Carmen Martinez Lopez

Carmen Martinez Lopez is a senior associate in the firm’s London office. Her practice focuses on international arbitration and litigation. Ms. Martinez Lopez has acted as counsel in numerous investment treaty and commercial arbitrations, both under the rules of the major arbitral institutions and ad hoc. Ms. Martinez Lopez’s engagements have involved a variety of jurisdictions, with a particular focus on cases involving Latin America and Spain, and a wide range of industries that includes most prominently oil & gas, energy, infrastructure and concessions. She also has substantial experience undertaking internal investigations involving bribery and accounting irregularities.

A native Spanish speaker, Ms. Martinez Lopez handles contentious work in English, Spanish, and French, and has a good understanding of Italian and Portuguese.

Representative Matters

Litigation & Arbitration

• Counsel for a European oil & gas major in an English law ICC arbitration relating to African assets.
• Counsel for large independent oil & gas companies in an ICDR arbitration under New York law arising out of a crude transportation agreement.
• Counsel for a European oil & gas major in an ICC arbitration under English law arising out of a services agreement.
• Counsel for a US oil & gas independent in a multi-billion dollar ICSID arbitration against a Latin American State, in a dispute arising out of alleged breaches of a bilateral investment treaty and a production sharing agreement.
• Counsel for a French oil & gas independent in an ICSID arbitration against a Latin American State, in a dispute arising out of alleged breaches of a bilateral investment treaty and several production sharing agreements.
• Counsel for a European oil & gas major in a dispute arising out of alleged breaches of a joint venture agreement relating to natural gas assets in Latin America.
• Counsel for an Israeli investor in an ICSID arbitration against the Republic of Uzbekistan, in a dispute arising out of alleged breaches of a bilateral investment treaty.
• Counsel for a European wind turbine manufacturer in an investment treaty arbitration against a Middle Eastern State under UNCITRAL Rules.
• Counsel for a Bermuda company in an LCIA arbitration against a Russian investment firm arising out of investment brokerage arrangements.
• Counsel for a European oil refinery business in an ad hoc arbitration against various UK underwriters arising out of property damage and business interruption claims exceeding $150 million.

• Internal investigation in Europe relating to payments allegedly made to government officials to acquire certain permits.
• Compliance investigation in the US relating to allegations of fraud by management of a major financial institution in the context of the subprime crisis.
• Representation of the former CFO of a major industrial conglomerate in connection with allegations of insider trading before the French Authority of the Financial Markets (“AMF”).

Previous Experience

• Worked in the antitrust and international dispute resolution groups of the Brussels, New York and Paris offices of major international law firms.

Honors and Rankings

• Legal 500 UK, International Arbitration (2012)
• Legal 500 Latin America, International Arbitration (2012)

Pro Bono

• Representation of several individuals seeking asylum and disability benefits in the US.

Publications and Speeches

• "Uncommon Remedies in International Dispute Resolution," American Society of International Law’s 107th Annual Meeting (4/4/2013)
• "Settlement of International Investment Disputes Part Three: ICSID as a Self-contained System," Africa International Legal Awareness (9/27/2012)
• "IELPO Program," University of Barcelona (2010-2011)