Miguel López Forastier is a partner at Covington & Burling LLP in Washington, DC, whose practice focuses on international arbitration and litigation. Mr. López Forastier has successfully represented a wide range of clients, including those in the oil and gas, mining, communications, financial services, and food industries in both investor-State and commercial arbitrations. Recognized by Chambers, Who's Who Legal, and Legal 500 as a leading international arbitration lawyer, Mr. López Forastier’s work is praised by clients for his “thorough analysis, insightful advocacy, and consistently reliable judgment.” Both civil-law and common-law trained, Mr. López Forastier handles contentious work in English, Spanish, and Portuguese.
How has your cultural background influenced your approach to work as a lawyer, either with your commercial or pro bono clients?
I think it has made me a better listener. In international cases, my cultural background provides me with an array of tools to discern legal theories that may work on particular cases and those that might be a diversion.
You have been named several times to the list of Latin America’s Top lawyers. Has your background assisted in your ability to work with clients in Latin America?
Don’t believe everything you read! Yes, being bilingual and multi-cultural gives me a great advantage to understand how our clients, opponents and decision makers think or approach an issue. My life experiences growing up in crisis-prone Argentina have helped me see multiple facets of a given situation and navigate more comfortably with uncertainty and ambiguity. My wife says I thrive in crises based on my life experiences.
You have been with Covington for 20 years now. How has the approach to diversity and inclusion within the legal industry changed over the last 20 years?
The industry has been very focused on diversity and inclusion issues in the last few years. You can see this reflected on many fronts. Not too long ago, it would have been unthinkable that law firms would have departments and professionals assisting in the management of diversity and inclusion initiatives.
Covington has always been ahead of the game. Diversity and inclusion have been core values of Covington for many years, long before it was the trendy thing to do. I am a living example of that. I obtained my law degree in Argentina and came to this country in 1995 to pursue additional graduate studies with a plan to return to my country and practice law there. But life quickly changed when I met my now-wife and the firm, through the offices of Stuart Stock and Laurie Self, offered me an associate position to do IP work in Latin America. You know the rest of the story but the point I am trying to make is that although I was a complete outsider — literally — the firm had the vision of offering me an incredible platform to learn the craft of lawyering from the best advocates in the world.
How can the legal industry better address the needs of incoming Latinx lawyers?
Having good mentors who are able to listen to the lawyer’s particular needs and provide constructive criticism and viable paths forward is highly valuable. Nobody is perfect and we cannot continue to grow and develop as lawyers if we do not have good mentors who are able to identify, in trusted and supported conversations, those weak spots that we have to develop further. And it's a two-way street. The junior lawyer needs to be open minded and willing to receive this feedback and know that mentors are also imperfect and on a journey as they try to learn how best to help that lawyer obtain his or her full potential.
What advice would you give to new associates hoping to make partner in big law today?
Work hard, always produce the best quality work you are capable of, and enjoy your craft and the (sometimes long) journey. We are privileged to handle the type of cases we do here at Covington, with the colleagues we have and, on top of that, get paid. There is not one path to partnership and feel free to blaze your own path at your own pace. Be patient and flexible and know when to seize opportunities when they present themselves.
Reflecting on your career to date, what advice would you give to your younger self?
I could not think of any so I checked with my wife. She says: “Listen, laugh and smile more in your free time.”
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