King & Spalding LLP‘s Houston-based Latin America practice is renowned for its capabilities in international arbitration, with a sizeable team (the majority of whom are fluent in Spanish or Portuguese) which is skilled in high-stakes commercial and investment arbitration, as well as related litigation; its enviable recent caseload includes handling multibillion-dollar claims against Argentina, Ecuador and Colombia. The office has a strong focus on the energy and infrastructure sectors, something that is reflected in the work of both the disputes team and the equally impressive construction and project development group. Doak Bishop co-heads the international arbitration practice group, while Roberto Aguirre Luzi, who is admitted to practise in Argentina and as a foreign legal consultant in Texas, leads the Latin America international arbitration practice alongside Craig Miles, who splits his time between the Houston and Miami offices; all three practitioners have a wealth of experience in high-profile disputes in the region, especially in the oil, gas, mining and infrastructure sectors. Fernando Rodriguez-Cortina has a rapidly growing profile in international arbitration, particularly in cases involving Mexico. Scott Greer oversees the worldwide energy and construction transactional practice, and is a well-known name for oil and gas, LNG, petrochemical, power and mining projects in Latin America. Washington, DC and Houston-based Brandt Leibe, a specialist in white-collar defence and government investigations, is also noted.
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Key clients
- AMERRA Capital Management, LLC
- Arroyo Energy Investment Partners
- Cosan, S.A.
- Gente Oil Ecuador S.A.
- HIF Global
- Mexico Pacific Limited
- NIC Holding Corporation
- Odyssey Marine Exploration, Inc.
- Petersen Energía
- Pemcorp, S.A.P.I. de C.V.
- Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority (PREPA)
- Sempra Energy
Work highlights
Advising Microsoft Corporation on innovative contracting strategies and contract structures for the engineering, procurement, and construction of its future data centre builds, including artificial intelligence data centres.
Secured a landmark $1bn+ award for Reficar in an ICC arbitration against the contractor relating to delays and cost overruns involving a refinery in Colombia - the largest construction project in Latin America in June 2023.
Representing Odyssey Marine Exploration, Inc. in a multibillion-dollar ICSID arbitration against Mexico under the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), relating to Mexico’s refusal to issue Odyssey Marine with an environmental permit to develop a seabed phosphate deposit.
Practice head
Roberto Aguirre Luzi; Scott Greer; Craig Miles
Other key lawyers
Doak Bishop; Wade Coriell; Fernando Rodriguez-Cortina; Brandt Leibe