Dr Patricia Nacimiento

Patricia is an expert in litigation with a special focus on international and German arbitration and all forms of alternative dispute resolution, including mediation. She has extensive experience both as a party representative and as an arbitrator. She also has considerable expertise in cross-border litigation and arbitration-related litigation. Her main areas of practice are in energy, infrastructure and post M&A disputes. Patricia has extensive experience in managing large strategic dispute resolution proceedings and leading cross-border teams including the fight against corruption and money laundering.

She further focuses on investment arbitration and the law of nations, also in the field of business and human rights.

As a party representative, Patricia has conducted over 150 arbitration proceedings under the rules of numerous arbitration institutions – including ICC, ICSID, SCC, CIETAC, DIS, LCIA, ICDR, Swiss Chamber of Commerce, Indian Council of Arbitration, and the Danish Institution of Arbitration as well as ad hoc proceedings. She is also regularly appointed as an arbitrator and has led numerous international ICC-, DIS- and ad hoc arbitration proceedings as a chairperson, sole arbitrator or party appointed arbitrator.

The German government has appointed Patricia in 2007 as one of four arbitrators to the panel of arbitrators at the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID). She was recently reappointed to the panel of arbitrators following a competitive process organized by the competent German Ministry.

Patricia is also appointed as an alternate member of the Appointing Committee of the German Institution of Arbitration (DIS).

Her experience includes advising and representing:

• a government in arbitration proceedings under the Energy Charter Treaty in a USD 3 billion dispute
• a major developer in LCIA proceedings related to a construction in Russia in a USD 1 billion
• a major German steel company in CIETAC proceedings seated in Shanghai and Beijing
• a German company in a DIS arbitration relating to the construction of a power plant in Latin America

• a government in multijurisdictional arbitration related court proceedings

Publications

Patricia has also a proven academic track record and publishes regularly in leading publications. She is co-editor of leading arbitration handbooks "Arbitration in Germany - The Model Law in Practice" (Boeckstiegel, Kroell, Nacimiento (eds.) Kluwer 2nd ed 2015) and "Recognition and Enforcement of Foreign Arbitral Awards: A Global Commentary on the New York Convention "(Kronke, Nacimiento, Otto, Port Kluwer, 2010).

Memberships

• Appointee of the German government to the ICSID panel of arbitrators
• ICC Commission on Arbitration, active in different task forces, currently on "Corruption and fraud".
• Member of the Board of International Law Association, German Chapter
• Member of the Board at International Investment Law Centre Cologne
• Deutsche Institution für Schiedsgerichtsbarkeit (DIS)

Accolades

Patricia Nacimiento is ranked as global and national leading lawyer (for arbitration) with “a great track record for investment arbitration” remark peers who add, “She is a household name when it comes to disputes with a Latin American angle.” Sources praise her "remarkable intelligence" and "attention to detail" Patricia Nacimiento is "a joy to work with" say respondents. Her practice encompasses commercial and investor-state disputes in the energy, construction and M&A sectors.
Who's Who Legal, 2010 – 2021

Listed in "Germany's Best Lawyers” for years, last for 2019 - 2021 for Arbitration and Mediation
Handelsblatt Rating in cooperation with Best Lawyers

Patricia Nacimiento is ranked as a leading individual for Dispute Resolution: Arbitration (including International Arbitration). Market competitors describe her as "experienced"
Legal 500 Germany 2010 - 2021

Ranked as leading individual for Dispute Resolution
Legal 500 EMEA 2021

Clients describe her as "intelligent, loyal, highly qualified and dedicated, with both managerial and analytical skills" and "thoughtful and creative". Repeatedly ranked for Dispute Resolution: Arbitration Counsel". – Chambers Europe 2010 - 2021

"a highly regarded arbitration lawyer" - frequently recommended as renowned representative in arbitration proceedings; Competitors describe her as very good, 'very pleasant', 'competent and fast', 'dedicated' – JUVE 2010 – 2021/22

Ranked in band 4 for Dispute Resolution: Arbitration Counsel: “Patricia Nacimiento is a respected arbitration counsel assisting clients with post M&A and supply-chain disputes. She is particularly present on international matters and boasts unrivalled experience on investment arbitrations in Kazakhstan and the wider CIS region." – Chambers Global 2021 (Dispute Resolution: Arbitration Counsel Germany)

Named as “Foreign Expertise” for Kazakhstan – Global Rankings: Dispute Resolution in Germany 2021

A client singles out lead counsel Nacimiento as "particularly skilled, noting she was able to build a client-consultant relationship not only based on professional competence, but also on ties of friendship and trust." – Global Arbitration Review, GAR 100, 2015

What clients said:
"If arbitration was "To Kill a Mockingbird" Patricia is an Atticus Finch of today's arbitration community";
"I have worked in my career together with a lot of external lawyers and I have to stress, that Mrs Nacimiento was and is one of the best!";
"She has excellent capabilities to understand technical facts, problems and issues very well and quickly. To move those topics into the legal backgrounds is one of her several strengths.";
"She is second to none in courage and compassion for her clients' interests and gleams when it comes to the day in court where she brilliantly performs her written and oral abilities."
Client Choice Award 2014

What clients said:
"If arbitration was "To Kill a Mockingbird" Patricia is an Atticus Finch of today's arbitration community"; 
"I have worked in my career together with a lot of external lawyers and I have to stress, that Mrs Nacimiento was and is one of the best!"; 
"She has excellent capabilities to understand technical facts, problems and issues very well and quickly. To move those topics into the legal backgrounds is one of her several strengths."; 
"She is second to none in courage and compassion for her clients' interests and gleams when it comes to the day in court where she brilliantly performs her written and oral abilities."
Client Choice Award 2014 

Background

Patricia is a native German speaker and fluent in English, Spanish, Italian and French.

She gives lectures on arbitration at the universities of Heidelberg, Frankfurt and Europainstitut Saarbrücken. 

For years, Patricia has been listed as a leading disputes expert in renowned rankings and directories such as Global Arbitration Review, Women in Business, Best Lawyers, Who's Who Legal as well as Chambers Europe, Chambers Global, Legal 500 and leading German directory JUVE.