Highlighted for its ‘very deep bench and industry knowledge’ White & Case LLP has a very sizeable Latin America-focused international arbitration team (totalling some 100 professionals) that handes an impressive mix of commercial, construction and investment arbitration engagements. The team is also noted for its expertise in enforcement proceedings, while its catalogue of recent cases includes appointments in the energy, resources, financial services, technology and transportation sectors. Indeed, the energy sector – particularly renewables – has been a notably active area for the practice, while in sovereign matters, it has acted for clients in a series of investment arbitrations against Colombia, Guatemala, Ecuador, and Peru (among other jurisdictions). The team maintains members across it Washington DC, New York, Miami, Houston Mexico City, London and Madrid offices. Rafael Llano Oddone leads the international arbitration group in Mexico City, while Ecuadorian Francisco Jijón has impressed in a series of ICSID and UNCITRAL arbitrations involving Latin American parties. Houston and Miami-based Silvia Marchili is building a name for herself in investor-state arbitrations; and New York’s Jorge Mattamouros has a focus on Portuguese-speaking markets, especially Brazil’s oil and gas sector. Miami’s Estefanía San Juan was elected to the partnership in January 2023, with Ignacio Madalena becoming a local partner in Madrid the same month. Michelle Grando impresses at counsel level, as does Mexico City’s Marièle Coulet-Diaz. All named individuals are based in Washington DC unless stated otherwise. Since publication, former practice co-head Jonathan Hamilton has left the firm – effective as of March 2024 – as has Alejandro Martínez de Hoz, as of April 2024.
Testimonials
Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.
‘Very deep bench and industry knowledge.’
‘We principally work with Francisco Jijón, who is invaluable.’
Key clients
- Grupo Energía de Bogotá
- Daniel Kappes and Kappes, Cassiday & Associates (KCA)
- Webuild / Grupo Unidos por el Canal
- Red Eagle Mining Corp
- WorleyParsons International
- Telefónica
- Rutas de Lima
- Zurich Insurance Company & Zurich South America Invest
- MetLife
- Orazul International España Holdings
- Mitsui & Co
Work highlights
- Represented Grupo Energía de Bogotá (GEB) and its Guatemalan subsidiary, Transportadora de Energía de Centroamérica (TRECSA) in an ICSID arbitration against the Republic of Guatemala.
- Represented WorleyParsons in an investment arbitration against the Republic of Ecuador under the US-Ecuador BIT; the case relates to the oil and gas sector.
- Represented Telefónica in two separate ICSID arbitrations against the Republic of Colombia and the Republic of Peru.
Lawyers
Practice head
The lawyer(s) leading their teams.
Abby Cohen Smutny