LL.M. in International Arbitration and Business Law

Ricardo is a registered international arbitrator and litigation counsel. In his practice as counsel, he represents clients in a wide variety of high-profile international and cross-border disputes, including investor-State, commercial and State-State arbitration, as well as litigation in matters pertaining to securities, international trade, international human rights and international proceedings before INTERPOL. Ricardo has advised clients and clerked for international tribunals in proceedings in various languages and under various arbitration rules, including ICSID, UNCITRAL, DIAC, ICC, DR-CAFTA, HMAA, the AHLA and the ICDR, conducted at the Permanent Court of Arbitration/International Court of Justice (PCA/ICJ) and the facilities of the World Bank Group in Washington, DC. Additionally, he has advised clients in litigation before U.S. courts involving foreign parties and transactions overseas.

With solid experience in dealing with complex judicial, arbitral and administrative disputes, Leonardo was a partner at two of Brazil´s litigation titans for more than 15 years. He holds Master’s degrees in Civil Law (UERJ) and in International Arbitration (LLM - WCL, Washington, D.C.). Leonardo authored books and articles, in Brazil and abroad, on Arbitration and Civil Law. He taught Arbitration Law in the Post-Graduate course at PUC-Rio de Janeiro for ten years. He sits as an arbitrator in complex commercial disputes, in Brazil and abroad.

He is a specialist in public international law and international arbitration, focusing on both investment treaty arbitration and international commercial arbitration. Chip has experience representing clients in disputes at the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID), the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC), and the Stockholm Chamber of Commerce (SCC), as well as under the Energy Charter Treaty (ECT) and the arbitration rules of the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL). Chip repeatedly has been recognized as a "Future Leader" by Who’s Who Legal: Arbitration (2017-2021), which focuses on selecting outstanding attorneys aged 45 or under. Who's Who Legal wrote in its 2021 edition that Chip is a “very talented, collaborative and responsive lawyer” who is considered to be “a true heavyweight in the arbitration arena” thanks to his “remarkable experience in international investment disputes.” He previously was recognized in its 2019 edition as "'a brilliant writer and tactician' who peers note 'really gets it' when it comes to complex arbitration proceedings and is 'one to watch'," and in its 2017 edition as "hardworking and approachable." He also repeatedly has been recognized as a "Rising Star" by DC Super Lawyers (2016-2019). Chip has created and taught international investment seminars at The Hague University of Applied Sciences in The Netherlands and at the American University Washington College of Law in Washington, DC.

Timothy (“Tim”) Foden joined Lalive in 2018. His practice focuses on investor-treaty and complex commercial arbitrations in the mining and energy sectors, with additional experience in technology licensing, commodities and hospitality. Over the last 10 years, he has represented dozens of investors in bringing claims against States under the Energy Charter Treaty and various bilateral investment treaties and represented multiple global mining and energy corporations.Tim also has extensive commercial arbitration experience, having represented international chemical engineering firms, global mining concerns, a leading international hospitality management company and a major aluminum smelter. He has acted in proceedings under the ICSID, ICC, SCAI, UNCITRAL, LCIA and ICDR arbitration rules and has extensive experience in the enforcement of commercial and ICSID arbitration awards in the courts of the United States, England and Belize. He has been recognized by Global Arbitration Review Who’s Who Legal as a “Rising Star in International Arbitration” for the past two years. He holds a J.D. (Juris Doctor) magna cum laude from the American University (2005) and a B.A. magna cum laude from the George Washington University (2002).

Moin Ghani specializes in international arbitration, particularly those before the World Bank’s International Centre for the Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID). In the last 50 years Bangladesh has faced seven (7) ICSID cases and Moin Ghani has successfully acted as counsel for Bangladesh in five (5) of those ICSID cases. He has also acted as counsel for Venezuela in one ICSID case as a member of Foley Hoag LLP. He has assisted ICSID Tribunals in three other ICSID cases involving Argentina, Tanzania, and Kazakhstan. Moin Ghani has the unique experience of working in international law firms in three jurisdictions - the United States (for Foley Hoag, LLP, which represented Bangladesh in the maritime boundary delimitation disputes in the Bay of Bengal with India and Myanmar); the United Kingdom (for Eversheds LLP); and in Bangladesh as Partner, Dr. Kamal Hossain and Associates (2000-2017) and Co-Head of Chambers, Alliance Laws (2017-present). He completed both his LL.B and LL.M/Public International Law from the London School of Economics and Political Science, London, U.K. He was called to the Bar of England and Wales from Lincoln’s Inn and enrolled as an Advocate of the Supreme Court of Bangladesh. He is a Humphrey / Fulbright Fellow having completed one year of graduate studies in International Arbitration from the Washington College of Law, American University, Washington D.C.

Based in New York, Lorena Guzmán-Díaz is an associate in Curtis, Mallet-Prevost, Colt and Mosle LLP’s Litigation group. She advises both sovereign states and private-sector entities on a wide range of commercial litigation matters. Ms. Guzmán-Díaz has experience in complex commercial disputes, including debtor-creditor litigation, and international arbitration, particularly with respect to treaty interpretation and the recognition and enforcement of arbitral awards in U.S. courts. While her practice focuses primarily on the nuances of international litigation and arbitration, Ms. Guzmán-Díaz has also advised clients on matters relating to compliance with the U.S. economic sanctions regimes administered by the Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC). Prior to joining Curtis, Ms. Guzmán-Díaz served as a law clerk to the Honorable C. Darnell Jones, II of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. She graduated from American University Washington College of Law in May 2019. In addition, Ms. Guzmán-Díaz interned at the International Centre for the Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID). Ms. Guzmán-Díaz is a native of Puerto Rico, where she developed a lifelong appreciation of art, music, and culture. She is fluent in both Spanish and English, and she has intermediate conversational skills in French.

María Julia has represented investors in Latin America in arbitrations held under the auspices of ICSID and the PCA, and under the ICC and UNCITRAL rules, both in English and Spanish. María Julia was named a Rising Star in International Arbitration by Law 360 in 2019, one of five investment arbitration attorneys worldwide honored that year. She has also been recognized as 2019 Washington DC Rising Star by the National Law Journal. Maria Julia graduated as a lawyer from the National University of Rosario, Argentina. She received her postgraduate degree in Oil and Gas from the University of Buenos Aires and her LLM in International Legal Studies from American University Washington College of Law. Maria Julia joined Freshfields in 2006 in the Paris office. Between 2008 and 2013 Maria Julia worked as an associate in Buenos Aires in a GAR100 law firm before returning to Freshfields to the Washington office. Maria Julia speaks Spanish, French and English fluently. Maria has been admitted as a lawyer in Argentina and is registered as a Special Legal Consultant in the District of Columbia.

Alvaro is an associate in the International Arbitration Group of White annd Case LLP. He advises private companies, foreign sovereigns, and state entities in the resolution of U.S. and international litigation. Alvaro’s work is focused on international dispute resolution and transnational disputes involving sovereign states and Latin America. He is based in Washington, D.C. and has previously resided in the Firm’s Paris office. Prior to White and Case, Alvaro worked with global institutions, including the International Centre for the Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID) of the World Bank and the International Court of Arbitration of the International Chamber of Commerce in Paris, and with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit. Alvaro earned his B.A. from the University of Florida, and his J.D. from the American University Washington College of Law. A native of the U.S. and Nicaragua, Alvaro is bilingual in English and Spanish.

Raúl is a senior associate with Ferrere’s corporate and litigation groups in Asunción. He specializes in corporate and financial transactions, mainly on matters related to commercial contracts, distribution, licensing, and joint ventures, as well as arbitration-related matters, such as drafting of arbitration clauses, issues of choice of forum and applicable law, recognition and enforcement of arbitral awards, among others. Prior to joining Ferrere, Raúl worked at Shearman and Sterling LLP’s international arbitration group in Paris, focusing on foreign investment, renewable energy, oil and gas, and construction. Raúl is a member of WIPO’s arbitrators’ list and he is featured in JURIS Arbitration Law Roster of International Arbitrators. He is also an Assistant Editor in the journal ITA in Review, from the Institute for Transnational Arbitration, a representative for Paraguay before the ICC Commission on Arbitration and ADR, ambassador for Latin America of Arbitrator Intelligence, and a member of the Latin-American Committee of the Equal Representation in Arbitration Pledge. Raúl obtained his law degree from the Catholic University of Asunción and holds a Master of Laws (LL.M.) degree from the American University Washington College of Law.

José has been a partner at Bredin Prat since 2003. He is part of both the corporate and the international arbitration teams. His corporate practice spans over twenty years of cross border transactional work involving mergers and acquisitions and other business combination/divestment agreements, in a variety of sectors, including a number of lengthy and delicate distressed/workout deals. His arbitration practice involves acting as counsel in a number of institutional and ad hoc international arbitration proceedings, advising and representing clients in commercial and investment disputes. Member of the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague since 2019, and Ecuador’s (alternate) member of the ICC International Court of Arbitration during the 2012-2015 period, José has been appointed as arbitrator in a number of proceedings (institutional and ad-hoc) in which he has sat as chairman, sole or co-arbitrator. Fluent in Spanish, English, French and German, José’s work as counsel and arbitrator spans a broad range of industries including distribution, telecommunications, banking and finance, construction, infrastructure, public works, public transport, energy, natural resources and mining.

Benjamin K. E. Ross (JD 13’) focuses his practice on international arbitration. He has participated in arbitral proceedings conducted under the rules of arbitration of several institutions (AFA, CEPANI, DIA, HKIAC, ICC, ICSID, LCIA, NAI, SCC, SIAC, WIPO), as well as ad hoc proceedings, including under the UNCITRAL arbitration rules. He has also taken part in arbitration-related proceedings before the French courts such as requests for interim measures and enforcement or annulment proceedings. Benjamin works for independent international arbitrator Annet van Hooft, who is based in Paris, France. Prior to joining Ms van Hooft, Benjamin worked for the arbitration practice of an international law firm and for a prestigious international arbitration boutique.

Estefanía San Juan is an associate in the Litigation and International Arbitration Practice Groups. Ms. San Juan specializes in international dispute resolution and transnational disputes involving sovereign states and Latin America. Her experience includes investment arbitrations before the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID) and under the UNCITRAL rules, as well as in commercial arbitration and litigation in various forums. These cases have spanned various substantive areas, including infrastructure, energy, sovereign debt, environment, among others. She also advises clients on complex civil matters across multiple jurisdictions that involve regulatory, legislative, and policy issues, including in the transportation and technology sectors. She is also experienced in white collar matters, including internal reviews, investigations, and due diligence on anti-corruption/anti-bribery issues. A native of Colombia and Venezuela, Ms. San Juan is multilingual in English, Spanish and Portuguese. She has lived, studied and worked in Colombia, Costa Rica and the United States.

Margarita is a US-Colombian lawyer based in Washington D.C. with more than twenty years of experience representing public and private sector clients worldwide in international law. She focuses her practice on white-collar, corporate investigations and cross-border disputes. Margarita has served as counsel in numerous high-profile investigations and multi-million dollar disputes, including international arbitration under most major rules arising out of projects and transactions in the Americas, Europe, Asia, and the Middle East. Margarita has particular experience in investment arbitration, including ICSID, as well as complex multi-jurisdictional disputes. She is a member of the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID) Panel of Conciliators and is listed on the Panel of International Arbitrators of the Bogota (Colombia), El Salvador, and Santa Catarina (Brazil) Chambers of Commerce. Margarita obtained her law degree at Universidad del Norte, in Colombia, and her LL.M. in Law and Government from American University.

Menalco J. Solis is an Associate in the International Arbitration Group in Paris. His practice covers investment and international commercial arbitration. Prior to joining White and Case, Menalco gained experience in public international law and international arbitration at the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague and at international law firms in Paris and Washington, D.C. Menalco is an editor of ITA Review, the law journal of the Institute for Transnational Arbitration (ITA). He is also an Advisory Board Member of ITA.

Gretta Walter’s experience spans a broad range of commercial and investment disputes in domestic and international arbitration and in state and federal courts. She is also on the Executive Board for ICDR, the Steering Committee for CPR Y-ADR, and a member of the Arbitration Committee of the New York City Bar.

Caroline Swartz-Zern, Counsel, Australian Centre for International Commercial Arbitration (ACICA) and a Senior Associate at Allens (in alliance with Linklaters) (on Australia) Caroline Swartz-Zern is Counsel at the Australian Centre for International Commercial Arbitration (ACICA) and a Senior Associate at Allens (in alliance with Linklaters). She is a dual qualified US and Australian lawyer who focuses on international arbitration, cross-border disputes and investigations. At WCL, she participated in the dual-degree program between WCL and the Université of Paris X - Nanterre where she earned her JD and Master 2 in International and Europe Dispute Resolution. She has previously worked in Paris and Hong Kong and is now based in Melbourne, Australia.

Ms. Zhang Xi is a licensed PRC attorney and senior counsel at Beijing Arbitration Commission/Beijing International Arbitration Center (BAC/BIAC). Ms. Zhang Xi has administered more than 700 arbitration cases since 2015 and is responsible for BAC/BIAC’s major foreign affairs activities. She has been designated as a BAC/BIAC delegate to UNCITRAL Working Group II and regularly organizes and participates in international conferences on behalf of BAC/BIAC. Ms. Zhang Xi also lectures at universities on commercial arbitration in China. Ms. Zhang Xi has an LL.M degree from American University Washington College of Law.