David Arias, until now a partner in HSF, has more than 30 years of experience in dispute resolution. He has served as counsel and arbitrator in more than 150 cases in venues across Europe, America, and Africa under a variety of applicable laws. David regularly participates in proceedings administered by the main arbitration institutions (ICC, PCA, LCIA, ICDR, and SCC, among others). He also has extensive experience as counsel in complex commercial litigation.
David was Chair of the IBA Arbitration Committee between 2016 and 2017. Previously, he also chaired its Subcommittee on Conflicts of Interest, which published the 2014 IBA Guidelines on Conflicts of Interest in International Arbitration. Additionally, he helped draft the 2010 IBA Rules on the Taking of Evidence in International Arbitration. From 2013 to 2017, he was President of the Club Español del Arbitraje, of which he is currently Honorary President.
David is regularly recognised as a Tier-1 litigation and arbitration lawyer and most-in-demand arbitrator in leading international legal publications and directories including the Chambers and Partners publications, Chambers Global and Chambers Europe, and the Legal 500. He is also recognized as a Thought Leader in arbitration by Who’s Who Legal. David is a Professor of Litigation and Arbitration.
On his departure, David said: “After three excellent years at Herbert Smith Freehills learning, meeting outstanding people and being involved in exciting cases, it is time to go back home. As from 1 May 2022, Luis Capiel, Oliver Cojo and I will return to Arias SLP, the boutique law firm that we launched in 2013. From there, we will focus on arbitration, litigation and strategic advice to companies on complex international and domestic matters. Unencumbered by the strain of billing and profitability, we are determined to do craftwork with utmost dedication, complete independence and no conflicts of interest.”
Luis Capiel, until now an of counsel at HSF, has acted as advisoer and arbitrator under a variety of applicable domestic laws and under the rules of the major arbitral institutions. He has focused his practice on complex commercial and construction disputes related to cross-border commercial agreements, joint ventures and M&A transactions in the engineering and construction, banking and finance, insurance, private equity, electricity, and oil & gas sectors.
Luis is ranked as a disputes resolution lawyer in leading international legal publications and directories including Chambers and Partners (Chambers Global 2021 and Chambers Europe 2021). He is also recognized in the Future Leaders – Partners section of Who’s Who Legal: Arbitration 2021, dedicated to the world’s leading arbitration experts aged 45 or under. Moreover, he is ranked in the 2021 Edition of The Best Lawyers in Spain in International Arbitration.
He has been an Honorary Professor at the Universidad Autónoma de Madrid and a guest lecturer and speaker at universities and conferences. He has authored numerous publications in law journals and contributions to collective works.
Oliver Cojo, until now a senior associate in the HSF Madrid Dispute Resolution team, specialises in Arbitration.
Oliver has over seven years of experience practicing arbitration. He has acted as counsel, arbitrator, administrative secretary, or assistant to the tribunal in more than 40 cases under the rules of the main institutions and under various applicable laws in Europe, Latin America, and the Middle East. He has also participated in court proceedings related to arbitration. He is ranked as a future leader in the field by Who’s Who Legal.
Oliver is also an adjunct professor at IE University. He was co-chair of the young practitioners group of the Club Español del Arbitraje (CEA-40) in 2019-2020 and has been involved in projects of the IBA Arbitration Committee.
Legal Dealmaker advanced this news on February 17.
