Practice Focus

Paolo Di Rosa is a partner and head of Arnold & Porter LLP's international arbitration practice, which is ranked among the world’s leading practices and consists of “a 25-lawyer group … that boasts a solid success rate…” (The Legal 500, 2009).  Mr. Di Rosa brings to his practice extensive experience in international arbitration, and legal matters relating to Latin America (acquired both in the private sector and the US federal government), along with a fully bilingual and bicultural background.

Mr. Di Rosa's practice centers on international arbitration and litigation matters, including in particular arbitrations between investors and States under bilateral investment treaties (BIT) and other investment instruments, and disputes before the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID). He represents private sector investors as well as States in international arbitrations.  For example, he is lead counsel for Electricité de France (EDF) in two ICSID cases involving claims against Argentina for US$1.2 billion and US$250 million, respectively, and he has represented several Latin American states in investor-state arbitrations in arbitral proceedings before ICSID and under United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL) rules.

Mr. Di Rosa is recognized as a leading practitioner of international arbitration, and has been recommended or profiled most recently in the 2009 and 2010 editions of publications such as Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business; Chambers Global: The World’s Leading Lawyers for Business; Chambers Latin America: Latin America’s Leading Lawyers for Business; The Legal 500, Global Arbitration Review (GAR 100 issue); The International Who’s Who of Commercial Arbitration; LatinLawyer 250; Euromoney’s Guide to the World Leading Experts; among others.  

He has served as arbitrator in different types of international arbitration, and is a frequent speaker and panelist at international conferences on international arbitration and international law sponsored by organizations such as the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC), ICSID, International Centre for Dispute Resolution (ICDR), American Arbitration Association (AAA), and other entities, including bar associations and universities.

Mr. Di Rosa also provides legal services to private sector and sovereign clients on proceedings and transactions involving governmental entities; enforcement of arbitral awards; and public international law matters, including sovereign immunity and extradition. 

Mr. Di Rosa has substantial government experience as a result of his service as a senior-level lawyer at the US Department of State during the Clinton Administration. He was a member of the Senior Executive Service of the US Government, with the rank of Assistant Legal Adviser at the State Department legal office. As head of the Office of the Legal Adviser for Western Hemisphere Affairs, he had supervisory or direct responsibility for legal matters pertaining to US relations with all countries in Latin America and the Caribbean, as well as Canada. 

During his State Department tenure, Mr. Di Rosa's principal responsibilities and achievements included the following:

• Chief negotiator and head of the US delegation for negotiation of numerous United States treaties and international agreements (including extradition treaties with Argentina, Peru, and Paraguay, and mutual legal assistance treaties with Brazil and Venezuela)
• Chief State Department counsel in the negotiation of three multilateral treaties: the Inter-American Convention on Transparency in Conventional Weapons Acquisitions; the Inter-American Convention Against Illicit Firearms Trafficking and Manufacturing; and the Inter-American Convention Against Corruption
• Principal State Department counsel for the US delegation in the negotiations leading up to the Presidential Summit of the Americas (Quebec City, April 2001)
• Principal State Department counsel concerning transfer of the Panama Canal and related installations from the US to Panama in 1999
• Principal counsel to the US Mission to the Organization of American States (OAS) (1998-2000)
• Legal advisor to the US delegation to the OAS General Assemblies held in Guatemala City (1999) and Windsor, Canada (2000), respectively
• Member of the US delegation for President Clinton's State Visit to Mexico in 1999
• Member of US negotiating team for US-Bolivia Extradition Treaty; US Jordan Extradition Treaty; US-Costa Rica Maritime Cooperation Agreement; US-Colombia Human Rights End-Use Monitoring Agreement Regarding Assistance to Colombia
• Member of the US delegation for migration talks with Government of Cuba in Havana (December 2000)
• Member of the US delegation to Ecuador (1997) and Paraguay (1996) to advise legislators and regulators on anti-money laundering legislation, regulation, and enforcement
• Provided legal services and advice on international law enforcement matters, including extradition, money laundering, terrorism, and corruption (focus on South America); US legislation on foreign assistance; foreign criminal and financial legislation

Prior to his government service, Mr. Di Rosa was in private practice with a major US law firm, where he concentrated in legal services and advice on international matters, including regulatory issues (e.g., US economic sanctions), international trade, privatization matters, and international arbitration, as well as complex multiparty insurance and reinsurance litigation.

Education

• JD (juris doctor) cum laude, from Harvard Law School (1991).
• BA degree, magna cum laude, in Social Sciences, Harvard University (1987).
• Director, Harvard Human Rights Journal (1990-1991).

Languages

• English and Spanish (native fluency in both).
• Portuguese, French, and Italian (reading ability).

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(For details on awards, honors, articles, speeches, and professional affiliations, please click on relevant links at the top left of this biography.)