Irene Petrelli

Ms. Petrelli has represented sovereign States and State-owned entities in connection with international arbitrations under the leading institutional and ad hoc arbitration rules, including those of the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID), the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL), and the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC).

She has represented clients in Africa, Asia, and Latin America in some of the world’s largest and most publicized arbitrations involving a wide range of sectors, including oil and gas, power projects, taxation, banking, and telecommunications.

In addition, Ms. Petrelli has experience assisting clients before the Court of Justice of the European Union and regularly advises State clients on various issues of public international law, including treaty interpretation and international human rights.

Ms. Petrelli is co-Chair and a member of the Advisory Board of ArbIt – the Italian Forum for Arbitration and ADR and speaks regularly on issues of international arbitration and public international law. She is also a member of the Italian branch of the International Law Association.

Ms. Petrelli is recognized as a Leading Individual for Italy Dispute Resolution by Legal 500 EMEA, in which she is described as “dependable, self-assured and meticulous.” She was also included in the Legal 500 Dispute Resolution Powerlist Italy 2023 as a Leading Practitioner. Chambers and Partners Global Guide has ranked Ms. Petrelli for Dispute Resolution: Arbitration, and reports that clients recommend her “without any reservation,” “were pleasantly satisfied by her preparation, friendliness and courtesy” and describe her as “thorough, precise and always gets me results.” In addition, Who’s Who Legal has recognized her as a Future Leader in International Arbitration.

Prior to joining Curtis, Ms. Petrelli trained in the international arbitration group of a major Italian law firm and interned at the Singapore International Arbitration Centre. An Italian national, Ms. Petrelli is admitted to practice in Italy. She holds an LL.M. from Queen Mary University of London, where she served as a research assistant, and a law degree from Roma Tre University, where she worked as teaching assistant in international arbitration.

Published in 2025, Irene Petrelli contributed to a chapter titled “Counterclaims in ISDS: Solution or Distraction?” in the book Foreign Direct Investment, Human Rights and Climate Change: A Multiperspective Approach, available to read here.