Arnold & Porter‘s London team has a strong market reputation for its representation of sovereign states in international arbitrations. The practice also has a significant track record on behalf of investors. The group is co-led by international investor-state arbitration specialist Patricio Grané Labat, who acts in investment arbitrations under bilateral investment treaties, the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), and the Dominican Republic-Central America-United States Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA-DR); and David Reed, who represents multinational corporations, sovereign states and government-owned entities in international commercial and international investment arbitrations, including in relation to the construction, engineering, power, telecoms, IT, and oil and gas sectors. The practice further includes Latin America expert Álvaro Nistal, who acts in investor-state arbitrations and public international law issues; Tim Smyth, who represents sovereign states, multinational corporations and HNW individuals in international arbitrations and public international law disputes; and Bart Wasiak, a specialist in banking, energy, mining, shipping, and telecoms-related disputes. Andrea Mauri Paricio, Paloma García Guerra and Julia Calderón Carcedo are also key team members. In March 2024, former partner Monty Taylor departed the firm.

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Key clients

  • International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association – Europe
  • Peru
  • Colombia
  • Bulgaria
  • Thailand
  • Costa Rica
  • Turkey
  • Sweden
  • South Korea
  • Czech Republic

Work highlights

  • Successfully represented Peru in a hydroelectric project-related investor-state arbitration, which was brought by Latam Hydro and CH Mamacocha under the US-Peru trade promotion agreement.
  • Representing Peru against a $2.1bn ICSID claim brought under the Belgium/Luxembourg-Peru bilateral investment treaty by Odebrecht Latinvest and Odebrecht Latin Finance, and which concerns a large gas transportation project in Latin America.
  • Defending Sweden against an investor-state arbitration, which was brought by Chinese telecoms giant telecoms Huawei under the China-Sweden bilateral investment treaty.

Lawyers

Leading associates
Leading associates with regular involvement in their team's key work, and recognition from peers or clients as being ones to watch.
Leading partners
The strongest partners in their field, leading on market-leading deals and endorsed by peers and clients alike.

Practice head

The lawyer(s) leading their teams.

Patricio Grané Labat, David Reed

Other key lawyers

Álvaro Nistal, Tim Smyth, Bart Wasiak, Andrea Mauri Paricio, Paloma García Guerra, Julia Calderón Carcedo