Francisco heads the firm’s Latin America Business Team and is the former Co-Practice Leader of Reed Smith's International Arbitration Group. He advises clients worldwide on complex commercial disputes spanning commodities, construction, energy, joint ventures, manufacturing, mining, oil and gas, partnerships, with a special emphasis on renewables (including biomass, ethanol, battery storage, solar, and wind projects). Advocating in both English and Spanish, Francisco’s most recent representations involve large-scale disputes in: Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Colombia, England, Mexico, Panama, Peru, Saudi Arabia, Spain, the United States, and Venezuela.
Experience
Representative matters
Representative matters
Obtained summary disposition of all claims in an ICC arbitration governed by Mexican law, seated in Mexico, in Spanish, arising out of the provision of oil field services.
Obtained a full defense verdict in an ICC arbitration, governed by Peruvian law, arising out of disputes concerning the performance and sale of commercial use turbines. The arbitration involved complex issues of subrogation and culminated in an application for annulment at its Paris seat.
Represented an equipment supplier against a contractor in an international arbitration seated in Mexico City, arising from the supply, installation, and commissioning of equipment across multiple offshore platforms. Obtained am award in excess of USD 60 million in the all-Spanish-language proceeding.
Representative Experience
Obtained summary disposition of all claims in an ICC arbitration governed by Mexican law, seated in Mexico, in Spanish, arising out of the provision of oil field services.
Obtained a full defense verdict in an ICC arbitration, governed by Peruvian law, arising out of disputes concerning the performance and sale of commercial use turbines. The arbitration involved complex issues of subrogation and culminated in an application for annulment at its Paris seat.
Represented an equipment supplier against a contractor in an international arbitration seated in Mexico City, arising from the supply, installation, and commissioning of equipment across multiple offshore platforms. Obtained am award in excess of USD 60 million in the all-Spanish-language proceeding.
Obtained summary disposition in a renewables arbitration eliminating tens of millions of dollars in purported operation and maintenance related claims.
Prevailed in an all-Spanish language ICDR arbitration, seated in Mexico, arising out of the sale of tens of millions of dollars of natural gas around Winter Storm Uri. The award, in excess of $50 million USD, included costs and fees.
Represented a multinational contractor in a successful billion-dollar ICC construction arbitration, conducted in Spanish, adverse to a state petroleum company. The dispute – applying FIDIC contracting – arose from the revamping, modernization, and expansion of an oil refinery and associated pipelines.
Represented a multinational energy company in an ICC arbitration related to a flagship gas station in Mexico. Secured multimillion dollar award including the awarding of fees.
Represented an energy company in the successful outcome of a rail dispute involving a state owned national infrastructure agency.
Represented a joint venture partner in a complex dispute involving AAA arbitration, state court proceedings, and ICC claims arising from misrepresentations that induced investment in the creation and development of a specialized manufacturing facility.
Represented a renewables company against hedge fund in dispute arising from the construction of a wind farm in Latin America. Achieved a successful outcome in the ICC proceeding seated in New York and governed by New York law.
Represented an international oil field services provider in all Spanish language arbitration regarding the provision of millions of dollars in disputed services.
Represented a joint venture partner in an ICC arbitration related to the awarding of a public international concession. The proceedings were seated in New York and applied both Delaware and New York law and resulted in an investor state claim.
Represented an equipment manufacturer against a Latin American consortium in a dispute related to the provision of engineering, procurement, construction, assembly, commissioning, testing, start-up, operation, and maintenance services for power plants located at various pumping stations throughout Colombia.
Represented a multinational company in a mining arbitration before the Lima Chamber of Commerce (LCC) involving an electrical and process control system programming dispute.
Represented an equipment and services provider in a AAA arbitration arising out of a project for the design and construction of a new combined-cycle, natural-gas-fueled power plant.
Represented a renewables equipment and services supplier in a Spanish-language international arbitration seated in Lima, Peru adverse to a logistics and supply company, regarding its deficient provision of services resulting in liquidated damages and multiple contractual breaches.
Represented a multinational company against international contractors in an ICC arbitration seated in London, related to the construction of a power generation facility in Latina America.
Represented an international equipment and technology provider in a successful ICC proceeding arising out of the development of a combined-cycle generation facility in Argentina.
Represented a renewable energy company in a construction dispute in the Dominican Republic involving a power purchase agreement (PPA).
Represented a large international oil field services provider in an ad hoc international arbitration related to agency services in Azerbaijan, and prevailing at arbitration.
Represented a U.S. production company in an ongoing LNG plant gas allocation dispute in East Africa.
Represented a multinational commodities trading and logistics company in an ICDR arbitration regarding contaminated bunker fuel oil.
Recognitions
Ranked in Chambers USA for Texas Construction, 2023-2025
Ranked in Chambers USA Nationwide Construction: International Disputes, 2024-2025
- “Highly recommended” in 2023-2024 edition of the Latin Lawyer 250 – Arbitration
Credentials
Education
Education
- Columbia Law School, 2003, J.D., Managing Editor, Columbia Human Rights Law Review; Spanish JLM; President Latino Law Student Association
- Rice University, 2000, B.A., cum laude
Professional admissions & qualifications
Professional admissions & qualifications
- New York
- Texas
Professional affiliations
Professional affiliations
- Institute of Transnational Arbitration (ITA), Americas Initiative
- International Law Section (ILS) of the State Bar of Texas
- Leadership Houston Class XXX
- State Bar of Texas (Litigation Section)
- Houston Bar Association (Litigation and International Law Sections)
- Houston International Arbitration Club (HIAC)
- Human Rights Initiative of North Texas
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