Foley Hoag Continues Growth of International Litigation and Arbitration Practice

Derek Smith Joins as Partner, Brings Experience in International Dispute Resolution, Petroleum Law and Public International Law; Luis Parada Joins as Counsel

WASHINGTON--()--Foley Hoag LLP has added Derek Smith as a partner and Luis Parada as counsel, continuing the growth of its leading International Litigation and Arbitration Practice and its Washington, D.C. office.

Smith and Parada, who join Foley Hoag from Dewey & LeBoeuf in Washington, D.C., represent sovereign States in international arbitration and other dispute settlement proceedings. Smith practices in the areas of international dispute resolution, petroleum law and public international law. He also works with governments of petroleum producing countries and national oil companies in the full range of matters related to oil and gas exploration, production and monetization, including dispute resolution.

“Our Washington, D.C. office serves as a gateway to assist our clients around the world,” said Foley Hoag co-managing partner Adam Kahn. “Derek and Luis bring significant experience to a team that practices at the highest levels worldwide, and we welcome them to the firm.”

Foley Hoag has one of the world’s most respected and experienced group of lawyers practicing international litigation and arbitration. The arrival of Smith and Parada continues Foley Hoag’s strategic growth of its International Litigation and Arbitration Practice, both in the firm’s Washington and Paris offices, added Ronald Goodman, who, along with Paul Reichler, co-chairs Foley Hoag’s International Litigation and Arbitration Practice.

“Derek is a leading practitioner in international dispute resolution, especially in petroleum law, and he and Luis add talent to an already strong team of international litigation and arbitration lawyers that aims to provide clients with high-quality legal services,” Goodman said.

The strength and record of Foley Hoag’s International Litigation and Arbitration Practice attracted Smith and Parada to the firm. Foley Hoag has successfully represented various foreign government and State-owned business entities in disputes between investors and sovereign States in the world’s principal arbitral forums, including the ICSID, ICC, the London Court of International Arbitration, the Stockholm Chamber of Commerce and ad hoc UNCITRAL tribunals, among others. The firm also maintains a premier State-to-State litigation practice, representing sovereigns before the International Court of Justice in The Hague, the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea in Hamburg, and in numerous State-to-State arbitrations.

“I am excited to join a firm as experienced and as respected in international litigation and arbitration as Foley Hoag,” Smith said. “The firm was a perfect fit for my practice, and I look forward to working alongside this talented group of lawyers.”

In addition to representing sovereign States and companies in dispute settlement proceedings, Smith also represents numerous government clients in the settlement of international boundary disputes. Parada advises and represents sovereign States in disputes related to foreign investment, including Bilateral Investment Treaty disputes, concession contracts and production sharing agreements.

The addition of Smith and Parada are the latest in a string of strategic hires for Foley Hoag’s International Litigation and Arbitration Practice. In April, Ignacio Torterola, an Argentine lawyer and former diplomat, joined in Washington. In January, Anna Joubin-Bret joined as a partner and Pierre d’Argent joined as a special counsel in the firm’s Paris office.

Foley Hoag opened an office in Paris in June 2011 under the leadership of partners Bruno Leurent and Thomas Bevilacqua. Foley Hoag’s practice in Paris focuses on international litigation and on international investment and commercial arbitration before the world’s major international courts and tribunals.

About Foley Hoag LLP

Foley Hoag is a dynamic law firm that represents public and private clients in a wide range of disputes and transactions worldwide. We have expertise in industries such as life sciences and healthcare, technology, energy and renewables, investment management, and professional services. We also offer our clients market-leading international litigation and arbitration and corporate social responsibility services. From our offices in Boston, Washington, D.C. and Paris, and our Emerging Enterprise Center in Waltham, Massachusetts, we provide strategic legal advice that is tailored to each of our client’s unique goals. Foley Hoag combines powerful regional, national and international practices that share a common emphasis on client service. We are focused on what we do best: helping our clients succeed through the delivery of exceptional legal service. For more information, visit www.foleyhoag.com.

Contacts

Foley Hoag LLP
Jasmine Trillos-Decarie, 617-832-7010
jtrillos-decarie@foleyhoag.com

Release Summary

Foley Hoag LLP has added Derek Smith as a partner and Luis Parada as counsel, continuing the growth of its leading International Litigation and Arbitration Practice and its Washington, D.C. office.

Contacts

Foley Hoag LLP
Jasmine Trillos-Decarie, 617-832-7010
jtrillos-decarie@foleyhoag.com