Navigating the World of International Arbitration: A Practitioner's Panel

The International Arbitration Association (IAA) will host a panel discussion with five attorneys who practice international arbitration. The panelists will discuss the practice of international arbitration in various contexts, including in big law firms, boutique law firms, and as independent counsel and arbitrator. The event will include a Q&A session for students to be able to engage with the panelists.

Bianca McDonnell is an Associate in the International Arbitration Practice at White & Case in New York, with prior experience in Madrid. She specializes in complex international arbitration cases, encompassing investment, commercial, and construction claims. Bianca has represented clients in international arbitrations governed by prominent institutional arbitration rules, including those of the International Centre for the Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID) and the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC).

Efat Elsherif is an associate in the International Arbitration group at White & Case in New York, where she represents clients in both commercial and investor-state arbitration. She also provides guidance on Bilateral Investment Treaty (BIT) structuring. Efat holds a Juris Doctor and a Bachelor of Civil Law from McGill University.

Matilde Flores is an associate in the international arbitration practice at Chaffetz Lindsey in New York. She has expertise in international commercial arbitration and investment disputes, handling cases under major arbitration rules, including ICDR, ICC, UNCITRAL, ICSID, and LCIA. Her work spans the energy sector (oil & gas, electricity, renewables), construction, licensing and distribution agreements, and banking and finance. She frequently focuses on technical aspects of the case and damages calculations, working closely with expert witnesses.

May Khoury is an associate in the international arbitration practice at Chaffetz Lindsey in New York. She advises corporate clients and foreign sovereigns on complex international disputes across industries such as banking, oil and gas, telecommunications, mining, construction, licensing and distribution, and power generation. She has represented clients before commercial and investment treaty tribunals in both French and English, under all major institutional rules. Prior to joining Chaffetz Lindsey, she worked at leading international law firms in Paris, Dubai, and New York.

Rainbow Willard works both as an independent arbitrator and counsel at Willard Arbitration, LLC. Rainbow has handled complex international commercial and investment treaty arbitrations under major rules such as ICC, UNCITRAL, ICSID, LCIA, and SIAC. Rainbow has expertise in energy, oil and gas, and mining disputes involving parties from Latin America, South Asia, Europe, and the Middle East. Before establishing her own practice, she served as Counsel at Chaffetz Lindsey in New York and was a Senior Associate at Allen & Overy LLP in London and New York.