Dr. Sven Förster

Full Profile

Sven is a litigation and dispute resolution lawyer with a focus on complex domestic and multi-jurisdictional (re-)insurance claims and disputes. He has extensive experience as counsel covering litigation, international arbitration (institutional and ad hoc) and all forms of alternative dispute resolution. He is the Managing Partner of the Munich office of Clyde & Co.

Frequently instructed as monitoring, defence and coverage counsel across all major business lines, mainly in Financial and Professional Lines (W&I, D&O, E&O, PI), Product and General Liability as well as Casualty, Sven has also a broad experience acting as counsel in numerous aviation, banking, commercial, corporate (post-M&A), construction and insolvency disputes as well as in recourse claims.

Sven studied at the Universities of Bonn (law degree) and Cologne (doctor iuris). Admitted to the German Bar (Rechtsanwalt), he is also qualified as a certified specialist for insurance law (Fachanwalt für Versicherungsrecht) and a certified specialist for banking and capital markets law (Fachanwalt für Bank- und Kapitalmarktrecht). Sven is a member of the German Arbitration Institute (DIS), ARIAS Germany and the German-French Lawyers' Association. 

A native German speaker, he is also fluent in English and has a good level of French.

Sven is frequently recommended by Chambers, Handelsblatt/Best Lawyer, JUVE, Legal 500, and Lexology Index (formerly Who’s Who Legal). 
In 2022, he has been awarded “Lawyer of the Year” for Insurance Law in Germany by Handelsblatt in cooperation with Best Lawyers® with additional recommendations for arbitration/mediation, insurance law, international arbitration, litigation and product liability litigation in its 2024 edition. Lexology Index ranks Sven a Arbitration Future Leader and has listed him in its Germany National Guide 2024 for Insurance and Reinsurance.

Chambers Germany 2025 has recognized him as a notable practitioner for insurance in Germany, with clients praising him for being “very commercial, responsive and quick to provide us with advice”.

Germany’s JUVE directory recommends Sven for ”insurance litigation”, describing him as “dynamic and precise” (JUVE Handbook, 2017), “very smart” (2018), “rising” (2019), “pleasant, capable, straightforward” (2020), “competent, very good teamwork” (2021), “strategically and procedurally outstanding” (2022), “always looking for viable solutions” (2023), and “always realistic and honest assessment of the factual and legal situation” (2024). Legal 500 recommends Sven as an “expert in insurance law disputes” and “particularly well versed in W&I claims” and quotes “Sven Förster is an impressive dispute resolution expert and a brilliant litigator. He stands out from his competitors not only because of his niche expertise, but also due to his meticulous and detail-oriented approach, while always keeping track of the matter”.

Experience

• Representing insurers as monitoring and coverage counsel in numerous domestic and international W&I claims
• Representing insurers as monitoring and coverage counsel in numerous domestic and international D&O claims
• Defending insureds in D&O and in professional indemnity claims, including lawyers, engineers and architects
• Handling domestic and international product liability and recall cases
• Handling domestic and international liability cases, including the aviation, energy and construction sector