Louise Woods > Vinson & Elkins RLLP > London, England > Lawyer Profile
Vinson & Elkins RLLP Offices
20 FENCHURCH STREET
24th FLOOR
LONDON
EC3M 3BY
England
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Louise Woods
Work Department
International Dispute Resolution & Arbitration
Position
Partner
Career
Louise is a partner in the London office and a member of the firm’s International Dispute Resolution practice group. Louise’s practice focuses on international arbitration, particularly investor-state disputes, commercial litigation and arbitration, and public international law. Her experience includes arbitration under all the major institutional arbitration rules (ICC, SCC, LCIA, LMAA, ICSID, PCA and HKIAC) as well as ad hoc arbitration under the UNCITRAL Rules. Louise is admitted in England as a Solicitor Advocate.
Louise acts for clients across a wide range of industry sectors, including banking and financial services, construction, and the real estate development and energy sectors, and has experience in shareholder disputes and professional negligence claims. Louise also spent six months at a leading global automotive finance company, where she worked as in-house counsel.
Languages
French (fluent), Spanish (conversational)
Education
University College London, B.A., Hons English, 2003
City University, London, GDL, 2005
BPP Professional Education, London, LPC, 2006
Admitted to practice: Solicitor of the Senior Courts of England and Wales (Higher Rights of Audience: 2016)
Lawyer Rankings
Latin America: International firms > International arbitration
Vinson & Elkins LLP has demonstrated a deep commitment to Latin America-related arbitration over the years with a substantial team spread across its Houston, New York and London offices. The firm has handled arbitration matters involving the majority of Latin American nations. Its outstanding reputation in the energy sector (including oil and gas) has enabled the international arbitration team to act for major clients in a series of investment and commercial arbitrations connected to Mexico’s recent energy reforms. In the infrastructure space, the firm continues to act for the Panama Canal Authority in construction disputes (valued in the region of $5bn) related to the Panama Canal expansion project. Camilo Cardozo is head of international disputes for the Americas and has a major focus on Latin America-related commercial arbitrations, particularly construction and infrastructure cases. Jose Sanchez has a fast-growing reputation in the market, particularly in infrastructure, energy, and post-acquisition disputes. Houston based Latin America expert Peter Danysh was promoted to partner in January 2024 and is a key team member on many of the firm’s primary cases involving the region. London’s Nick Henchie is leading the firm’s representation of the Panama Canal Authority in the Panama Canal expansion project dispute. Fellow London partner Louise Woods is noted for upstream oil-and-gas disputes across Latin America. Named individuals are based in New York unless stated otherwise.
London > Dispute resolution > International arbitration
Vinson & Elkins RLLP’s international arbitration team is widely respected for its energy sector credentials. The group also represents clients from the technology, telecoms, insurance, pharmaceutical, infrastructure, and engineering sectors. A ‘brilliant lawyer’, Louise Woods has substantial experience in investment treaty and international commercial arbitrations. Nick Henchie focuses on construction and engineering disputes, and Ciara Ros is experienced in disputes concerning energy, environmental matters, mining, post-M&A issues, and construction. International arbitration practitioners James Barratt and Afolarin Awosika recently joined from Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson LLP and Stephenson Harwood, respectively.