Sovereign & States Litigation Summit USA

FIRE Americas Conference
9am - 5:30pm

Join us for the 3rd Annual FIRE Americas which will be held the previous day, at the same venue.

Click here for more information (requires FIRE Americas ticket - bundle ticket options are available) 

Pre-event Networking Drinks Reception
5:30pm

A unique networking drinks reception, where you will meet both the FIRE and Disputes Community.

Ticket holders of FIRE Americas and/or Sovereign & States Litigation Summit USA may attend this networking opportunity.

Registration & Networking Welcome Refreshments
09:00

Chairperson's Opening Remarks
09:20

Sovereign & States Litigation in a Multi-Polar World – Charting The Future
09:30

• Key industries to look out for
• International court’s impacts on climate change and energy transition
• Popular selection with the seat of arbitration – is this changing?
• Exploring national security in the international litigation and arbitration space

Ofilio Mayorga - Partner - Foley Hoag (Washington D.C.)
Francisco A. Rodriguez - Partner - Reed Smith (Miami)
Danielle Morris - Partner - Wilmer Hale (DC)
Martin Gusy - Partner - Bracewell (New York)
Nikos Asimakopoulos - Director of Disputes - Sigma7 Alaco
 

Parallel Arbitration and Criminal Proceedings Involving Corruption Allegations
10:15

• Addressing arbitration claims or defences based on corruption allegations
• Admissibility and weight to be given to arbitral evidence in domestic criminal proceedings
• Interaction between criminal jurisdiction and arbitral jurisdiction
• Circulation of evidence between the proceedings
• Effect of a criminal judgment on the arbitral proceedings

Arif Ali - Independent Arbitrator - AHALI Disputes (DC / London)
Yves Klein - Partner - Monfrini Bitton Klein (Switzerland)
Érica Franzetti - Partner - King & Spalding (Miami / DC)
Michael Losco - Counsel - Boies Schiller Flexner (New York)

Networking & Refreshment Break
11:00

Exploring The Concept of Sovereign Immunity
11:30

• Deep dive with the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act
• What does it mean for enforcement against sovereigns?
• Impacts on your litigation strategy
• Compare and contrasting surveillance and employment

Viren Mascarenhas - Founding Partner - Mascarenhas Law (New York)
Tara J. Plochocki  - Partner - Sequor Law (DC)
Robert Kry - Partner - MoloLamken (DC / NYC)
Alanood Ebrahim Al Khalifa - First Secretary - Embassy of the Kingdom of Bahrain in the United Kingdom

The Future of Investor-State Disputes Settlement
12:15

• Discussing the significance of the ISDS system with international investment
• Is investment arbitration waning? How are investors resolving their disputes or hedging their risks?
• The challenges of sovereignty, transparency and enforcement
• Balancing investor protection and state sovereignty
• Discussion of investment courts vs. Investment arbitration

Michaël Schlesinger - Partner - Archipel (France)
Caroline Richard - Partner - Freshfields (DC)
Bruce Marks - Founding and Managing Member - Marks & Sokolov (Philadelphia / Moscow)
Anna Holloway - Senior Legal Counsel - World Bank Group, ICSID (International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes)
Nathaniel Jedrey  - Attorney-Adviser - Office of the Legal Adviser (U.S. Department of State)

Networking & Lunch Break
13:00

The Costs of Sovereign Enforcement
14:00

• Key developments of the DC Federal Courts on matters involving sovereign immunity
• Looking at recoverability rates and lengthy enforcement proceedings
• How costly can it be? Establishing everyone’s expectation on the costs of enforcing awards
• Challenges around enforcing against state-owned companies

Charlene Sun - Partner - DLA Piper (New York)
Alexander A. Yanos - Partner - Alston & Bird (New York / DC)
Alex H. Loomis - Partner - Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan (Boston)
Michael Lennon Jr. - Partner - Mayer Brown (Texas)
Gregory Williams - Partner - Sidley Austin (DC)

Europe’s Retreat from Investment Arbitration: Updates and Outlook
14:45

• Bilateral Investment Treaties and the outcomes of terminations
• ECT: continuing claims under sunset clause
• How are US courts dealing with enforcement? And comparing it to other national courts
• How are arbitral institutions dealing with new claims (ICC, DIFC, SCC and LCIA)
• How will intra-EU investment disputes be decided in the future? Impacts of a possible European investment court

Mahmoud Abuwasel - Managing Partner - Wasel & Wasel (DC)
Remy Gerbay - Partner - Hughes Hubbard & Reed (DC)
Theresa Bowman - Partner - Mitchell Silberberg & Knupp (DC)

Networking & Refreshment Break
15:30

Best Practices for Client Communication for High Stakes Disputes
16:00

• Key skills for navigating the range of clients you get
• Minimising the number of surprises and managing expectations
• Addressing cultural and diplomatic sensitivities
• Reputational risks - Preparing for public and media inquiries

Joe Profaizer - Partner, Global Co-Head of International Arbitration - Linklaters (DC)
Juliana De Valdenebro Garrido - Senior Associate Litigation, Arbitration, and Employment - Hogan Lovells (Miami)
Juan Perla - Partner - Curtis, Mallet-Prevost, Colt & Mosle (New York / DC)
Christopher Ryan - Partner - A&O Shearman (USA)
Cameron Ashouripour - Attorney at Law - Ashouripour Law (DC)

Spotlight on Foreign Investment
16:45

• Balancing investment opportunities and potential disputes
• How political volatility impacts foreign investment in LATAM
• Ensuring a comprehensive protection strategy
• Growth of Chinese investments into LATAM
• Exploring the Middle East and Sovereign Wealth Funds

Jennifer Haworth McCandless - Partner - Baker Botts (Washington DC)
José García Cueto - Partner - Clifford Chance (Washington DC)
David Attanasio - Partner - Womble Bond Dickinson (DC)

Chairperson's Closing Remarks & End of Conference
17:30

Charlene Sun - Partner - DLA Piper (US)
Jehad Mustafa - Partner - Farrer & Co
Ofilio Mayorga - Partner - Foley Hoag (Washington D.C.)