AURELIA ANTONIETTI, Senior Counsel, International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID), Washington

Aurélia Antonietti serves as Senior Counsel at the World Bank Group’s International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID). Ms. Antonietti has been at ICSID since 2003, and has served as Secretary of the Tribunal in various arbitral proceedings and recently participated in the initiative of the Centre to amend the ICSID Rules and Regulations. Prior to joining ICSID, she worked as an associate with the law firm of Gide Loyrette Nouel in Paris. She qualified as an Avocat with the Paris Bar and as a Solicitor of the Supreme Court of England and Wales.

JOSE I. ASTIGARRAGA, Partner, Astigarraga Davis, Miami

José Astigarraga focuses his practice on international arbitration, litigation and insolvency. Chambers Global Guide to the World's Leading Lawyers describes him as 'a major figure for Latin American litigation and arbitration [who] represents large US, European and South American corporations.' According to Chambers and Partners, 'peers view [him] as the nation's leading Spanish-speaking arbitration practitioner.' In his 29 years of practice, Astigarraga has handled a variety of commercial and international litigation cases. With his intimate knowledge of local language, rules and culture, he frequently handles complex business disputes that have sensitive political, criminal and regulatory ramifications. He has defended and prosecuted substantial international business disputes in state and federal courts in the US. He has lectured extensively on litigation and arbitration issues. Most recently recognised in the Best Lawyers in America, his clients include Fortune 500 companies, major US and European banks, government-owned companies as well as Latin American enterprises.

SALVADOR BEHAR, Legal Counsel for International Trade, Embassy of Mexico, Washington

Salvador Behar serves as Legal Counsel for International Trade Economy at the Embassy of Mexico in Washington, DC. In such capacity Mr. Behar is in charge of providing legal advice on the negotiation, interpretation and implementation of the North American Free Trade Agreement, including the Environmental and Labor Cooperation Agreements. He is also Counsel for State – State disputes where Mexico is involved either as complainant, respondent or third party, in the World Trade Organization and the North American Free Trade Agreement.

JANIS H. BRENNAN, Partner, Foley Hoag LLP, Washington

Janis Brennan brings both transactional and dispute resolution experience to her extensive international practice. On the transactional side she has assisted clients with investment, venture capital, privatization and commercial contracts in such diverse geographic areas as Latin America, the Caribbean, Asia, Africa and Russia. Part of her contractual work involves the creation of joint ventures, licensing agreements, distributorships and agencies in various countries. In these and other matters, her international business knowledge gives guidance to clients on the legal, political, and practical aspects of doing business in foreign markets and in the United States. Project finance and infrastructure projects are central to the global business counsel that Janis provides. She structures public/private partnerships for international infrastructure projects and related project financing, negotiating such transactions on behalf of both corporate and governmental clients. In the area of commercial disputes, Janis regularly litigates claims against foreign country governments and their state-owned corporations. She also helps both private sector and national government clients resolve investment controversies, and is knowledgeable about litigation under the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act. Janis has successfully arbitrated international commercial and investment disputes under the arbitration rules of the International Chamber of Commerce, American Arbitration Association, United Nations Commission on International Trade Law, and various commodities associations.

MARINN F. CARLSON , Partner, Sidley Austin LLP, Washington

MARINN F. CARLSON focuses her practice in international dispute settlement, with an emphasis on trade policy and investment disputes, including investor-state arbitration and WTO disputes. She has represented foreign investors as well as respondent governments in ICSID arbitrations under investment treaties and trade agreements, including NAFTA. She has represented corporate clients in a wide range of institutional (e.g. ICC, Zurich Chamber) and ad hoc (e.g. UNCITRAL) international commercial arbitrations. She has also represented clients in U.S. litigation with international ramifications, and as amici curiae in foreign affairs, intellectual property, and Commerce Clause cases before the United States Supreme Court and various courts of appeal. She counsels clients in sectors ranging from financial services to infrastructure development on the implications of international trade and investment rules for their global operations.

Ms. Carlson has spoken at conferences and taught classes, workshops and seminars on a wide range of topics in international arbitration, including investor-state arbitration caselaw and practice as well as arbitration advocacy skills. She is a member of the Executive Committee of the Foundation for International Arbitration Agency (FIAA), as well as the current Budget Chair and past Program Committee Co-Chair of the American Society of International Law, and she serves on the Board of Visitors of Dartmouth College’s John Sloan Dickey Center for International Understanding.

GONZALO FLORES, Senior Counsel, International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID), Washington

Gonzalo Flores serves as Senior Counsel at the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID), the World Bank Group’s organization that provides facilities for the conciliation and arbitration of investment disputes between States and foreign nationals.  In this capacity, Mr. Flores has served as Secretary of  the Tribunal in numerous ICSID and UNCITRAL arbitral proceedings instituted under the ICSID Convention, the ICSID Additional Facility Rules and the UNCITRAL Arbitration Rules. 

Mr. Flores holds an LL.B. degree from the  University  of  Chile  School of Law and an LL.M. degree from Cornell University Law School.

CLAUDIA FRUTIS-PETERSON, Consultant, Curtis, Mallet-Prevost, Colt & Mosle LLP

Claudia Frutos-Peterson is a Consultant in the Washington office of Curtis, Mallet-Prevost, Colt & Mosle LLP where she concentrates her practice in International arbitration.  Prior to joining Curtis, Ms. Frutos-Peterson worked as legal counsel at the World Bank Group’s International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID). As Counsel at ICSID, Ms. Frutos-Peterson served as secretary of tribunals in numerous arbitral proceedings brought under the ICSID Convention and the ICSID Additional Facility Mechanism. In March 2003, Ms. Frutos-Peterson published a book on international commercial arbitration in Latin America. She is adjunct professor at American University’s Washington College of Law teaching International Commercial Arbitration. Ms. Frutos-Peterson received her law degree at the University of Nuevo León, in Monterrey, Mexico. She also received a Master’s Degree in International Economic Law and a Doctorate in International Commercial Arbitration in Latin America, with highest honors, from the University of Paris-I ( (Panthéon-Sorbonne).

MICHAEL EVAN JAFFE, Partner, Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP, Washington

During his more than 30 years as a trial lawyer, Mr. Jaffe has focused on dispute resolution internationally in arbitrations under various international arbitral regimes and domestically in court and arbitration proceedings. A significant part of his work has involved representing owners, contractors and other stakeholders in projects ranging from infrastructure and energy facilities to sports stadiums and a wide variety of commercial structures. He has acted as counsel in numerous international and domestic arbitrations, has been counsel in mediations involving both international and domestic matters and has served as an arbitrator involving projects in North America, South America, the Caribbean, Mexico, Europe, and Asia. Mr. Jaffe is a member of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators.

He has been lead counsel, in a wide array of construction industry and commercial litigation matters. He has been widely recognized as a leading trial lawyer. Among the publications recognizing him are the 2008 and 2009 PLC Which Lawyer? Yearbook (“Highly Recommended”), the 2003 through 2009 Chambers USA Guide to America’s Leading Business Lawyers, the 2008 and 2009 Super Lawyers (Washington, DC Edition), and the 2007-2009 PLC Cross Border Dispute Resolution Guide. He has, in addition, been recognized in various other “Best Lawyers” guides.

JAVIER JIMENEZ GUTIERREZ, Partner, Curtis, Mallet-Prevost, Colt & Mosle LLP, Mexico, DF

Mr. Jiménez is a partner in the Infrastructure Development, Oil and Gas, and International Arbitration practices. He has experience in corporate transactions, privatizations, project finance and arbitration.

Mr. Jiménez’s project finance experience includes oil industry projects involving both onshore and offshore crude oil storage facilities, gasoline storage facilities, LPG storage facilities and natural gas pipelines, as well as various transactions in the power industry.

Before joining Curtis, Mr. Jiménez completed a one-year clerkship at the Supreme Tribunal of Justice of Mexico City. Mr. Jiménez also has taught law at the Universidad Latinoamericana in Mexico City.

JEAN KALICKI, Partner, Arnold & Porter LLP, Washington

Jean Kalicki is a Partner at Arnold & Porter LLP, specializing in international arbitration and transnational litigation.  She has particular expertise in investment treaty arbitration and has represented both sovereigns and investors in disputes before the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID).  Ms. Kalicki also has extensive experience in commercial arbitration, and has represented companies on five continents, as well as the United Nations, in disputes before the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC), the American Arbitration Association (AAA) and its International Centre for Dispute Resolution (ICDR), and ad hoc tribunals under the UNCITRAL Rules.  Recently selected by Global Arbitration Review as one of the “Top 30 Women in Arbitration” worldwide, Ms. Kalicki serves as an arbitrator for numerous institutions and is a frequent author and speaker on arbitration topics, as well as Adjunct Professor at Georgetown University Law Center.  She is a member of the ICC Commission on Arbitration; Chair of the U.S. Council for International Business’ Arbitration Subcommittee for Washington, D.C.; and Chair of the D.C. Bar’s International Dispute Resolution Committee.

LOUIS B. KIMMELMAN, Partner, Allen & Overy LLP, New York

Benno Kimmelman is a partner in the International Arbitration group. His work focuses on the arbitration and litigation of a broad range of complex commercial and construction disputes. He regularly represents U.S. and foreign parties, along with sovereign entities, in international disputes before arbitral tribunals and state and federal courts. These disputes have involved issues such as the jurisdiction of U.S. courts, the doctrine of forum non conveniens, anti-suit injunctions, forum selection and choice-of-law clauses, the extraterritorial application of U.S. law, sovereign immunity, discovery in the international context, and the enforceability of arbitration agreements and arbitration awards. Benno has arbitrated cases before the International Court of Arbitration of the International Chamber of Commerce, the American Arbitration Association, the Kuala Lumpur Regional Center for Arbitration, and other international and domestic arbitration bodies.

Benno is an Adjunct Professor of Law at Brooklyn Law School, where he teaches International Commercial Arbitration and International Litigation. Prior to joining Allen & Overy, Benno was a partner and co-chair of the international arbitration practice at O'Melveny & Myers LLP. Benno was ranked in Chambers USA 2008: "According to observers, the presence of the 'thoughtful and diligent' Benno Kimmelman has made a 'palpable difference' to A&O’s US arbitration practice. His 'obvious ability' in this area has attracted a range of heavyweight clients from various industries."

DANA MACGRATH, Senior Counsel, Allen & Overy LLP, New York

Dana MacGrath has a broad range of experience in international arbitration and litigation as well as U.S. federal and state court litigation. She has participated in international arbitrations before the major arbitration institutions as well as ad hoc arbitration tribunals.

She has represented parties in U.S. courts regarding the enforceability of international arbitration clauses as well as enforcement of international arbitral awards. Ms. MacGrath writes and speaks regularly on current issues in international arbitration and litigation.

Dana MacGrath received her B.A. from Middlebury College in 1991 and J.D. from New York University School of Law in 1996.

JENNIFER HAWORTH MCCANDLESS , Partner, Sidley Austin LLP, Washington

Jennifer Haworth McCandless has advised and represented private and sovereign clients in proceedings before the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID) and its Additional Facility, as well as in ad-hoc arbitration such as under the Arbitration Rules of the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL). She has also advised and represented private parties and governments in WTO disputes. In addition, she has counseled clients on the selection of arbitration clauses to be included in investment treaties and in international commercial agreements. Ms. Haworth McCandless has also advised clients on domestic court litigation involving U.S. trade practice.

Ms. Haworth McCandless has spoken on issues concerning international arbitration and investor-state dispute resolution at a variety of seminars and workshops. In addition, Ms. Haworth McCandless has served for a number of years as the Chair of the Joint Swearing-In Ceremony for the US Court of International Trade and the US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit sponsored by the International Law Section of the American Bar Association.

Prior to entering private practice, Ms. Haworth McCandless clerked for two years for Gregory W. Carman, former Chief Judge of the U.S. Court of International Trade in New York. In addition, she served as a legal intern with the U.S. Trade Representative's (USTR) office of General Counsel in Washington, D.C. and with the USTR's Office in Geneva, Switzerland. She also served as a legal intern at the United Nations in New York and has worked at the World Bank in Washington, D.C.

JIM MENDENHALL, Sidley Austin LLP, Washington

JAMES MENDENHALL is counsel in the International Trade and Dispute Resolution group in the law firm of Sidley Austin LLP in Washington, D.C., concentrating in international trade policy and litigation. From 2005 to January 2007, Mr. Mendenhall served as the General Counsel of the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR). In that capacity, Mr. Mendenhall supervised U.S. participation in World Trade Organization and NAFTA disputes and handled all legal aspects of U.S. bilateral, regional, and multilateral trade negotiations. Mr. Mendenhall also served as the principal U.S. negotiator of the United States-Canada Softwood Lumber Agreement and was the USTR representative on the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States.

From 2003 to 2005, Mr. Mendenhall served as the Assistant United States Trade Representative (AUSTR) for Services, Investment and Intellectual Property, overseeing bilateral and regional trade agreement negotiations dealing with services (including financial services), investment and intellectual property, and World Trade Organization negotiations related to the General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS) and WTO agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS). Mr. Mendenhall was responsible for monitoring the adoption and enforcement of laws to protect the rights of U.S. owners of intellectual property in countries around the world.

Mr. Mendenhall has also served as USTR’s Deputy General Counsel and spent nine years in private practice, concentrating in the areas of trade remedies litigation, international arbitration, trade policy and litigation before World Trade Organization panels. Mr. Mendenhall has testified before Congress on multiple occasions related to free trade agreement negotiations, intellectual property protection in foreign markets, trade in services and financial services, and other matters.

HORACIO A. GRIGERA NAON, Director, Center on International Commercial Arbitration, Washington

Horacio Grigera Naón, is an independent international arbitrator and consultant on business and international law matters. He is a former Secretary General of the International Court of Arbitration of the International Chamber of Commerce and has been a practitioner in the field of international commercial arbitration and international business law for over twenty-five years. Dr. Grigera Naón has also widely published in those areas, including a book on “Choice-of-Law Problems in International Commercial Arbitration” (1992) and lectures at the Hague Academy of International Law (2001) on the same topic. Dr. Grigera Naón, Director of the Center on International Commercial Arbitration at American University Washington College of Law in Washington D.C., is also a member of the American Law Institute, former Special Counsel with White & Case LLP and former Senior Counsel with the International Finance Corporation in Washington D.C. He holds LL.M. and S.J.D degrees from Harvard Law School, LL.B and LL.D. degrees from the School of Law of the University of Buenos Aires and is a member of the Argentine Federal, New York, District of Columbia, and United States Supreme Court Bars.

LAWRENCE SHORE, Partner, Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP, New York

Laurence Shore is a dual U.S./U.K. qualified partner in the New York office of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher.  He is Co-chair of the firm's International Arbitration Practice Group. Mr. Shore's practice focuses on international arbitration.  He has been the lead advocate in a large number of arbitration cases under, for example, the ICC, LCIA, AAA, UNCITRAL and SWISS Rules.  He also has sat as an arbitrator in cases under the ICC, Cairo Regional Centre, and LCIA Rules.  In addition to his work as an arbitration practitioner, Mr. Shore has tried cases in the United States courts and in England's High Court.

Chambers Global 2009 and Chambers Europe 2008 ranks Mr. Shore as a leading individual for Dispute Resolution: International Arbitration. Mr. Shore is a co-author (with C. McLachlan and M. Weiniger) of International Investment Arbitration:  Substantive Principles (Oxford University Press, 2007).  He also serves on the Editorial Board of International Arbitration Law Review, and holds the appointment of Visiting Professor in the School of International Arbitration, Queen Mary, University of London. Prior to joining Gibson Dunn, Mr. Shore was the global head of international arbitration at a major law firm in London.  Mr. Shore earned his Juris Doctor in 1989 from, Emory University School of Law.  He previously earned a Master of Arts and a Doctor of Philosophy in history, both from the Johns Hopkins University.  Mr. Shore received his Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill.