ICSID Senior Counsel Gabriela Alvarez-Avila Joins Curtis' International Arbitration Group

November 27, 2007, New York, NY - Curtis, Mallet-Prevost, Colt & Mosle LLP announced today that Gabriela Alvarez-Avila, former senior counsel to the World Bank Group's International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID), has joined the Firm's International Arbitration Group as counsel. She will initially be based in Mexico City with the Firm's Mexican affiliate, Curtis, Mallet-Prevost, Colt & Mosle, S.C.

Ms. Alvarez-Avila's practice focuses on arbitration, international law and investment law. During her seven years at ICSID, she administered arbitration cases as secretary of tribunals hearing cases in Spanish, English and French. The arbitration proceedings in which she participated included claims based on bilateral investment treaties, the North American Free Trade Agreement, the Central American Free Trade Agreement, national investment laws and international contracts. She has extensive experience in transactions involving a wide range of sectors, including power, telecommunications, oil and gas, and other infrastructure projects.

“Gabriela is an ideal fit for the Firm's International Arbitration Group,” said George Kahale, III, the Firm's managing partner. “Her experience at ICSID on Latin American matters and her participation in important NAFTA proceedings will be of great value to the Firm's practice in the region, but we also expect her to be an integral part of our broader team in New York, Paris and London.” In Mexico City, the Firm's arbitration team already includes partner Javier Jimenez and counsel Miguel Estrada, former Vice Chairman of the ICC International Court of Arbitration. Partner Peter Wolrich, based in Paris, is the current Chairman of the ICC Commission on Arbitration.