B. Cremades & Asociados

International Arbitration

Mr. Byrne, a dual citizen of the United States and the Republic of Ireland, focuses his practice primarily on international investment treaty and commercial arbitration matters. He has worked under a number of institutions and rules, including the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC), the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID), the Stockholm Chamber of Commerce (SCC), the London International Court of Arbitration (LCIA), and the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA), as well as ad hoc arbitrations under the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL) rules. His practice ranges across a variety of industries, including oil and gas, renewable energy, major infrastructure projects, real estate, banking, pharmaceuticals, construction and mining. Mr. Byrne also handles international sport disputes before the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) and the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS). In all, Mr. Byrne’s cases have concerned tens of billions of dollars in dispute.

In addition to managing international arbitration proceedings, Mr. Byrne’s practice extends to the enforcement of foreign arbitral awards, including those against sovereign states and state-owned entities. He particularly specializes in confirming and enforcing foreign arbitral awards in courts across the U.S.

For the past several years, Mr. Byrne has also worked pro bono in an attempt to force a Spanish, state-owned museum to return a valuable, Nazi-looted painting to the rightful heirs. This effort has thus far included numerous appearances before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit and two appearances before the U.S. Supreme Court.

In 2024, Mr. Byrne was included in the third edition of the book “40 Under 40 International Arbitration”, in which 40 practitioners under the age of 40 address today’s key issues in international arbitration (see the link below):

https://www.dykinson.com/libros/40-under-40-international-arbitration-2024/9788411708890/

Before joining B. Cremades y Asociados, Mr. Byrne earned his B.A., cum laude, from the University of California, San Diego, and his J.D. from the University of California College of the Law, San Francisco (formerly UC Hastings). After practicing in California in the fields of arbitration and litigation for some years, he moved to London and earned his LL.M., with merit, from Queen Mary University of London’s School of International Arbitration. He moved to Madrid and joined the firm upon graduating from Queen Mary in 2016.

Outside of his practice, Mr. Byrne serves as an adjunct professor at Universidad Carlos III de Madrid, where he teaches common law principles to students in the International Advocacy LL.M. program. He is also a Founding Member of California Arbitration (CalArb), “the voice of the California international arbitration and ADR community”.

English

U.S. Supreme Court Bar; U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit; U.S.  District Court, Eastern District of California; International Bar Association; California Lawyers Association; California Arbitration (CalArb); Spanish Arbitration Club.

Queen Mary University of London, School of International Arbitration (LL.M., with merit, 2016); University of California College of the Law (formerly UC Hastings) (J.D., 2011); Leiden University (EU Law, 2010); University of California, San Diego (B.A., cum laude, 2007).