Berge Setrakian’s practice includes a wide range of international litigation, arbitration and corporate affairs/matters.
He represents corporations and high net worth individuals in complex transactions and disputes across various industries that include banking, energy, telecommunications, construction and tobacco. He often acts as adviser and outside counsel to senior management of top tier businesses.
Berge continues to provide legal and strategic advice to clients who draw on his combined experience in corporate law, litigation and dispute resolution. He is currently advising a number of Middle Eastern financial institutions on significant and complex matters.
CourtsUnited States District Court for the Southern District of New YorkUnited States District Court for the Eastern District of New York
EXPERIENCE
Upon moving to the United States, he developed a strong practice in the Middle East by representing various major corporations in their transactions in that region. As a result of the 1972-1973 oil price increase, the region had become an attractive center for Western companies to engage in business, especially in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Gulf countries. In addition to his work in the Middle East, he also became active in transactions and disputes in France and in French-speaking African countries, including Central Africa and Gabon.
With Latin America's economic crisis of the 1980s he was heavily involved in financial restructuring in Chile and Argentina, as well as transactions involving Brady Bonds. He also worked on real estate and hotel development projects in that region.
In the mid-1980s Berge expanded his representation of various European and Middle Eastern companies, as well as high net worth individuals and their businesses in the United States. While his main interest remains in the field of corporate and commercial law, he has developed a successful track record in the representation of foreign interests in major litigation and arbitration. He has been involved in proceedings in various European, Middle Eastern, United States and Latin American courts.
In the early 1990s he represented high net worth individuals from the Middle East in connection with the BCCI case and became engaged in proceedings in various jurisdictions, including the United Kingdom, Pakistan, the United States, Panama, the Cayman Islands, Bahrain, UAE, Argentina, Chile and Uruguay.
In the 2000s Berge worked on major arbitration proceedings involving multi-billion dollar claims in both the United Kingdom and the United States, representing European and Middle Eastern clients. He also led the team representing the Spanish telecommunications company Telefónica, S.A. in its acquisition of all of BellSouth’s assets in Latin America.
Languages
Arabic
Armenian
French
Education
Université Saint-Joseph, Beirut, License in French law, 1972
Lebanese University, Beirut, License in Lebanese law, 1972
Université de Lyon, Diplome d'Etudes Superieures de Doctorat en Droit, 1973
Awards
Berge, a "notable" and "renowned lawyer," has been recognized by The Legal 500 United States in the areas of Capital Markets: Debt Offerings, and mergers and acquisitions.
Prior Experience
Berge, who started his legal career as an attorney in Lebanon, has degrees in Lebanese and French Law from the Université Saint-Joseph of Beirut; he holds Masters Degrees in French Law from the Université de Lyon and Comparative Law from F.I.E.D.C., Strasbourg, France.
Civic and Charitable
Parallel to his professional life, Berge has been actively engaged in various civic activities. Since 2002 he has been serving as President and CEO of the Armenian General Benevolent Union, the largest worldwide Armenian organization outside of the Republic of Armenia. He has also been active in a variety of other national and professional associations.
Memberships And Affiliations
Berge has been active in serving as a Member of the Board of various companies both in the United States and Europe.
