Freshfields strengthens Madrid arbitration team

Spanish international arbitration specialist Lluís Paradell has joined Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer in Madrid, strengthening Freshfields’ international arbitration capabilities in Spain.

Lluís’s practice focuses on investor-State and commercial arbitration. He represented Repsol in its arbitration under the Spain/Argentina bilateral investment treaty concerning the expropriation of Repsol’s Argentine affiliate YPF.  Lluís has also acted for Gas Natural, Aguas de Barcelona and Abertis in arbitrations against the Argentine government. Currently he is representing various Spanish investors in their respective claims against Venezuela and Bolivia. His cases cover a broad variety of economic sectors, including hydrocarbons, banking and financial services, water, electricity, telecommunications, food distribution and mining. He has also acted for States in investor-State arbitrations, most recently for Guatemala. His commercial arbitration practice includes mostly post M&A disputes under oil and gas contracts including gas-price reviews. He regularly acts in arbitrations under the ICSID, ICC, LCIA, Milan Chamber and UNCITRAL arbitration rules, and is often appointed as arbitrator in commercial cases.

“Lluís’s strong expertise and reputation in disputes under contract or investment treaties with a focus on Latin America consolidates our offering in the region to domestic and international clients,” says Rafael Murillo, head of the Disputes and Arbitration practice in Spain.  “Lluís is clearly a star of the international arbitration arena and our reinforced team will ensure we are a step ahead in meeting the demands of our international clients.”

For Nigel Blackaby, co-head of Freshfields’ international arbitration group, “Lluís and I have worked together in arbitration for over 20 years and his deep technical knowledge and effective advocacy have helped enormously in developing our arbitration practice in Spain and the Americas. We are delighted that he will now bring all his expertise to Spain”. The team works seamlessly with an international arbitration group of 160 dedicated lawyers across the firm’s network.

“Freshfields’ international arbitration practice is recognized as best in class, both in Spain and around the world,” says Lluís. With over 20 years’ experience in high value disputes in Latin America, I hope to build deeper relationships with our Spanish clients, many of whom have invested in the region.  I look forward to contributing to the strength of the practice in Spain and the firm’s overall offering.”