Diego is an associate in our international arbitration group, based in New York.
Diego specializes in international law and arbitration, and he focuses his practice on disputes in Latin America. He has acted in arbitrations under the rules of the ICC, ICSID, ICSID Additional Facility, and UNCITRAL. He has represented and advised investors in multiple jurisdictions and across a variety of sectors, including oil and gas, mining, telecommunications and agro-industry.
Diego also currently represents clients on a pro-bono cases on issues involving gender-based violence, immigration, public international law, and human rights.
Prior to joining Freshfields, Diego worked for an arbitration boutique in Bogotá, Colombia, where he focused in complex disputes involving concession contracts with the government, as well as in the dispute resolution team of another local firm. He was also a member of the NYU School of Law's International Environmnetal Law Clinic and a Research Assistant at NYU's Guarini CEnter on Environmental, Energy and Land Use Law.
Diego speaks English and Spanish.
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- Representing Glencore International AG in the first ICSID arbitration against Colombia in relation to adverse measures affecting its investment in one of the largest coal mines in Colombia.
- Representing Glencore Finance Bermuda in obtaining and enforcing a US$254 million award (plus interest) against the Plurinational State of Bolivia under the Bolivia-UK Bilateral Investment Treaty (BIT)-the largest award ever rendered against Bolivia-relating to the nationalization of Glencore assets, including a tin and zinc mine and a tin smelter.
- Representing South32 in an ICSID arbitration under the United Kingdom-Colombia BIT in respect of Colombia’s measures attempting to extract additional royalties from the Cerro Matoso mining project.
- Representing Conoco Phillips in ICSID annulment proceedings brought by Venezuela to challenge a $8 billion ICSID award against the State relating to the expropriation of hydrocarbon and refining assets in Venezuela.
- Representing two mining companies in an ICC multi-party arbitration concerning the interpretation of the billings reconciliation provision of a certain maintenance and repair agreement.
- Representing two companies of a multi-Latin corporate group in an ICC arbitration against a Latin American state-owned petrochemical company, arising out of contractual breaches in respect of a joint venture to operate a fertilizer business.
- Representing Mexican telecommunications giant América Móvil in an ICSID Additional Facility arbitration against Colombia in relation to the expropriation of the assets held by Colombia’s largest mobile phone provider.
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Education
- Master of Laws (LL.M.), New York University School of Law, New York (2017).
- Graduate degree in International Economic Law, Universidad Externado de Colombia, Bogota (2015).
- Law degree, Universidad de los Andes, Bogota (2013).
Professional
- Admitted to practice in Colombia (2013).
- Registered as a Foreign Legal Consultant in the State of New York (2019).
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