Diego Romero

Mr. Romero’s experience includes advising:

• RECOPE, Costa Rica’s State-owned refining company, in a politically sensitive ICC arbitration against CNPCI, the PRC State-owned oil and gas company in connection with a failed joint venture for the expansion and upgrade of a refinery. Latham secured a full victory for its client.
• The Republic of Colombia in three ICSID arbitrations under Chapter 8 of the Canada-Colombia Free Trade Agreement (FTA). The disputes relate to the adoption of certain regulatory measures in the gold mining sector, intended to protect sensitive páramo ecosystems.
• The Republic of Colombia in an ICSID arbitration against Gran Colombia under Chapter 8 of the Canada-Colombia FTA. The dispute relates to Colombia’s alleged failure to evict illegal miners in a gold and mining concern located in the northwest of Colombia, and a host State’s obligation to guarantee full protection and security to a foreign investor. The investor claims that the measures amount to a breach of the minimum standard of treatment under the Canada-Colombia FTA.
• A European-Latin American joint venture in an ICC arbitration relating to the construction of a hydrocarbons port facility in a Latin American State. The dispute concerns the termination of an EPC contract and the claimant, as contractor, claims from the project owner a substantial extension of time, as well as additional payment for increased scope of work. The governing law is that of the Latin American State. The case involved the use of ICC Emergency Arbitration proceedings.
• A state-owned South American oil and gas company as the respondent in an LCIA arbitration seated in London brought by a South American subsidiary of a North American oil and gas company. The dispute concerns a Unit Operating Agreement (UOA) for a hydrocarbons block in Latin America and turns on the claimant’s failure to pay certain cash calls pursuant to the UOA.
• A Latin American conglomerate in an ICC arbitration seated in Paris under Colombian law against a European vehicle manufacturer, concerning the wrongful termination of an agency and distribution agreement.