Latham & Watkins’ ‘very professional, diverse and proactive team’ continues to make inroads into the international arbitration market under global department co-chair John Pierce in New York. Pierce has particularly boosted the firm’s capability in investment disputes, where it acts for a growing mix of states, state-owned entities and investors in high-stakes cases. That being said, the group also handled a significant volume of commercial matters over the past year, with an emphasis on post-M&A disputes. Other key contacts include New York-based counsel Santiago Bejarano, who is dual-qualified in New York and Colombia and is an increasingly prominent name for Latin America-related work.

Legal 500 Editorial commentary

Testimonials

Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.

  • ‘An excellent, very professional, diverse and proactive team. Lawyers are always right to the point, extremely client-focused and solution-oriented!’

  • ‘John Pierce is THE star! Always available!’

  • ‘A top-notch team. Counsel Santiago Bejarano is excellent.’

  • ‘We have worked several times with the team, as well as against them. Very strategic, accurate, diligent, and efficient. Lawyers really know how to litigate successfully. We have also worked with their associates, very good lawyers as well. The whole team is sensational.’

Key clients

  • Mason Capital LP and Mason Management LLC
  • Novenergia Il Energy & Environment (SCA), SICAR
  • Dominican Republic

Work highlights

  • Representing a global private equity firm in a $700m M&A-related arbitration under SIAC rules concerning telecoms assets.
  • Representing an international consortium of industrial companies in an ICC arbitration seated in Geneva concerning claims under a mine exploitation agreement with a West African state.
  • Representing the Dominican Republic in an arbitration brought by EnviroGold (Las Lagunas) in relation to the Dominican Republic’s alleged violations of an investment agreement.

Lawyers

Leading lawyers
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.

John Pierce

Other key lawyers

Santiago Bejarano