Seasoned International Arbitration Practitioner Mélida Hodgson Joins Arnold & Porter’s New York Office
NEW YORK, NY, January 18, 2022 — Arnold & Porter announced today that Mélida Hodgson has joined the firm’s International Arbitration practice as a partner, resident in New York.
Paolo Di Rosa, co-chair of Arnold & Porter’s global International Arbitration practice, stated: “Mélida is a widely respected and well-known practitioner whose extensive experience in private practice as well as in government will serve our clients well. In particular, her broad experience representing State entities and companies in complex and high-stakes international disputes will dovetail nicely with our existing practice in that space, and help sustain our status as a leader in the Latin American legal market.”
Global International Arbitration practice co-chair Maria Chedid added: “We are delighted to deepen our bench of senior arbitration practitioners with a lawyer of Mélida's stature. She is exceptional in what she brings to the table, and we are very much looking forward to working together with her.”
Ms. Hodgson has been recognized in the Chambers Latin America, Chambers USA and Chambers Global ranking guides, as well as in Who’s Who Legal Arbitration and Legal 500 Latin America, and she was included in Latinvex’s 2021 list of the top 100 lawyers in Latin America. She brings more than two decades of experience representing clients in investor-State and commercial arbitrations, as well as counseling governments, State-owned entities, and corporate entities on international investment protection, business disputes, and World Trade Organization (WTO) disputes. She has successfully defended the respondent State in a number of investment arbitrations, including at the World Bank-affiliated International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID), and in proceedings conducted under the arbitral rules of the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL).
In joining the firm, Ms. Hodgson stressed that “Arnold & Porter’s premier International Arbitration practice includes a seasoned roster of attorneys who provide excellent global client service. I am thrilled to join a talented team that is known for its long streak of consecutive favorable outcomes on behalf of States in investment arbitration, along with top-notch capabilities in the commercial arbitration space.”
Ms. Hodgson began her career in private practice before becoming a US government litigator at the US Department of Justice. She also served as associate general counsel at the Office of the United States Trade Representative.
Fluent in Spanish, Ms. Hodgson earned her JD from New York University School of Law and received her BA from Vassar College.
About Arnold & Porter's International Arbitration practice
The firm's International Arbitration team has secured a larger number of consecutive positive defense outcomes for sovereign States in investor-State arbitrations—43, at last count—than any other firm in the world . The team also has a strong track record on behalf of investors, for whom they have secured some of the largest damages awards in ICSID history. In the commercial arbitration space, the team is known for handling sensitive, complex and high-stakes disputes under all major arbitral rules, and is widely acclaimed for its oral argument and cross-examination skills in the hearing room. With highly ranked leading practitioners based in eight offices across the US, UK, China, and South Korea, the team offers clients a practice of exceptional depth and scope.
About Arnold & Porter
With nearly 1,000 lawyers practicing in 13 offices around the globe, Arnold & Porter serves clients across 40 distinct practice areas. The firm offers 100 years of renowned regulatory expertise, sophisticated litigation and transactional practices, and leading multidisciplinary offerings in the life sciences and financial services industries.
