Hogan Lovells (Paris) LLP

International Arbitration / Investment Arbitration

Partner

Melissa is a leading arbitration practitioner, recognized as a “Global Elite Thought Leader under 45” and a “Future Leader” (Lexology Arbitration Report 2026). She has specialized in international arbitration for fifteen years and advises on both commercial and investment arbitration matters. Her skill and dedication led to her promotion to Partner, effective January 2023. She is listed on the prestigious ICSID Panel of Arbitrators and Conciliators, as well as on the “Les 42” list (class of 2025) by Lefebvre Dalloz (France), which distinguishes 42 talents under 42 who are driving change.

She regularly write articles on hot arbitration trends and topics:

Crypto disputes: Adapting to a digital era, The Legal Industry Review (February 2026) Strategies for enforcing arbitral awards, The Legal Industry Review (January 2026) Reforming French Arbitration Law: the proposal for a unified arbitration code (May 2025)

Born in Colombia and raised across several countries, Melissa has a distinctly multicultural profile and is fluent in English, French, and Spanish. This international background, combined with her trilingual abilities, enables her to handle complex arbitrations in different regions of the world, with a particular emphasis on Francophone Africa and emerging markets. She is especially recognized for her expertise in the energy, technology and luxury sectors.

She combines hands‑on dispute resolution experience with recognized thought leadership and is a regular speaker at major international arbitration events. Her engagements in 2025- 2026 include Les Rencontres de l'Arbitrage et du Contentieux, where she participated as a panelist discussing the impact of the rise in geopolitical disputes on international arbitration; Paris Arbitration Week; Colombia Arbitration Week (notably on the panel “The End of Investment Arbitration? Reforms and New Forms of Protection”); and the XVII Congreso Internacional de Arbitraje CAR in Costa Rica. She has also spoken at London International Disputes Week (LIDW) and participated in a webinar on the management of complex disputes.

French, English and Spanish

Member of the Hogan Lovells International Arbitration Women Steering Committee

Member of the Hogan Lovells Paris Diversity Committee

Member of ICC YAF, ICDR, YIAG

President of the Investment and International Commerce Commission of the Association des Juristes Franco-Colombiens (AJFC). The AJFC promotes cultural and academic exchanges between legal professionals in France and Colombia through debate, colloquia, forums and publications.

LL.M., King's College London, 2009

Magistère in Business Law, Université Paris I, Panthéon-Sorbonne, 2008

Master in Private International Law and International Business Law, Université Paris I, Panthéon-Sorbonne, 2008

Master in Business Law, Université Paris I, Panthéon-Sorbonne, 2007