Daniel Avila, II

Daniel is a senior associate at Reed Smith, practicing in the areas of international arbitration, complex commercial litigation, and transnational investment law. As part of the firm’s Latin American Business Team, Daniel assists clients on dispute resolution matters across the region in both English and Spanish. Daniel has assisted clients in disputes across several industries, including renewable energy, oil and gas, commodities, insurance, banking, transnational investments, M&A, defamation, partnership and construction projects both domestically and in foreign countries.

Experience

Representative matters

Counsel in an international arbitration conducted in Spanish under ICC Rules involving international energy companies in Mexico recovering over $50 million dollars in damages plus fees.

Counsel in an international arbitration conducted under LCIA Rules related to cross-border gas transactions during Winter Storm Uri, seated in Houston, Texas, recovering over $20 million in damages plus fees.

Counsel in an international arbitration conducted under ICDR Rules related to gas transactions during Winter Storm Uri, seated in Houston, Texas, conducted in Spanish, recovering over $50 million dollars in damages plus fees.

Counsel in an international arbitration conducted in Spanish under ICC Rules involving international energy companies in Mexico recovering over $50 million dollars in damages plus fees.

Secured a complete defense plus arbitration costs for a major financial institution in an international arbitration under ICDR Rules for claims over $2.7 million dollars.

Counsel for a major energy company, in securing a complete defense plus recovering over $10 million dollars in a counterclaim related to a major U.S. wind farm under AAA Rules.

Counsel in an investor-state arbitration under UNCITRAL Rules for a group of U.S. investors who had their property expropriated without compensation by a Latin American country to build a new airport.

Obtained treble damages in an AAA arbitration relating to an investment in the production of a motion picture.

Counsel for a retail conglomerate in an international litigation related to a cross-border transaction, obtaining the dismissal of the dispute.

Counsel in an international arbitration under ICC Rules involving international energy companies in Colombia.

Counsel in an international arbitration under ICC Rules involving a partnership dispute in Mexico.

Counsel in an international arbitration under ICC Rules involving a mining dispute in Peru.

Counsel in an international arbitration under ICC Rules involving a construction dispute in Argentina.

Counsel in an international arbitration, conducted in Spanish, and under ICC Rules involving a Latin American national oil company.

Assisted in an investor-state arbitration against a Latin American country on behalf of a major petrochemical company.

Counsel in an investor-state arbitration under UNCITRAL Rules on behalf of a major commodities trading firm that had its investment expropriated without compensation by a European country.

Counsel in an M&A dispute involving an Indonesian company and a German investor in a international arbitration under the AAA Rules.

Counsel in a wind turbine dispute in Brazil under ICC Rules on behalf of a major renewable energy company.

Counsel in an international arbitration, conducted in Spanish, under ICDR Rules involving the supply of a natural resource in a Latin American country.

Counsel in an arbitration under ICC Rules against a Latin American country.

Counsel in an international arbitration under ICDR rules involving a construction dispute in Mexico.

Counsel in an arbitration under AAA Rules involving renewable energy.

Counsel in an investor-state dispute under ICSID Rules on behalf of an insurance company against a Latin American country.

Counsel in a construction arbitration related to Korean entities under AAA Rules.

Counsel in an investor-state dispute for a multinational insurance company against a Latin American country under ICSID rules.

Counsel in multiple wind farm disputes in California and New York.

Counsel for a multinational company based out of France enforcing a major arbitration award in the U.S. Southern District of Texas.

Counsel and first chair for a major national blood bank related to a construction dispute in Hidalgo County, Texas.

Counsel and second chair in an LLC dispute regarding a renowned magazine company in Harris County, Texas.

Counsel in a dispute involving the construction of a bridge and bike trail in Harris County, Texas.

Counsel for a major youth organization in an insurance dispute related to Hurricane Harvey in Harris County, Texas.

Counsel in an oil and gas dispute regarding a lease in Wise County, Texas.

Counsel for a major petrochemical company in a wrongful death dispute in Harris County, Texas, obtaining the complete defense.

Counsel for a Harris County hospital involving a wrongful Covid-19 quarantine order in Harris County, Texas.

Secured a complete defense for a major financial institution in the United States Southern District of Texas.

Counsel for a major oil and gas company regarding a wrongful death dispute in Harris County, Texas.

Counsel for a major oil and gas company regarding an indemnity dispute in Harris County, Texas.

Counsel for a major oil and gas company regarding a pipeline construction dispute in the United States Southern District of Texas.

Counsel in a fuel trading commodities dispute in Harris County, Texas.

Counsel for a major conglomerate manufacturer of industrial products in a wrongful death dispute in Harris County, Texas.

Counsel in a construction dispute in Travis County, Texas.

Counsel in the prosecution of an insurance fraud dispute in El Paso County.

Counsel in a construction dispute in Brazoria County, Texas.

Counsel in a defamation dispute in Harris County, Texas

Counsel in a defamation dispute in Galveston County, Texas.

Assisting in a partnership dispute in Harris County, Texas.

Counsel in multiple commercial disputes on behalf of a major financial institution.

Counsel for a major financial institution related to the enforcement of a FINRA award in the U.S. Southern District of Texas.

Counsel for a major financial institution related to fraudulent transfers in the U.S. Southern District of Texas obtaining the complete dismissal for the client.

Counsel for a major financial institution related to fraudulent transfers in the U.S. Western District of Texas obtaining the complete dismissal for the client.

Counsel in multiple 1782 discovery proceedings across the country.

Obtained a published opinion in the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit in favor of an indigent client relating to an insurance dispute.

Assisted in a week-long pro bono project in Dilley, Texas, reuniting mothers who were separated from their children at the border, which was recognized as the Pro Bono Project of the Year by the firm.

Assisted several immigrants obtain asylum in the United States.

Represented several unaccompanied minors in obtaining special juvenile immigrant visas.

Counsel for a gym in El Paso, Texas related to a lease dispute during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Counsel in a compliance project in Colombia for an international mining company.

Counsel in the acquisition of a commodities company in Mexico for an international commodities company.

Counsel in a corporate compliance project for a Spanish entity.

Counsel for a U.S. entity in the facilitation of a letter rogatory issued by a Chilean company.

Counsel in a compliance project in the Dominican Republic for an international energy company.

Counsel in a compliance project in Canada for an international energy company.

Counsel in a transaction related to Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico.

Recognitions

Recognized in Latinvex’s 2025 list of Latin America Rising Legal Stars
Named to Lawyers of Color's Annual Hot List, 2022.
Selected through peer review for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America© "Ones to Watch" list for Alternative Dispute Resolution (International Arbitration), 2021-2025.

Credentials

Education

Queen Mary, University of London, LL.M., International Dispute Resolution, with honors, Dissertation (Distinction)
University of Houston Law Center, J.D., cum laude, Chief Compliance Editor, Houston Business & Tax Law Journal
University of North Texas, B.B.A., Finance, North Texas Forty Student Foundation (Top 40 Leaders on Campus)