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Ricardo Chirinos

Special Legal Consultant

Washington +1 202 662 5667

  • About
  • Representative Matters
  • Credentials
  • About

    Ricardo specializes in international commercial and investment arbitration, as well as public international law, and has extensive experience representing clients in high-stakes disputes relating to investments across different industry sectors, including oil and gas, mining and metals, electricity, agriculture, food retail and distribution, forestry, paper and packaging.

    Trained in both civil and common-law and qualified to practice in the United States and Venezuela, Ricardo has successfully represented clients prosecuting high-value claims in arbitral proceedings conducted in English and Spanish under the ICSID, ICSID Additional Facility, ICC and UNCITRAL rules. He also advises clients in matters relating to investment protection and restructuring, as well in the design and implementation of contingency plans to operate in hostile jurisdictions.

    Ricardo is qualified to practice Venezuelan law, admitted to practice in the State of New York and licensed in the District of Columbia as a Special Legal Consultant.

    Areas of Expertise

  • Practices and Industries
  • Representative Matters
    • Representing a North American mining company in an ICDR arbitration arising from cost plus construction, project management, and construction management agreements in connection with the construction of a mining project in Chile and Argentina.
    • Represented a Spanish energy company in an ICSID arbitration against Argentina under the Spain-Argentina BIT arising from Argentina’s adoption of adverse regulatory measures affecting its investments in the power generation sector.
    • Represented a Canadian mining company in an ICSID arbitration against Colombia under the Canada-Colombia FTA arising from Colombia’s ban on mining in páramo highlands affecting its investment in a gold mining project.
    • Represented Crystallex in an ICSID Additional Facility claim against Venezuela under the Canada-Venezuela BIT, arising from the expropriation of the “Las Cristinas” gold mine, securing a favorable US$1.39bn damages award—one of the largest ICSID awards in history—in 2016.
    • Represented Rusoro Mining in its successful claim under the Canada-Venezuela BIT and pursuant to the ICSID Additional Facility Rules, arising from the expropriation of its gold mining interests in Venezuela. An award for US$1.2bn was rendered in favor of Rusoro In August 2016.
    • Represented Vestey Group in an arbitration under the ICSID rules pursuant to the UK-Venezuela BIT in connection with the expropriation of its century-old cattle farming business. In April 2016, the ICSID tribunal awarded Vestey US$98 million, plus interest.
    • Represented Tenaris S.A. and Talta - Trading e Marketing Sociedade Unipessoal Lda. in an ICSID arbitration under the Luxembourg-Venezuela and Portugal-Venezuela BITs, relating to the expropriation of a hot briquetted iron-producing subsidiary, Materiales Siderúrgicos S.A. In January 2016, the tribunal issued a US$172.8 million damages award in favor of the claimants.
    • Represented Tenaris S.A. and Talta - Trading e Marketing Sociedade Unipessoal Lda. in a second ICSID arbitration under the Luxembourg-Venezuela and Portugal-Venezuela BITs, relating to the nationalization of two Venezuelan steel sector companies, Tavsa and Comsigua. In December 2016, the tribunal issued a US$137 million damages award in favor of the claimants.

    • Represented Grupo Agroinsumos Ibero-Americanos in an ICSID arbitration against Venezuela under the Spain-Venezuela BIT over the expropriation of its investment in the most important supplier and producer of agricultural products in Venezuela.
    • Represented Smurfit Holdings B.V. in an ICSID arbitration under the Netherlands-Venezuela BIT over the expropriation of its investments in forestry landholdings, as well as the leading producer and seller of paper-based packaging products in Venezuela.
    • Represented Ternium S.A. and Consorcio Siderurgia Amazonia (subsidiaries of Techint) in an ICSID arbitration under the Spain-Venezuela and Luxembourg-Venezuela BITs, arising from the nationalization of Venezuela's largest steel mill, Sidor. The dispute was successfully settled.
    • Represented two Spanish investors, in their UNCITRAL arbitration claim against Venezuela under the Spain-Venezuela BIT, arising out of the expropriation of their investments in the food import and distribution sector.
    • Represented several Spanish investors in two parallel UNCITRAL and ICSID Additional Facility arbitrations against Venezuela under the Spain-Venezuela BIT, arising out of the expropriation of their investments in a food importation and distribution company, as well as various supermarkets.
    • Represented Repsol in its ICSID arbitration against Argentina under the Spain-Argentina BIT over the highly controversial nationalization of its investment: Repsol’s 51 percent stake in local oil company YPF. This is one of the highest-profile direct expropriations in a decade, with major front page news coverage throughout the world and recognized as Deal of the Year (Disputes) by Latin Lawyer 2014. The case settled for an amount in excess of $5 billion.
    • Represented a North American oil company and several of its subsidiaries in an ICC arbitration against Venezuela's national oil company PDVSA.
    • Represented Wood Group and SIMCO Consortium, in an ICC arbitration against Venezuela’s national oil company PDVSA. The dispute, involving claims for compensation arising from the forced termination of a 15-year contract for water injection and water treatment, led to a successful settlement following the final hearing.

    Areas of Expertise

  • Credentials
    Education
    • Columbia Law School, LL.M., 2011
        • Harlan Fiske Stone Scholar
        • Smith Fellow
        • Parker School Recognition of Achievement in International and Comparative Law
        • Philip C. Jessup International Law Moot Court Competition (coach)
    • Universidad Católica Andrés Bello, School of Law, Abogado, 2005
        • cum laude
    Bar Admissions
    • New York
    • Venezuela, State of Miranda
    • Special Legal Consultant: District of Columbia
    Languages
    • English
    • Spanish
    • Portuguese
    Accolades
    • Recognized as a “Future Leader” by Global Arbitration Review and Who’s Who Legal in 2023 and 2021.
    • Recognized as a “Rising Star” for international arbitration in Latin America by Legal 500 in 2019, 2020, and 2021.
    Memberships and Affiliations
    • Inter-American Bar Association (President of the New York Chapter)
    • New York City Bar (Chair of the Venezuela Subcommittee)
    • Venezuelan Arbitration Association (Director)
    • Member of the List of Arbitrators and Conciliators of CEDCA
    • Member of the List of Arbitrators of the Caracas Chamber of Commerce
    • American Society of International Law
    • Young ICSID
    • Young ICCS
    • Young ITA
    Previous Experience
    • Legal advisor to Judge O. Thomas Johnson, Iran-U.S. Claims Tribunal (2015-2016)

    Areas of Expertise

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