Eduardo Silva-Romero is a founding partner at Wordstone, specialising in international commercial and investment arbitration, with a historic focus on disputes involving States and State-owned entities.

Eduardo is recognised as one of the world’s most in-demand arbitrators, having acted in over 180 international commercial and investment cases under a wide variety of institutional rules.

Eduardo has advised and advises on arbitration matters conducted under the auspices of ICC, ICSID, PCA, LCIA, ICDR and SCC, as well as in ad hoc proceedings under the UNCITRAL and EDF arbitration rules.

Eduardo is consistently recognized in the Chambers & Partners and The Legal 500 directories as one of the most pre-eminent arbitration practitioners globally. He is commended as “a great leader” and “the orchestra conductor coordinating everything and a very good pleader.” References also note Eduardo “has an ability to drive the defence of a case” and is an “exceptional” practitioner “who understands how clients work”.

Eduardo also maintains a Band 1 ranking in the Chambers Latin America Guide 2024 for international arbitration, and he is highlighted “as an authority in the international arbitration market” and an “exceptional partner” who is “vastly experienced and thoroughly knows the procedures and the market”. In The Legal 500, Eduardo is ranked in its Hall of Fame for international arbitration. That Guide praises his “indisputable experience in commercial and investment arbitration”. In the Who’s Who Legal Guide, Eduardo is recognized as a Global Elite Thought Leader for Arbitration across several of its global guides. A commentator notes he is “very impressive” and another states they would “trust Eduardo as arbitrator without question”.

Eduardo is a former Deputy Secretary General of the ICC International Court of Arbitration, and he currently is the Chair of the ICC Institute of World Business Law and a member of the ICC Court.

Eduardo has published several articles, books and chapters on international arbitration, including its lectures on “Legal Fictions in the Language of International Arbitration” delivered at the Hague Academy of International Law in 2019. He also lectures on Investment Arbitration and International Contracts at Sciences Po in Paris, international arbitration at Paris II University, international commercial arbitration involving States and State entities, Arbitration at the University of Paris-Dauphine, and is Professor Emeritus at the University of Rosario in Bogotá.

“Based on his unparalleled knowledge and worldwide practice, Eduardo provides top-notch advice on the procedural intricacies of international arbitration.” – Chambers Global 2024

“Eduardo Silva Romero operates at a high professional level. He has great comprehension and research capabilities, as well as excellent soft skills.” – Chambers Global 2024

“Eduardo is an exceptional partner. He is vastly experienced and thoroughly knows the procedures and the market.” – Chambers Global 2024

“Eduardo is fantastic. He is great at client relations.” – Chambers Global 2024

“Eduardo is superb. He has a global approach to arbitration.” – Chambers Global 2024

“Eduardo is excellent at hearings.” – Chambers Global 2024

“Eduardo Silva Romero operates at a high professional level. He has great comprehension and research capabilities, as well as excellent soft skills.” – Chambers Latin America 2024

“Eduardo is outstanding.” – Chambers Global 2024

“Eduardo is fantastic, he is great at client relations.” – Chambers Global 2024

“Eduardo is excellent at hearings.” – Chambers Global 2024

“Eduardo is superb, he has a global approach to arbitration.” – Chambers Global 2024

“He is a very smart and empathetic person. It is easy for him to put himself in the client’s shoes, which helps in arbitration, and he has that ability to get into other people’s heads.” – Chambers Europe 2023

“He understands how clients work and knows how to represent them.” – Chambers Europe 2023

“He is exceptional and he understands how clients work.” – Chambers Europe 2023

“Very responsible, always ready to help.” – The Legal 500

“As a lawyer, despite having a busy schedule, he always responded to my queries and calls regardless of what time it was. He has extensive experience in construction arbitrations and representing States.” – The Legal 500

“I trust Eduardo as arbitrator without question.” – Who’s Who Legal

“He is very impressive.” – Who’s Who Legal

• Representing the Czech Republic in three investment arbitrations in the real estate, gaming and airplanes sectors.
• Representing the Republic of Ecuador in ten investment and commercial arbitrations in, for instance, the telecommunication, oil and gas, construction and mining concession sectors.
• Representing the Plurinational State of Bolivia in eleven investment arbitrations (under the auspices of ICSID or under the UNCITRAL rules) and one commercial arbitration involving several sectors, including telecommunications, infrastructure, mining, energy and oil and gas.
• Representing the Republic of Colombia in five investment arbitrations (under the auspices of ICSID or under the UNCITRAL rules) in the mining and telecommunication sectors.
• Representing a group of Costa Rican and Dutch investors against a Central American State in an ICSID arbitration relating to the construction and development of an ecotourist resort.
• Representing a French multinational in a dispute with a Central American state entity in an ICC arbitration related to the construction of a hydro electrical plant.
• Representing a Brazilian company against a Portuguese group of companies in an ICC arbitration arising from fraudulent schemes in the execution of several financial agreements concluded for the financing of a construction project.
• Representing a leading European gas company in its gas pricing dispute against another leading European gas company in a potential ICC arbitration arising from a long term gas supply contract.
• Representing a French fund against a French company in an ad hoc arbitration arising from a shareholders agreement in the food industry.
• Representing a leading American technology company against a South Korean company in an ICC arbitration relating to the softwares of the smartphones.
  Representing a Spanish company against two Peruvian companies in an AAA arbitration related to the breach of a shareholders agreement.

University of Paris II – Assas, Doctorate (Docteur en Droit Summa Cum Laude), 2000

University of Paris II – Assas, Master in Philosophy of Law (DEA), 1996

University of Paris II – Assas, Master in Private International Law (DSU), 1995

University of Paris II – Assas, Masters in Comparative Law and Legal Linguistics, 1995

Universidade del Rosario de Bogotá, Lawyer’s Diploma, 1993

Bogota and Paris

English, Spanish, French and Portuguese

• “Legal Fictions in the Language of International Arbitration” (Collected Courses of The Hague Academy of International Law, Brill, 2022)
• “The Legal Fiction of the Seat of the International Arbitration”, in Achieving the Arbitration Dream: Liber Amicorum for Professor Julian D.M. Lew KC, Kluwer Law International, 2023.
• “What places for Compliance in investment arbitration?”, in Frison-Roche, M.-A.(ed.), Compliance Jurisdictionalisation, series “Compliance & Regulation”, Journal of Regulation & Compliance (JoRC) and Bruylant, 2023.
• “L’arbitrage d’investissement impliquant les états, une tendance croissante au sein de l’ICC”, in Echanges internationaux, 2022.
• “Arbitration, a Form of Life”, in “Arbitration and beyond… Une forme de vie”, Liber Amicorum pour Yves Derains, Éditions A. Pedone, 2021.
• “Le règlement d’arbitrage de la Chambre de commerce internationale (CCI) de 2021”, in Revue de l’arbitrage, n° 4, 2020.
• “Mining Arbitration in Latin America: Social and Environmental Issues in Investment Arbitration Cases” in The Guide to Mining Arbitrations, Global Arbitration Review, 2019.
• “L’annulation des sentences CIRDI impliquant un État d’Afrique”, in Un demi-siècle africain d’arbitrage d’investissement CIRDI, LGDJ, 2019.
• France Chapter in “Sovereign Immunity 2019”, in Lexology Getting The Deal Through, 2019.
• “Energy Investor-State Disputes in Latin America” in International Arbitration in the Energy Sector, Ed. Maxi Scherer, Oxford University Press, 2018.
• “Arbitrating the Conduct of International Investors”, in ICSID Review – Foreign Investment Law Journal, 2018.
• “La extensión del convenio arbitral a partes no signatarias en Europa: ¿un enfoque uniforme?”, in Revista de Arbitraje, PUCP No. 7, 2017.
• “Some Remarks on the Contribution of ICC Arbitrators to the Development of International Commercial Arbitration Involving States and State Entities”, in International Arbitration Under Review, ICC Publication, 2015.
• “Consolidation and Parallel Proceedings”, in Building International Investment Law: The First 50 Years of ICSID, Kluwer, 2015.
• “Actualité des Clauses de Stabilisation”, in Le contentieux extractif, ICC Publications, No. 770F, 2015.
• “Le nouveau règlement d’arbitrage de la chambre de commerce internationale (la “CCI”)”, in Revue de l’arbitrage, No. 4, 2011.
• “L’arbitrage CIRDI et les contrats de nature publique passés avec un Etat ou une entité étatique”, in Contrats publics et arbitrage international, M. Audit (dir.), Bruylant, 2011.
• “Observations sur la notion d’investissement après la sentence Phoenix”, in The Paris Journal of International Arbitration (Les cahiers de l’arbitrage), No. 4, 2010.
• “Are States Liable for the Conduct of Their Instrumentalities? ICC Case Law” in State Entities in International Arbitration, E. Gaillard and J. Younan (eds.), London: Juris Publishing, 2008.
• “Requiem for the Rules of Article 177(2) of the Swiss Private International Law Act ?”, in Global Reflections on International Law, Commerce and Dispute Resolution – Liber Amicorum in honour of Robert Briner, Paris: ICC Publishing, 2005.
• “International Arbitration Involving State Parties. Observations on the Applicable Law in State Contract Arbitration”, in Revista de Arbitragem e Mediação, São Paulo: Editora Revista dos Tribunais, No. 6, July – September 2005.
• “La circulation des conventions d’arbitrage dans les droits d’Amérique Latine”, in Médiation et arbitrage / Alternative dispute resolution, L. Cadiet, T. Clay and E. Jeuland (Eds), Paris : Litec, 2005.
• “The Dialectic of International Arbitration Involving State Parties”, in ICC International Court of Arbitration Bulletin, Paris: ICC Publishing S.A., Volume 15, No. 2, Fall 2004.
• “Algunas observaciones sobre el reconocimiento y la ejecución de laudos arbitrales extranjeros en América Latina”, in Revista
• “Multiparty and Multicontract Arbitration: Recent ICC experience”, in ICC International Court of Arbitration Bulletin, Special Supplement 2003 – Complex Arbitration, Paris: ICC Publishing, 2003.
• “Arbitration of the International Chamber of Commerce and State Contracts”, ICC Bulletin, París: ICC Publishing S.A., Volume 13, No. 1, 2002.
• “The Application of Philosophy of Law’s Method in International Commercial Arbitration”, in Review of international commercial law and arbitration Vindobona, Alemania: Guadis, 5 VJ 1, 2001.

Chambers Global 2024

• Band 1 – Arbitration (International) (Latin America – International Counsel)
• Band 1 – International Arbitration (France)
• Band 1 – International Arbitration: Most In Demand Arbitrators (Latin America – International Counsel)
• Band 2 – International Arbitration: Most In Demand Arbitrators (Europe-wide)
• Band 2 – Arbitration (International) (Global Market Leaders)
• Band 2 – International Arbitration: Arbitrators (France)
• Band 3 – Arbitration (International) (Europe-wide)
• Foreign Expert – International Arbitration (France)

Chambers Latin America 2024

• Band 1 – International Arbitration (International Counsel)
• Band 1 – International Arbitration: Arbitrators (International Counsel)

Chambers Europe 2024

• Band 1 – International Arbitration (France)
• Band 2 – International Arbitration: Arbitrators (France)
• Band 2 – International Arbitration: Most In Demand Arbitrators (Europe-wide)
• Band 3 – Arbitration (International) (Europe-wide)

The Legal 500

• Hall of Fame – Dispute Resolution: International Arbitration (France)
• Hall of Fame – Latin America: International Firms, International Arbitration

Who’s Who Legal

• WWL Thought Leader – France – Arbitration
• WWL Global Elite Thought Leader – Arbitration
• WWL Thought Leader – Arbitration

• Chair of the ICC Institute of World Business Law
• Member of the ICC International Court of Arbitration
• Member of the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) for Colombia
• Former Chair of the Arbitration Committee of the International Bar Association (IBA)