The ITA Guide to Latin American Arbitral Institutions

The ITA Guide to Latin American Arbitral Institutions

We are delighted to announce that the Reed Smith Latin America Business Team and the Institute for Transnational Arbitration (ITA) Americas Initiative have joined forces to create the latest edition of the ITA Guide to Latin American Arbitral Institutions.
 
Commercial arbitration, both domestic and transnational, has become a core feature of the business and investment environment in Latin America and the Caribbean. Since the 1990s, the region has experienced not only a proliferation of arbitral institutions, but also a marked evolution toward greater institutional sophistication, efficiency, and international alignment.
 
The latest edition of the ITA Guide to Latin American and Caribbean Arbitral Institutions identifies more than 170 arbitral institutions operating across the region and presents detailed findings for a representative group of 30 institutions in over 20 jurisdictions, including several newly covered countries and institutions not previously surveyed. The Guide analyzes each institution’s history, caseload, party composition (private and public), seat of arbitration, procedural tools, arbitrator eligibility requirements, and the extent of institutional innovation.

Reed Smith’s Daniel Ávila II, Lead Editor & Author of the ITA Guide to Latin American Arbitral Institutions, commented: “We appreciate the ITA’s trust and vision in continuing to expand and modernize this Guide. The findings reflect a region that has entered a new phase of arbitration maturity, one defined not merely by growth, but by refinement. Latin American and Caribbean institutions are increasingly competitive on the global stage, offering sophisticated procedural tools, robust digital infrastructure, and greater transparency.

“The data confirms several important trends: the sustained rise of regional arbitration centers, including in the Caribbean; increased participation of public entities; greater diversity in arbitrator appointments, particularly of women; and the normalization of procedural mechanisms such as emergency arbitration, injunctive relief, and dispositive motions. We are also seeing increased party autonomy in arbitrator selection and growing reliance on virtual and hybrid proceedings.
 
“We hope this Guide continues to serve as a practical resource for users and institutions alike, and as a benchmark for best practices as arbitration in the Americas continues to evolve.”
 
Eric Franco, Chair of the ITA Americas Initiative, observed: “The 2025 ITA Guide to Latin American Arbitral Institutions confirms that arbitration in the region has entered a phase of genuine maturity. Latin American institutions are no longer focused on establishing legitimacy, but on refining their procedures through technology, transparency, and efficiency. The widespread adoption of emergency arbitration, expedited procedures, virtual hearings, and emerging AI-assisted case management reflects alignment with global best practices, while growing diversity and fee transparency demonstrate a clear responsiveness to user needs. This Guide captures both the remarkable progress achieved across the region and the opportunities that remain as Latin America continues to position itself as a sophisticated and reliable hub for international dispute resolution.”
 
In addition, the Guide includes information on each country’s relevant laws and treaties and presents indices showing the efficacy of commercial arbitration in jurisdictions throughout Latin America and the Caribbean. The Guide also provides information on hot topics in international arbitration, including gender diversity in the appointment of arbitrators, dispositive motions, and transparency in awards, among others.

The Institute for Transnational Arbitration (ITA)

The Institute for Transnational Arbitration (ITA) is a division of The Center for American and International Law (CAIL), a nonprofit organization serving lawyers and law enforcement officials from over 135 countries since 1947. The ITA’s main goal is to provide advanced continuing education and networking for lawyers, judges, academics, government officials, and other professionals concerned with transnational arbitration of commercial and investment disputes. With members and contributors in over 55 countries and 30 U.S. states, ITA is led and supported by many of the world’s leading companies, arbitrators, and arbitration counsel.