Bejarano, Santiago

Santiago Bejarano

Counsel

santiago.bejarano@lw.com
    Bejarano, Santiago

    Santiago Bejarano

    Counsel

    santiago.bejarano@lw.com
    "A key team member on many of the practice’s Latin America arbitration engagements."

    The Legal 500 EMEA 2024

    "Always up-to-speed on the advice and willing to answer questions."

    The Legal 500 Latin America 2024

    Up and Coming – International Arbitration: International Counsel

    Chambers Latin America 2024

    "Santiago Bejarano is able to leverage years of common law training and practice to effectively advise on cross-border disputes that involve Latin American parties or jurisdictions."

    Chambers Latin America 2024

    "Santiago Bejarano is one of the smartest lawyers I have ever worked with. He is client oriented and has experience in several law systems."

    The Legal 500 US 2023

    Recognized – Dispute Resolution: International Arbitration

    The Legal 500 US 2024

    Profile

    Santiago Bejarano advises clients on a range of high-stakes international disputes around the world, under both civil law and common law regimes. He also advises clients in connection with white-collar matters.

    Mr. Bejarano regularly represents domestic and multinational corporations in their highest-stakes international disputes in a wide variety of industries and business sectors. Drawing on his dual qualification as an attorney in Colombia and New York and his in-depth understanding of Latin America’s legal systems and business practices, he has particular expertise advising clients on matters involving this region.

    Mr. Bejarano brings over a decade of experience representing clients in international commercial and investment arbitrations held under a variety of rules and institutions, including the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC), the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA), the American Arbitration Association (AAA) and the International Centre for Dispute Resolution (ICDR), the London Court of International Arbitration (LCIA), the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL), and the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID). He has participated in arbitrations seated in all major arbitral hubs, including New York, Washington D.C., London, The Hague, and Paris, among others. Mr. Bejarano is consistently recognized by clients and peers as a leading arbitration practitioner; he has been listed in Who’s Who Legal: Future Leaders – Arbitration in every edition since 2019, and has been featured by Chambers and Partners Latin America 2024 and Legal 500 USA.  Mr. Bejarano is a frequent speaker at international arbitration conferences around the globe, and is a Lecturer in Law at University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School, where he teaches International Arbitration.

    In addition, Mr. Bejarano also advises clients in connection with high-profile government investigations and inquiries, white collar matters, and complex, multi-jurisdictional internal investigations around the globe.

    Mr. Bejarano keeps an active pro bono practice, advising clients on immigration-related matters. He received the Legal Aid Society’s Pro Bono Publico Award in 2015 for his work on immigration cases.

    Mr. Bejarano is a member of the Spanish and Iberoamerican Arbitration Association (CEIA); the Latin American Arbitration Association (ALARB); the International Bar Association (IBA); the Young ICCA; the ICC Young Arbitrators and ADR Forum (YAAF); and the LCIA Young and International Arbitration Group (YIAG).

    Experience

    Mr. Bejarano’s experience includes representing:

    • A leading Latin American pharmaceutical business in an ICC arbitration seated in London, governed by English law and Colombian law, in a dispute related to a distribution agreement 
    • A leading American biomedical company in a AAA arbitration seated in Chicago, governed by Delaware law, in a dispute relating to a research collaboration in the oncology field
    • A leading Asian petroleum company in an ICC arbitration seated in London, governed by New York law, in a dispute related to a Joint Operating Agreement for the development of an oil field in Brazil
    • Several Latin American subsidiaries of a US pharmaceutical company in an ICC arbitration seated in Paris, governed by Colombian law, in a dispute related to an M&A transaction
    • The Dominican Republic in a commercial arbitration under the ICSID Additional Facility Rules, seated in Washington, D.C., related to a project in the natural resources sector
    • A US biotech company in an ICDR arbitration seated in New York, governed by New York law, in a dispute arising out of a licensing agreement
    • A US midstream oil and gas company in an LCIA arbitration seated in Houston, governed by New York and Texas law, in a dispute arising out of a gas distribution agreement with a Latin American state-owned utility company
    • Several European subsidiaries of a US public company in the plastics sector in parallel ICDR arbitrations, governed by New York law, against subsidiaries of a US company, in connection with the operation of several industrial sites in Europe*
    • A petrochemical company against a Caribbean state-owned gas company in an ad hoc arbitration under the UNCITRAL Arbitration Rules (1976), resulting in a favorable settlement for the client*
    • Merck, Sharpe & Dohme in an ad hoc investment arbitration under the UNCITRAL Arbitration Rules (1976) against the Republic of Ecuador under the US-Ecuador bilateral investment treaty arising out of an investment in Ecuador*
    • A leading Swiss luxury goods manufacturer in an ICDR arbitration against a Middle Eastern distributor, governed by New York law*
    • Helmerich & Payne in an expropriation claim against the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela and its state-owned petroleum company in US federal court*
    • One of the world’s largest commodities trading companies in connection with a criminal investigation by US and foreign authorities in relation to the company’s operations in Latin America, Africa, and Europe*
    • A leading US media company in a criminal investigation by US authorities in relation to the soccer industry in Latin America*
    • Several individuals in a criminal investigation conducted by US authorities against a US-based ophthalmic company in connection with their medical device business in Asia*
    • A leading US media company in an internal review of its soccer broadcasting rights in Latin America*
    • One of the world’s leading audit firms in an internal investigation related to independence issues arising out of work by a member firm in Latin America*

    *Matter handled prior to joining Latham

    Qualifications

    Bar Qualification

    • Colombia (Abogado)
    • New York

    Education

    • LLM, New York University
      Hauser Global Scholar, Starr Foundation Scholar
    • LLB, Universidad del Rosario (Bogotá)

    Languages Spoken

    • Spanish

    Practices

    Industries

    Recognition

    Read More

    News & Insights

    August 28, 2023 Publication

    The International Arbitration Review, 14th Edition

    New York partner John V.H. Pierce takes over editorship of The Law Reviews International Arbitration Review series, now in its fourteenth iteration, and, joined by fellow Latham International Arbitration practitioners Santiago Bejarano and Florian Loibl, provides an overview of recent US legal developments in the field of arbitration.
    Read More