top of page
Gustavo Laborde.png

Gustavo Laborde
Laborde Law, Founding Partner
Gustavo.Laborde@laborde-law.com​

Thought Leader - Global Elite (2023)

​

Among the 15 "Most Highly Regarded Partners" International Arbitration Partners in Europe & the Middle East Area 

- Who's Who Legal

​

​

Gustavo has over 15 years of professional experience practicing international arbitration at leading law firms in New York, Geneva, and Paris. All these firms are ranked as Band 1 or Band 2 in international arbitration by Chambers and Partners. Two of these firms are consistently ranked as top-30 GAR firms, and one was a top-3 GAR firm when he worked there. He served as tribunal assistant for the three of only a handful of arbitrators listed by Chambers and Partners as "star individuals" in Switzerland and France. 

​

Currently he works closely with an English QC from one of the most preeminent sets of barristers' chambers worldwide. In 2021, Gustavo and this QC co-taught a summer course at the Hague Academy of International Law. 

​

Whether as party representative, arbitrator, or tribunal secretary or assistant, throughout his career Gustavo has been involved in more than 40 international arbitrations in a wide spectrum of jurisdictions and industries. 

​

He has also offered arbitration-related advice; actively participated in high-level negotiations with an arbitration component; and litigated before New York courts on a range of issues, often with an international component. 

Expertise

  • With the laws of England, France, Latin American and Middle Eastern countries;

  • With arbitrations seated in France and England; 

  • With parties from Latin America, the Middle East and Eastern Europe;

  • In terms of industry sector: energy (oil & mining), banking & finance, entertainment & media, professional services, property & real estate, and retail & consumer products. 

Significant representations

  • Counsel to an Eastern European State in an UNCITRAL investment arbitration relating to the movie industry based on the United States-Romania BIT and the Turkey-Romania BIT. Seat of arbitration: Paris, France. Applicable law: BITs and Romanian law. Amount in dispute: In excess of USD 2 billion. PCA Case No. 2020/53.

​

  • Counsel to an Eastern European State in an UNCITRAL investment arbitration relating to the movie industry based on the Canada-Romania BIT and the Turkey-Romania BIT. Seat of arbitration: Paris, France. Applicable law: BITs and Romanian law. Amount in dispute: In excess of USD 2 billion. PCA Case No. 2020/54. 

​

  • Counsel to El Salvador in an ICSID investment arbitration relating to a claim for denial of justice brought by HSBC UK on the basis of the El Salvador-United Kingdom BIT. Seat of arbitration: TBD. Applicable law: BIT and the ICSID Convention. Amount in dispute: USD 50 million. ICSID Case No. ARB/21/46. 

​

  • Counsel to a Tanzanian company in an UNCITRAL investment arbitration against an Eastern African State relating to biofuels. Amount in dispute: EUR 50 million. Sector: Renewable energies. Applicable law: BIT and Tanzanian law. Seat: Stockholm.​
     

  • Sole international arbitrator appointed by an arbitral institution in relation to a commercial dispute in the Middle East involving a state-owned entity. Applicable law: UAE law. Seat of the arbitration: Dubai.​
     

  • Tribunal assistant in investment dispute from Middle Eastern parties into a major South Asian State. Amount in dispute: in excess of EUR 400 million. Sector: Iron production sector. Seat of arbitration: London, United Kingdom. ​

  • Tribunal assistant in commercial dispute over TV rights, royalties and agency issues. Amount in dispute: USD 1.5 billion. Applicable law: French law. Seat: Paris, France.
    ​

  • Representing the Republic of Venezuela in an ICSID investment arbitration brought by Dutch investors. Amount in dispute: over USD 1 billion. Applicable law: BIT and Venezuelan law.
    ​

  • Representing American multinational companies in ICC arbitrations arising from major commercial ventures in Mexico and Turkey.
    ​

  • Representing an international banking syndicate in the negotiation of a USD 4 billion loan to a major Central Asian State.
     

  • ​Representing Croatia in an ICSID investment arbitration brought by an Austrian investor.
    ​

  • Serving as tribunal assistant to world leading arbitrators in high-profile arbitrations under various rules, including ICSID, ICC, UNCITRAL, NAFTA, LCIA, SCC, and the Swiss rules.
    ​

  • Representing bondholders before New York courts following the default of a sovereign State.
    ​

  • Representing pro bono clients in immigration and real estate proceedings, and also victims of a health-care fraud.​


​He received his legal training in the United States, Switzerland, and Argentina. 

Bar Admissions

New York; Paris; Buenos Aires

Education

  • Columbia Law School, New York, United States (J.D. and LL.M.) 

  • Graduate Institute of International Studies, Geneva, Switzerland (MIDS)

  • Universidad Di Tella, Buenos Aires, Argentina (LL.B.)

Languages

English, Spanish, French, and Italian (fluent); German and Russian (intermediate); Portuguese (beginner)

bottom of page