The multi-day symposium, produced by Peruvian organization Asociación Zambrano, included special guests from the world over sharing in insights related to investment arbitration and international arbitration. Among the featured speakers were Partners Ignacio Torterola and Mauricio Gomm Santos who discussed ethical issues in arbitration and the procedural challenges facing international commercial arbitration, respectively.
Based in GST LLP’s Washington, D.C. office, Founding Partner Ignacio Torterola has a distinguished career of 25 years as a dispute resolution attorney. He has served as lead counsel, sole arbitrator, chairman and tribunal member in more than 70 high stakes international arbitrations. He has been named a “Leading Arbitration Practitioner” in Latin America and worldwide by Chambers Latin America, Chambers Global and Legal 500 annually since 2015.
Torterola has extensive experience in complex international law matters under the rules of arbitration of the ICC, ICSID, ICSID’s Additional Facility and UNCITRAL. His practice focuses on international litigation and commercial and investment arbitration specializing in water and sanitation, oil and gas, manufacturing, infrastructure, banking and financial services contracts and industry disputes.
Torterola has represented global companies, governments and private client parties in Latin America, Europe, Asia, Africa and the Caribbean. Currently, he is lead counsel in two ICSID cases: one involving a mining case in Guatemala, the other pertaining to a major construction arbitration case in the Dominican Republic. Acting on behalf of the Government of Pakistan, Torterola handled one of the largest ICSID and ICC cases successfully defending the country in the annulment and revision proceedings leading to the zero settlement of a USD 1.2 billion investment dispute. He represented an oil company in a case involving an off-shore drilling contract, and he successfully defended a state actor in two successive international proceedings, obtaining favorable orders from the tribunal to disclose a funding agreement and secure costs. Torterola also played a pivotal role in a dispute that removed more than 10 billion dollars of fake bonds allegedly issued by a Latin American country from circulation.
Formerly, he defended Argentina, Bolivia and Ecuador against investment disputes and has trained government officials from these and other countries under the auspices of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD). He is a frequent lecturer and teacher at Columbia University Center for Sustainable Investment (CCSI) training foreign government officials to prevent and defend themselves against investment disputes. Torterola has served as a diplomat and as the Government of Argentina’s representative to ICSID (2006-2012). He negotiated on behalf of Argentina in the 2010 Arbitration Rules, the ICC Rules for Disputes involving states and states’ entities (2012), and he represented Argentina before the WTO, the UNCTAD investment committee and the OECD Investment Committee.
He is a member of ICC’s Latin American group, Co-Director of International Arbitration Case Law (IACL), and he appears on UNCTAD’s list of Investment-State Dispute Settlement Specialists.
Highlighted Cases
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International Arbitration,International Litigation
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International Arbitration
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International Litigation
Highlighted Publications
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Book Chapter
Co-Author, “Argentina” in Latin America Investment Protections, 2012.
Author, Nuevo Reglamento de Arbitraje de la CNUDMI, 2011, Nuevo Reglamento de Arbitraje de la CNUDMI.
Author, “Book Review García Rubio’s On the Application of Customary rules of State Responsibility by WTO Dispute Resolution Organs”, 2004, Revista del Servicio Exterior.
Co-author, The Arbitration Review of the Americas 2021, Chapter: "Concession Contracts in Times of Crisis". Co-authors Quinn Smith, Diego Brian Gosis, and Ignacio Torterola, 2020.
Co-author, International Arbitration Laws and Regulations 2021, Chapter: "Concession Contracts in Times of Crisis". Co-authors Quinn Smith, Diego Brian Gosis, and Ignacio Torterola, 2021.
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Journal Article
Co-Author, The Better Way Forward: Investor-State Dispute Strategies, 2019, ICLG.com.
Co-Author, “Investor-State Disputes in Africa”, 2019, ICLG.com.
Co-Author, “The Guide to Infrastructure and Energy Investment” 3rd ed., 2018, Latin Lawyer.
Co-Author, “Investment Treaty Arbitration”, 2016, Latin Lawyer Guide to Infrastructure and Energy Investment.
Editor, “Tdm Latin America Special”, 2016, Transnational Dispute Management.
Editor, “The New ICC Arbitration Rules in Cases Involving States and State Entities”, 2012, Center for America and International Law.
Co-Author, “Investment Arbitration in Argentina”, 2012, Investment Arbitration in Latin America.
Author, “Multi-Tiered Investment Arbitration Clauses in Tratado de Derecho Arbitral”, 2011, Tomo I. Instituto Peruano del Arbitraje – Universidad Javeriana de Colombia.
Author, “Lawyers and Arbitrators ́ Conflicts of Interest: A State Lawyer Perspective”, 2011, Paris Journal of International Arbitration.
Author, “Los Institutos de la Emergencia en el Derecho Internacional y el Estado Argentino”, 2010, Revista Internacional del Arbitraje.
Author, “The Transparency Requirement in the New UNCITRAL Arbitration Rules: A Premonitory View”, vol. 1, no. 1, 2010, International Treaty News.
Author, “To Risk or Not to Risk? The State’s Perspective of Investor-State Dispute Resolution at the 20th Anniversary of ICSID”, 2009, Georgetown Journal of Law and Risk Management.
Author, “Notes on the Stay of Enforcement in ICSID Arbitration”, 2009, Transnational Dispute Management.
Author, “La Saga Continua: Comentario a las Decisiones Arbitrales en los Casos Continental C. Republica Argentina y TSA C. Republica Argentina”, 2008, Revista Arbitral Punto Medio.
Author, “Joint Ventures Contractuales y Societarias”, 1997, Revista del Derecho Comercial y de las Obligaciones: Edit. Depalma.
Author, “Cámaras Arbitrales de Cereales”, 1996, Revista del Derecho Agrario Argentino.
Related News
Ignacio Torterola was a featured speaker of the second edition of Washington Arbitration Week (WAW), presenting on the panel entitled "Ethics and International Arbitration: Is it Time for an International Code of Ethics?" The panel centered its discussion on whether it is necessary to regulate the ethical conduct of arbitrators, counsel, and experts in international arbitration to enhance the legitimacy of the arbitral process.
GST LLP's Carmine Pascuzzo and Ignacio Torterola were among the prestigious group of instructors to instruct and mentor arbitration professionals at the international Centro de Arbitraje CCL: Diploma Internacional de Arbitraje program in the fall of 2021.
Produced by Tashkent International Arbitration Centre and the Chamber of Commerce & Industry of the Republic of Uzbekistan, the inaugural Uzbekistan Arbitration Week brought together a who’s who of international arbitration leaders in the fall of 2021. GST LLP’s partners Ignacio Torterola, Diego Brian Gosis, and Domenico Di Pietro headlined the “New Trends in Investment Arbitration: Jurisdiction, Merits and Damages Calculation” panel. They discussed recent reforms taken in Uzbekistan in the realm of business development and international arbitration.
GST LLP was included in this year's GAR 100. Global Arbitration Review is one of the leading journals in the field, and the guide offers an in-depth analysis of the best arbitration practices in the world.
ICLG.com and CDR Magazine announce the appointments of Domenico Di Pietro as partner and Carmine A. Pascuzzo as of counsel. Domenico will be the firm's first London partner, and Carmine will be based out of GST's D.C. office. Both bring a valuable and unparalleled skillset to the table, as well as Italian as a working language in addition to the firm’s existing English, Spanish, Portuguese and French capabilities.
In this feature story, Law360 writes about GST LLP and its new partner and of counsel hires. Domenico di Pietro will be the firm's first London partner, boosting the firm's presence overseas while enlarging and strengthening its commercial and investment arbitration capabilities. Di Pietro told Law360 that in addition to the firm's high-profile team and fast-paced growth, he was attracted to the character and values of its lawyers, who he said are "devoted to offering the highest standard of assistance in international dispute resolution while bearing in mind the challenges currently faced by the entities that we assist."
Global Arbitration Review breaks the news of our firm's newest appointments: Domenico Di Pietro as partner and Carmine Pascuzzo as of counsel. Di Pietro is the firm's first London partner and will spend time drumming up business for that office among other initiatives. He is also the fifth partner at GAR 100 firm GST. Meanwhile, the boutique has strengthened its DC offering by hiring of counsel Carmine Pascuzzo. Pascuzzo previously spent time at the Venezuelan firm ADM & Asociados, where he was a junior partner.
In this expert analysis, a look at the Energy Charter Treaty and how recent arbitration decisions are likely to ripple through other energy economies. As Central and Latin America pivot toward renewable energy, GST LLP recommends governments reshape bilateral investment treaties to allow incentives for new technologies and improve dispute settlement mechanisms, while also providing both new and established energy companies with certainty and fair treatment.
Representing Guatemala, GST LLP applied to annul an ICSID award on the basis of Bulgarian arbitrator Stanimir Alexandrov's alleged failure to disclose ties with an expert witness – a year after Spain successfully annulled an award based on similar allegations. The state also argues there are contradictions in the decision and it violates the res judicata of a previous award issued in the same dispute.
IABA's Mid-Year Council Meeting and International Seminar dedicated to “Constitution and Democracy in the Times of COVID-19: A Way Forward and Effective Protection of Rights,” provided an insightful and timely discussion featuring prominent speakers from around the world, including GST LLP's Ignacio Torterola. Taking place February 17-19, 2021, the academic event was held virtually and provided a forum to review and improve institutional governance, as well as reflect on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Venezuela triumphs in Dutch Court of Appeals. A US$240 million claim brought by the members of the García Armas family was rejected based on their dual nationality in Manuel Garcia Armas and others v. Venezuela. According to Partner Ignacio Torterola, the judgment confirms that dual nationals bringing claims against their home state “is alien to international law, including investment law.” GST LLP served as counsel to Venezuela, while The Garcías were represented by Freshfields and Dechamps International Law.
Rankings
Chambers
Latin America Rankings - International Arbitration - Latin America
2017 – 2019
