Reed Smith is a recognized leader in the region, as demonstrated by both our firm and our arbitration practice being included in Latinvex’s 2020, 2021 and 2022 rankings of top 100 law firms operating in the region.
Legal directories describe our practice as:
- “A deeply admired dispute resolution practice, highly sought after for its Latin American arbitration expertise. Their cross-examination skills are fantastic.” Chambers Latin America 2022
- “The best Latin American arbitration team in the industry.” The Legal 500 Latin America 2022
- “Excels at handling complex commercial arbitration cases, frequently advising clients on claims arising out of construction and financial disputes. Also adept at representing investors in significant investment treaty arbitration mandates.” Chambers Global: Latin America 2022
As a “first-class advisor for Latin American clients and cases” (The Legal 500 2019) we are regularly called upon by significant multinationals to advise on high-value commercial arbitration disputes (Chambers Latin America 2019). Our team leverages the depth and breadth of our experience and relationships with local strategic partners to provide commercial disputes advice to our clients in real time.
Our strong focus on the Latin American region means clients benefit from a high concentration of resources and our reputation for the handling of high-level, complex arbitrations and litigations covering various jurisdictions in Latin America.
We are adept at bridging legal systems and resolving complex legal issues, resulting in nominations for Chambers’ Latin America Award for International Arbitration Firm of the Year for the past four years. Our team includes native multilingual speakers, and dual-qualified and bi-cultural lawyers who know the cultures of individual countries in the region, the regional arbitration institutions, their rules and the right questions to ask. Clients benefit from our extensive knowledge and experience of highly complex international arbitrations across both the common law and civil law systems.
We represent clients and manage arbitrations conducted in English, Spanish and Portuguese, involving the application of either U.S. law or the laws of jurisdictions across Latin America. Our team “perfectly understands the principles and legal systems of countries with a tradition in Roman Law” (The Legal 500).
Our team has handled arbitrations that span the rules of all major international arbitral institutions, including the International Centre for Dispute Resolution (ICDR), the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC), the Inter-American Commercial Arbitration Commission (IACAC), the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL), and the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID).
Our lawyers have experience with disputes arising from shareholder agreements, oil and gas, infrastructure development and construction, mining, telecommunications, media, pharmaceuticals, distributorships and finance. Our cases include high-value, complex arbitrations and investment treaty disputes; state sovereignty issues; and the enforcement of international arbitration awards and sanctions.
Clients benefit from the insights we bring as thought leaders and active members in the Latin American arbitration community. Among others, our former global practice chair is one of six lawyers worldwide listed in the top Chambers band for Latin American Arbitration, with other lawyers also receiving top listings.
Our team members teach on the topic of international arbitration in Latin America in both U.S. and Latin American universities and many serve on the boards or committees of associations in the U.S. and Latin American arbitral communities, such as the Miami International Arbitration Society (MIAS), the Miami Advisory Committee for the International Centre for Dispute Resolution, the International Arbitration Commission of the International Association of Young Lawyers (AIJA), the Americas’ Initiative of the Institute for Transnational Arbitration, the Latin American Subcommittee of the Pledge, the Latin American Committee of the American Bar Association’s Section of International Law and the North American branch of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators.
