Alejandro Escobar practises in public international law and arbitration. He advises businesses and states in disputes arising out of investment protection treaties and in arbitrations arising out of project agreements. He has handled numerous claims of expropriation and abusive regulation in various industries, including power, oil & gas, telecommunications, and public concessions and procurement. Alejandro advises on other international law issues, including boundary disputes, relevant to international business.
Alejandro has practised in London since 2002. He was previously Senior Counsel at the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID), where he handled numerous investment treaty matters, including some of the first investment claims under NAFTA, and a high profile Law of the Sea dispute. From London, Alejandro has advised clients world-wide in disputes under the ICSID Convention, the ICSID Additional Facility Rules, the UNCITRAL Arbitration Rules, the ICC Arbitration Rules, the ICC Rules on Dispute Boards, the SCC rules, the ICDR arbitration rules, and many others. He also regularly sits as an arbitrator.
Alejandro practises bilingually in English and Spanish, and has a working knowledge of French and Portuguese. He has conducted proceedings, both as counsel and sitting as the presiding arbitrator, entirely in Spanish. Alejandro has tried and heard cases governed by public international law, the law of several civil law jurisdictions world-wide, and English law. He presided over an ICC tribunal in an oil & gas concession dispute governed by English law.
Alejandro holds a Ph.D. from the University of Cambridge and a Certificate of Merit from the Hague Academy of International Law. He was visiting professor at University College London where he taught the International Law of Foreign Investment. He continues to lecture on the subject regularly to student, academic and professional audiences.
Arbitration
Investment Treaty Matters
Other International Law Matters
International Commercial Arbitration and Litigation
The Hague Academy of International Law, Centre for Studies and Research in International Law and International Relations, Certificate of Merit, 1989
Recognised in The Legal 500 UK, "Hall of Fame" for Public International Law, 2022, 2023 & 2024
Recognised in The Legal 500 UK, 2015-2018 for Arbitration and in 2013-2021 as a "Leading Individual" in Public International Law
Listed in The Legal 500 UK, "Powerlist" for International Arbitration, 2019
Listed in Chambers UK, 2009-2024 for Public International Law
Listed in Chambers UK, 2014-2024, for UK International Arbitration: Commercial Arbitration and in 2017 & 2018 for International Arbitration: Investor State Arbitration
Recognised in Chambers Global, 2007-2024, for UK - Dispute Resolution: International Arbitration
Recognised in Chambers Global, 2007-2024 as a "Foreign Expert" based abroad in International Arbitration for Latin America
Listed in the International Who's Who of Commercial Arbitration, 2008, 2009 & 2016 and Who's Who of Public International Law, 2007
Named as party counsel in the list of treaty disputes of The American Lawyers Focus Europe: The Arbitration Scorecard, 2005-2007