Kate Brown de Vejar > DLA Piper Mexico > Mexico City, Mexico > Lawyer Profile

DLA Piper LLP (US)’s international arbitration practice impresses with its ability to ‘greatly capitalize on its international presence’, as evidenced by a recent case list that has seen the team act alongside lawyers in Canada, Colombia and Mexico. The group additionally stands out for its extensive experience in Latin American markets, with a focus on infrastructure, energy and natural resources disputes. Global department co-chair Kate Brown de Vejar splits her practice between New York and Mexico City, where she represents corporations, sovereign states and state-owned enterprises in commercial and investor-state disputes. Also in New York, Kiera Gans is building a strong reputation for investment treaty arbitration.

DLA Piper LLP (US) continues to expand its presence in international arbitration and has a strong weighting towards Latin America cases. Kate Brown de Vejar is co-chair of the firm’s global international arbitration group and is based in Mexico City, where prominent arbitration partner Gabriela Álvarez-Ávila – who previously spent seven years as senior counsel at ICSID – is also located. The firm also has strong teams in Brazil and Peru, particularly for energy and infrastructure cases, is present in Chile, and has a growing team in Colombia. The firm has increased its presence in investor-state disputes, including the enforcement of arbitration awards against Latin American states. Carlos Núñez heads the Latin America international arbitration practice from Lima. Former Bogotá-based practice director Ricardo Alarcón is now a counsel in the México office following the departure of the Colombian office from the DLA network in June 2024.

DLA Piper Mexico continues to build out its presence in domestic arbitral matters, where it already demonstrates particular strength in energy sector disputes. The practice is nevertheless perhaps better known for its stellar international arbitration offering, with the Mexico City office acting as a regional hub for the practice, and which is, in turn, a key component of the firm’s global dispute resolution offering. Global head of the firm’s internatioal arbitral practice as well as co-head of the (local) team Kate Brown de Vejar is one of the foremost names in Mexico for international commercial and investment arbitration, practicing US and Australian law. Co-head of the Latin America disputes group, Gabriela Álvarez-Ávila‘s international arbitration practice evidences particularly expertise in disputes relating to investment law and high-stakes’ transactions in infrastructure, banking, energy and TMT. Both partners are currently co-leading on GoldGroup Resources’ case against Mexico under the sunset clauses of the USMCA and NAFTA chapter 11 and arising from the judicial expropriation of the client’s shares in a mining company The practice heads are supported by intermediate associate Irene Cuéllar Araiza, who joined from Curtis, Mallet-Prevost, Colt & Mosle S.C. in May 2023; and more recent counsel-level hire Juan Pablo Moyano, an April 2024 hire from Holland & Knight. In addition, litigators Antonio Cárdenas and Daniel González Estrada provide valuable advice in matters that have dual arbitration and litigation components.