Maria Chedid is the global chair of Arnold & Porter’s International Arbitration Practice Group. She regularly serves as lead counsel in both commercial and investment arbitrations, and frequently is called upon to serve as an arbitrator. Over the last three decades, she has handled arbitrations administered by all major arbitral institutions including the ICC, ICDR, SIAC, LCIA, ICSID, DIAC, CPR, JAMS, PCA, AAA, UNCC, and the Iran-United States Claims Tribunal.
Ms. Chedid brings a wealth of arbitration experience involving diverse subject matter and expansive geographical reach, having worked on disputes around the globe relating to foreign investment, technology, energy, infrastructure, licensing, distribution, intellectual property, cryptocurrency, government contracts, joint ventures, hedge funds, political risk insurance, taxation, administrative law, environmental regulation, pharmaceutical products, real estate, construction, internet domain names, and claims of corruption.
Ms. Chedid is one of two US members of the International Court of Arbitration of the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC), currently serving her second term on the Court. She has twice been a recipient of California's Top Women Lawyers of the Year award, and also has consistently been recognized for her arbitration expertise in Chambers Global, Chambers USA, The Legal 500 US, Who’s Who Legal, Super Lawyers, Lawdragon 500 Global, Euromoney's Guide to the World's Leading Experts, and the “Tech List” of Leading Technology Arbitrators. In these and other publications, clients "commend her handling of complex disputes," "praise her 'highly effective advocacy,'" and describe her as “incisive, a superb strategist and [] unrelenting in achieving the targeted objectives,” while peers note that she is "superbly prepared," "exceptionally talented," "relentless," "very thorough," "expert in damages issues," and "largely unflappable." In addition, Ms. Chedid is "particularly noted for her capabilities in IP disputes," her "expertise in Middle Eastern disputes," and "matters involving Asian and Latin American parties." She is highly regarded as "an excellent lawyer and a pleasure to work with.”
Among her other leadership positions in international arbitration, Ms. Chedid is co-chair of the AAA/ICDR Global Task Force on Technology and Life Sciences Arbitration, a US member of the National Committee for the Singapore International Arbitration Centre (SIAC) Users Council, an Officer of the London Court of International Arbitration (LCIA) North American Users’ Council, and the founding president and co-chair of the Board of Directors of the California International Arbitration Council (CIAC).
Ms. Chedid is a regular speaker on international dispute resolution and advocacy at conferences worldwide and guest-lectures at numerous law schools, including Stanford Law School, UC Berkeley School of Law, Columbia Law School, and the Straus Institute for Dispute Resolution at Pepperdine Law School, where she has taught as an adjunct professor. Ms. Chedid is originally from Lebanon and is a native Arabic speaker.
Experience
- Multi-billion dollar investor-state dispute between Turkish electricity powership company and Government of Pakistan (ICSID)
- Biotech/patent dispute between US and Austrian joint venture partners (CPR)
- Multi-billion dollar regulatory and tax dispute between Republic of Korea and US private equity firm (ICSID)
- Franchise and trademark dispute between US and Kuwaiti parties (ICDR)
- Internet domain name dispute between Ireland-based company and ICANN (ICDR)
- Tax and environmental dispute between US party and Eastern European government (ICSID)
- Distribution contract dispute between US company and Korean distributor (ICDR)
- Contract and IP dispute between German engineering and equipment manufacturer and California solar panel producer (ICC)
- Contract dispute between French IT services corporation and US software development company (JAMS)
- Cross-licensing and patent infringement dispute between Chinese manufacturer and US furniture company (AAA)
- Contract and IP dispute between Canadian manufacturer of environmental water treatment systems and US waste disposal company (ICC)
- Real estate syndication and fraud dispute between Hong Kong investor and California company (AAA)
- Contract dispute between Peruvian construction company and Peruvian Ethanol Plant (ICC)
- Licensing and patent dispute between European manufacturer and US chip maker (ICDR)
- Contract dispute between Executor of Saipan Estate and Chinese investor (ICC)
- Shareholder dispute between Executor of Saipan Estate and international courier company (ICC)
- Contract dispute between Executor of Saipan Estate and Saudi Arabian investor (ICC)
- Dispute between Japanese company and US company arising out of a buy-sell agreement (ICDR)
- Dispute between Bermuda political risk insurer and insured investor arising from power plant project in the Republic of Colombia (ICDR)
- Licensing and IP ownership dispute between US biometrics company and affiliated Korean company (ICDR)
- Contract and IP dispute between Korean ATM manufacturer and California distributor (ICDR)
- Investment dispute involving US shareholder and Mauritian and Indian companies (LCIA)
- Dispute between a Bermuda political risk insurer and an insured investor relating to investment in the Argentine Republic (LCIA)
- Enforcement proceedings of Russian Claimant seeking to enforce $93 million arbitration award against assets in California (LCIA)
- Post-arbitration award proceedings involving Mexican and Korean companies in relation to a dealer agreement (AAA)
- Dispute between US and Yemeni companies in relation to a distribution contract (UNCITRAL/DIFC-LCIA)
- Dispute between the Arab Republic of Egypt and the Republic of Iraq regarding the claims of Egyptian workers for unpaid wages (UNCC)
- Contract dispute between US construction company and the Islamic Republic of Iran (IUSCT)
Perspectives
Recognition
“Maria Chedid has excellent capacity to effectively handle both commercial and investment treaty arbitrations. [Interviewees comment:] ‘Maria has an unparalleled mastery of international arbitration, she is incisive, a superb strategist and is unrelenting in achieving the targeted objectives.’ ‘A very prepared and thorough counsel who knows the case inside out.’ ‘She makes herself available to clients to put out the fire and help, and she is extremely knowledgeable.’”—Chambers USA 2021
"Maria Chedid has a respected practice spanning both commercial and investment treaty arbitrations. 'Maria provided excellent strategic advice, kept us well informed, was highly responsive, and was extremely adept at reaching the best result for the client's business. She was able to provide sound, strategic advice with calmness even in a highly stressful situation,' reports one interviewee." — Chambers Global 2021
Credentials
Education
- J.D., New York University School of Law, Editor, Journal of International Law and Politics
- B.A., Barnard College, with distinction
- New York University School of Law, Center for International Studies, Fellowship Program
Admissions
- California
- New York
Activities
- Member, ICC Court of International Arbitration (appointed for 2018-2021 term)
- Founding President and Co-Chair of the Board of Directors, California International Arbitration Council (CIAC)
- Co-Chair, ICDR California Advisory Committee
- Member, California Supreme Court Working Group, Foreign Attorney Practice in International Arbitration (2017)
- Member,"World's Leading Technology Neutrals Panel" (the "Tech List" Panel), Silicon Valley Arbitration & Mediation Center (2015-2019)
- Member, SIAC Users Council National Committee for the United States
- Member, Advisory Board, USC Gould School of Law ADR Program
- Member, Advisory Board, Institute for Transnational Arbitration
- Member, Fellowship Program, Chartered Institute of Arbitrators
- President, Northern California International Arbitration Club (2014-2017)
- Member, Executive Committee, California State Bar International Law Section (2014-2016)
- Adjunct Professor, Straus Institute for Dispute Resolution, Pepperdine Law School (2015)
Languages
- Arabic
- English
- French