Mejia IDR

Spanish/Colombian

Spain (2012) and New York (2020)

Madrid, Spain

Financial and post-M&A:
- Represented a European private equity entity against a multi-billion post-M&A claim for alleged fraud and breaches of warranties arising from the sale of a pharmaceutical company. Successfully reduced awarded damages by nearly 90% over the claimed amount. Belgian law applicable, English language.
- Represented a litigation funder in an LCIA arbitration to ensure the enforcement and validity of the funding agreement in related insolvency. English law applicable, English language.
- Secretary in a CAM (Corte de Arbitraje de Madrid) arbitration between four Spanish construction groups over a joint venture for the financing and construction of road infrastructure and the sell-out provisions of the agreement. Spanish language.

Insurance:
- Represented a Spanish industrial company in an insurance claim before the Spanish Court of Arbitration (CEA) against a Spanish insurer in relation to the loss of €40M in grants as a consequence of Sequestration measures adopted by the Congress of the United States in 2013. Successfully defended the favourable award against set-aside proceedings. Spanish and US (NY and Federal) law applicable, Spanish language.
- Secretary in an ad-hoc arbitration seated in Spain between a Spanish company and a European insurer, regarding a civil liability insurance policy and its application to securities fraud in the United States. Spanish language.

Technology:
- Represented (pro-bono) a European NGO in an LCIA arbitration against an app developer in defence and counterclaim in relation to an app development agreement. Resisted an application for interim measures and a challenge to the arbitrator before both the LCIA and the English Commercial Court. English law applicable, English language.
- Represented a European industrial company in an arbitration before the Civil and Mercantile Court of Madrid (CIMA) against an East Asian company in relation to a contract for the sale of patents and the application of related non-compete agreements. Spanish law applicable, Spanish language.

Construction and Engineering:
- Represented a European industrial company in an ICC arbitration against a European equipment manufacturer for gross negligence in the construction of a manufacturing plant. Spanish law applicable, Spanish language.
- Represented a Spanish industrial company against a Northern-European equipment manufacturer in a Madrid Court of Arbitration (CAM) dispute involving claim and counterclaims in relation to the performance of an EPC contract for the construction of a renewable energy production plant. Spanish law applicable, Spanish language.
- Secretary in an ICC arbitration between a European company and an African state and various state entities in relation to the failed construction of transport infrastructures. English language.
- Secretary in ICC arbitration between a European joint venture and an Eastern European public entity in relation to the construction of water distribution infrastructure. English language.
- Secretary in a CAM arbitration between a Spanish industrial manufacturer and a European equipment supplier in relation to the supply and construction of a plant for the production of steel beams. Spanish language.

Sports:
- Represented an Olympic Athlete before the Court of Arbitration for Sport (TAS-CAS) ad-hoc committee for the 2012 London Olympic Games in an appeal against their Federation's decision to exclude them from the Olympic team. Olympic Charter applicable, English language.
- Ad-hoc clerk in a TAS-CAS arbitration related to the internal governance of a National Olympic Committee.
- Ad-hoc clerk in a TAS-CAS arbitration on the interpretation of the Rio 2016 qualifying criteria for an Olympic sport, with more than a dozen participating entities. English language.
- Ad-hoc clerk in four consolidated TAS-CAS arbitrations between various players and an Eastern European football club regarding claims of contractual stability and breach of contract. English language.
- Ad-hoc clerk in a consolidated TAS-CAS arbitration between various parties and national and international federations, including claims and counterclaims, in relation to the contractual stability clause in a football player’s employment contract and their transfer from Brazil to a European club. English language.

Investor-State:
- Represented a European investor in an ICSID arbitration against an Eastern European State for breaches of a BIT in relation to an investment in the financial services sector. English language.
- Represented a Spanish utilities company in an UNCITRAL claim for expropriation of its assets in Bolivia. Spanish language.

English and Spanish

LL.M. in International Business Regulation, Litigation and Arbitration (IBRLA), May 2017 - New York University (NYU) School of Law.

Diploma in International Commercial Arbitration, 2014 - Chartered Institute of Arbitrators

Double degree in Law and Business Administration (E-3), 2009 (Law), 2010 (Business) - Universidad Pontificia Comillas (ICADE)

www.mejiaidr.com / https://www.linkedin.com/in/sebastian-mejia-garcia/

Enforcement of Arbitral Awards Around the Globe - Current Trends and Tools, Speaker, Italian Forum for Arbitration and ADR (Arbit), Milan, 28 November 2019

Cálculo de daños ¿qué hay de nuevo, viejo? Do's and don'ts, Moderator, XII Encuentro del CEA-40, Madrid,10 june 2018

The protection of legitimate expectations and regulatory change: the Spanish case, Spain Arbitration Review, vol. 2014, nº 21, Wolters Kluwer España, pp. 113-132 · Jan 1, 2014

Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (FCIArb).

Co-Chair and International Coordinator of the Spanish Arbitration Club under 40 group (CEA-40), 2019-2020.

I am an international arbitration specialist with over a decade of experience in leading practices in Madrid and London. A Spanish-Colombian national, I am qualified in New York and Spain (and pending the OSCE examination in England & Wales) and a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators.

My practice spans commercial, and investor-state disputes in the financial, construction, sports, insurance, technology, and energy sectors, with a particular focus on disputes with complex technical or financial elements. I have managed cases subject to both common and civil law under most major arbitration rules.

I am available to act as consultant and lawyer on international disputes and sit as arbitrator.