconnected world.

Discover the programme and register here.

Legal Netlink Alliance is a supporting partner of SEEA 2026.