Adam Betts

About Adam Betts

Adam is an associate in our New York office. He practices international law with a focus on international arbitration and has represented clients under the ICSID, ICSID(AF), ICC and LCIA rules.

Adam also represents foreign clients in American bankruptcy litigations and advises on investigatory and compliance matters under both U.S. and foreign law.

Recent work

• Representing Grupo Agroinsumos in obtaining a US$ 2.8 billion ICSID award against Venezuela under the Venezuela-Spain BIT, resulting from the expropriation of its investment in the most important agribusiness company in the country.
• Representing Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria S.A. ("BBVA") in securing a US$ 100 million award for financial group BBVA in an ICSID Additional Facility arbitration against Bolivia under the Spain-Bolivia BIT. The dispute arose out of government measures nationalizing the pension fund administration service provided by BBVA’s Bolivian subsidiary.
• Representing Glencore and its Colombian subsidiaries in an ICSID arbitration against Colombia related to the State's unreasonable refusal to take over two thermal coal mines and their assets, as required under the mining contracts upon their termination, forcing Glencore and its subsidiaries to incur multi-million-dollar monthly costs and liabilities to upkeep the mines.
• Representing a leading Paraguay energy company in an ICC case initiated by two other Paraguayan commercial shipping, storage, and distribution companies related to two interrelated contracts for the shipment and storage of gasoline.
• Representing a leading energy company in an LCIA arbitration arising out of gas purchase and supply obligations that were disrupted by a winter storm.
• Representing international financial institutions and structured investment vehicles in “clawback” suits brought by the Bernie Madoff bankruptcy trustee and presenting novel-cross border jurisdictional and extraterritoriality defenses, including to the U.S. Supreme Court.
• Conducting internal investigations for large multinational companies under both U.S. and foreign law.
• Advising multinational companies in regulatory compliance matters under both U.S. and foreign law.
• Providing dispute-related due diligence in connection with the acquisition of high-litigation-risk targets.
• Representing asylum seekers in U.S. Immigration Court.