Astigarraga Davis

GAR’s sister publication, Latin Lawyer, says this practice from Miami is a “small but prestigious boutique” with “an excellent reputation for complex, high-value, multi-jurisdictional arbitration and litigation in Latin America […] more than able to hold its own among renowned global firms, with which it often finds itself in competition.”

As well as being a serving vice president of the LCIA court, José Astigarraga, one of the two founders, advises the NAFTA commission on arbitration issues (one of a mere handful of US-based delegates) and was last year elected to the board of the newly formed Latin America Arbitration Association.

He is also part of a US Commerce Department project to help modernise and harmonise commercial laws within Central America.

The firm meanwhile comprises around 15 lawyers of diverse national and linguistic backgrounds who focus on commercial and investment arbitration and asset recovery and fraud. It’s a member of the ICC’s respected Fraudnet service, and has helped several sovereign nations reclaim assets illegally removed by former leaders.

Recently, the firm was instructed in relation to the Ponzi scheme run by Alan Stanford – representing banks that were accused by investors of insufficiently investigating the Texas businessman. It has also acted as the main Florida counsel for holdout bondholders seeking payment from Argentina.