Arbitrator, Mediator, Counsel

I come to the role of arbitrator after a 20-year career as an advocate focused on international arbitration and cross-border litigation. As an arbitrator and mediator, I apply the knowledge I have gained of non-U.S. law and advocacy styles to conduct proceedings that are fair to all, receptive to differing approaches, and tailored to the shared expectations of the parties and the needs of their counsel.

Arbitration should be speedy, predictable, flexible, and efficient - with neither side enjoying a home-court advantage.  My analysis is driven by a rigorous application of the proven facts to the parties’ chosen law. And while arbitrators should guide parties toward procedures that save time and money, I believe counsel must be given ample leeway to present their cases as they deem best. Parties to domestic arbitrations typically have one set of expectations, and parties to international proceedings frequently share a different set of assumptions. My approach, in either setting, is to honor the parties’ shared expectations without abandoning the flexibility that is a hallmark of arbitration.

I am bilingual in English and Spanish, and welcome engagements in either language. In addition, my knowledge of French and Portuguese allows me effectively to handle cases where the relevant evidence - documents or witnesses - is in those languages. 

While I travel for proceedings world-wide, I maintain arbitration chambers in San Francisco, Houston, and Miami, and, for purposes of serving as an arbitrator and mediator, I treat each of those cities as home.