GBS Disputes

Pilar is or was part of the team advising and/or representing:

• The Republic of Peru, Respondent in an ICSID arbitration initiated by Bank of Nova Scotia (ICSID Case No. ARB/22/30). The claims are brought under the Canada-Peru free trade agreement.
• The Republic of Colombia, Respondent in an ICSID arbitration brought by engineering company CB&I UK (ICSID Case No. ARB/22/11). The dispute relates to a refinery expansion project and the claims are brought under the Colombia-U.K. bilateral investment treaty.
• The Republic of Colombia, Respondent in an ICSID arbitration brought by Angel Samuel Seda and others (ICSID Case No. ARB/19/6). The dispute arises from a real estate project and the claims are brought under the 2012 Colombia-U.S. free trade agreement.
• A leading Central American energy generator company in an ICDR arbitration in New York against another Central American company, regarding contractual breaches under a PPA and allegations of Force Majeure, Impossibility and Frustration of Purpose. New York law applies.
• A Latin American aviation consultancy firm, Claimant in two ICC arbitrations initiated against European aircraft manufacturers. The disputes related to unpaid invoices and the damages arising from the termination of agency contracts.
• A leading European energy group in a UNCITRAL arbitration against the Kingdom of Spain under the Energy Charter Treaty. The dispute related to measures taken by Spain in the renewable energy sector.

Pro bono

• Advising and representing Uruguay before the International Court of Justice (“ICJ”) in the proceedings to request the issuance of an advisory opinion on States’ obligations in relation to climate change, under Article 65 of the Statute of the ICJ.
• Amicus Curiae Brief before the Superior Court of Québec in the matter of Hypertec Real Estate Inc. v. Equinix Canada Ltd. (appointed by the Court in a setting aside proceedings). The Amicus Curiae Brief addressed (i) the concept of party consent as a fundamental tenet of international arbitration; (ii) an arbitral tribunal’s mandate to resolve disputes specifically referred to it for its determination, including the submission of additional claims and defences throughout the arbitration proceedings; and (iii) the functus officio doctrine.

Education

• University of Montevideo, Uruguay, Law degree (medal for academic achievement)

Admissions & Courts

• Uruguay

Languages

• Spanish
• English

Nationality

• Uruguayan

• List of Arbitrators, Centre for Conciliation and Arbitration of the Uruguayan Chamber of Commerce and Services

Teachings

• Visiting lecturer (Introduction to Investment Arbitration), University of Montevideo, Diploma in Arbitration
• Visiting lecturer (Introduction to Investment Arbitration), University of Montevideo, Master’s Degree in Procedural Law
• Coach for the team of the University of Montevideo participating in the Willem C. Vis Moot competition of international commercial arbitration

• “Arbitraje y corrupción en Latinoamérica: un análisis de la jurisprudencia arbitral a la luz de la doctrina del profesor Emmanuel Gaillard,” 2023(8) Revista del Centro de Investigación y Estudios para la Resolución de Controversias de la Universidad Monteávila Principia 115 (co-author)
• “La relevancia de la sede arbitral en el arbitraje de inversión,” in Estudios sobre la sede y el ordenamiento aplicable al fondo del litigio en el arbitraje internacional 73 (2021)
• “Arbitration 2021: Year in Review. Latin American perspective,” Jus Mundi (2021), at 22 (co-author)

• 19th Annual ICDR Y&I Coffee House Debate, Vienna (March 2024)
• “The evolution of ICSID: Regulatory aspects and problems in light of practice,” Online conference in celebration of the first 100 volumes of the Biblioteca de Arbitraje del Estudio Mario Castillo Freyre (May, 2022)
• “International Arbitration in Latin America: The State of Play,” Webinar hosted by the Arbitration Center of the CAM-CCBC in partnership with the Columbia International Arbitration Association (March, 2022)