Luis O'Naghten Bio

Founding Partner, International Arbitration & Commercial Litigation Expert

Luis O'Naghten

E: luis@onaghtenbrothers.com T: +1 (305) 468-4115 DM: Linkedin

Luis O’Naghten is a globally recognized international arbitration and commercial litigation attorney with almost 40 years of experience representing clients across the United States, Latin America, and Europe. Luis serves as both party counsel and arbitrator, bringing deep expertise in commercial and investor-state disputes. Fluent in English and Spanish, he has represented sovereign governments and state-owned entities, investors, multinational corporations, and individuals in high-stakes cases under ICSID, ICC, AAA/ICDR, and UNCITRAL rules, with a focus on energy, construction, telecom, infrastructure, and international financial fraud.

As arbitrator, Luis O’Naghten is recognized for his breadth of experience, whether resolving construction disputes or those involving infrastructure development. He regularly acts as President, sole arbitrator and co-arbitrator under ICC, ICDR, and UNICTRAL Rules. For instance, Luis acts as an arbitrator in an investment dispute governed by UNCITRAL Rules and administered by the PCA. He acts as an arbitrator in an investment dispute under UNCITRAL Rules and administered by the PCA.

Luis has handled landmark arbitrations, including a $30 million dispute for a Korean electronics company against a Mexican distributor, ICSID claims against Peru and Panama involving expropriation of hydroelectric and ethanol investments, and ICC arbitrations exceeding $100 million tied to healthcare projects in Latin America. His multijurisdictional experience spans countries like Mexico, El Salvador, Panama, Brazil, Peru, and Spain, where he leverages treaty networks to secure optimal outcomes for clients in dispute resolution and strategic structuring.

A frequent speaker at global arbitration forums and an adjunct professor at the University of Miami School of Law and the Universidad Panamericana (in Mexico), Luis is annually has been ranked among the world’s leading arbitration practitioners by Chambers Global, Who’s Who Legal, The Legal 500, and Latinvex. He served as a member of the ICC Commission of Arbitration and ADR for over 14 years and was Chair of the Miami International Arbitration Society and is committed to advancing Miami as a hemispheric hub for dispute resolution.

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Luis holds a BS in Finance from Georgetown University and a JD from Columbia Law School.

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