hide The Claims Resolution Tribunal (“CRT”) of the Holocaust Victim Assets Litigation is now closed, and this website is no longer being updated. It remains online through the assistance of the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. The CRT was the administrative agency responsible for processing claims relating to assets deposited in Swiss Banks and other Swiss entities by Victims or Targets of Nazi persecution prior to and during the Second World War. It operated in Zurich and New York under the supervision of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York and the Court-appointed Special Masters. This website contains information about the deposited assets claims of the Swiss Banks Holocaust litigation, the Court’s decisions, and other relevant filings and materials.
Membership of the Tribunal

Arbitrators at the Claims Resolution Tribunal for Dormant Accounts in Switzerland

CHAIRMAN

Hans Michael Riemer (Switzerland) is a Professor of Private Law at the University of Zurich and an ordinary judge of the Court of Cassation of the Canton of Zurich. Since 1991, he has served as a substitute judge of the Swiss Federal Supreme Court.

VICE CHAIRMAN

Roberts B. Owen (United States) is Senior Counsel (retired) of the law firm Covington & Burling in Washington. He is the presiding arbitrator (appointed by the International Court of Justice) for the Brcko Controversy in Bosnia-Herzegovina. Formerly, he was the Legal Adviser of the U.S. State Department.

OTHER ARBITRATORS

Hadassa Ben-Itto (Israel) retired from her service of 31 years as a judge in Israeli courts at all levels, including as Vice President of the Tel-Aviv District Court and as Acting Justice of the Supreme Court of Israel.

Thomas Buergenthal (United States), Judge, International Court of Justice; former President, Inter-American Court of Human Rights and Emeritus Professor of Law, George Washington University Law School. (From June 1999 through March 2000, Judge Buergenthal also served as Vice Chairman of the CRT.)

Robert Briner (Switzerland) is President of the ICC Court of International Arbitration and a Partner in a Geneva law firm. Formerly, he was President of the Iran-U.S. Claims Tribunal in The Hague.

L. Yves Fortier (Canada) is President of the London Court of International Arbitration and Chairman of the Law Firm Ogilvy Renault in Montréal. Formerly, he was Canada's Ambassador and Permanent representative to the United Nations.

David Friedmann (Israel) is a banker of long experience, formerly CEO of Bank Leumi and currently Chairman of the Board of Union Bank of Israel.

The Right Hon. The Lord Higgins (United Kingdom) was a Member of Parliament and Chairman of the Treasury Committee of the House of Commons. He is a former Treasury Minister. As a current member of the House of Lords, he is a Conservative Party spokesman on social issues.

Howard Holtzmann (United States) is an international arbitrator of long experience and was the senior U.S. member of the Iran-U.S. Claims Tribunal in The Hague from 1981 to 1994. He currently concentrates on international arbitration activities.

Andrew J. Jacovides (Cyprus) has had a long diplomatic career and served as Ambassador of Cyprus to the United Nations, Germany and the United States. He has been a 3-term member of the UN International Law Commission, is currently on the ICSID panels of arbitrators and conciliators, a Commissioner on the UN Compensation Commission and is accredited as Ambassador/Special Adviser with the United Nations in New York on issues of international law, in addition to other professional and academic activities.

Franz Kellerhals (Switzerland) is a Partner in the law firm Kellerhals & Partner in Berne and a Professor of Civil Procedure at Berne University. He has served as president, member and counsel in various international arbitrations.

Hans K. Nater (Switzerland) is a Partner in the law firm Stiffler & Nater. He specializes in arbitration and is on the Swiss list of ICC-Arbitrators.

William W. Park (United States) is a Professor of Law at Boston University and Counsel at the law firm Ropes & Gray in Boston. He is Vice President of the London Court of International Arbitration.

Doron Shorrer (Israel) is a former Commissioner of Insurance and Director General of the Ministry of Transport of Israel. He is now an independent economic and financial adviser.

Zvi Tal (Israel) is a distinguished legal scholar and a former Member of the Supreme Court of Israel.

Luc Thévenoz (Switzerland) is a Professor at the Law Faculty of the University of Geneva and Director of the Center for European Legal Studies and of the Department of Commercial Law. He is a member of the Swiss Takeover Board.

Hans Van Houtte (Belgium) has been a member of the Brussels' Bar since 1971, where he is involved in International Arbitration and International Trade. Since 1996, he has been an international member of the Commission for Real Property Claims to settle property rights in Bosnia-Herzegovina under the Dayton Agreements. In 1998, he became a member of the United Nations Compensation Commission. Hans Van Houtte is also Professor of Law at the University of Leuven.

Top of Page