Lucinda Low

Partner in Steptoe's Washington office

Lucinda A. Low is a partner in Steptoe's Washington office, where she is a member of the International Department, heads the firm’s US Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) practice, and serves on the firm's Executive Committee. Her practice focuses on US and international anti-corruption laws, advising clients on matters ranging from preventive work to representation in internal investigations and enforcement matters worldwide. She is a widely recognized authority in the US FCPA and related international conventions from the OECD, OAS, United Nations, and European Union. She also has significant experience in investment disputes between foreign investors and host governments, and commercial arbitration, including serving as counsel, arbitrator, and an expert witness. Ms. Low graduated from the University of California at Los Angeles School of Law, where she was Editor-in-Chief of the UCLA Law Review. She was an Adjunct Professor at American University, Washington College of Law in 1993 and at the University of Colorado School of Law in 1987 and 1989.

Honorable Justice Ricardo Villas-Bôas Cueva

Justice of Brazil's Superior Court of Justice

Graduated in law from the University of São Paulo (USP), Ricardo Villas Bôas Cueva has a master's degree from Harvard University and a doctorate from the University of Frankfurt. He was a prosecutor for the State of São Paulo and the National Treasury, and had an intense role as a lawyer and advisor to Brazil`s Administrative Council for Economic Defense (CADE). In 2011, he was appointed minister of Brazil's Superior Court of Justice (STJ), in a vacancy destined for a member of the legal profession, after being nominated by the Brazilian Bar Association (OAB).

Anne-Marie Whitesell

Professor at Georgetown University Law Center

Anne Marie Whitesell is Professor, LL.M. Program and Faculty Director of the Program on International Arbitration and Dispute Resolution at Georgetown University Law Center (Washington, D.C.). Ms. Whitesell has practiced with law firms in both the United States and France and has acted as arbitrator and counsel in numerous international arbitration cases. She was Secretary General of the International Chamber of Commerce International Court of Arbitration from 2001 to 2007. She also previously taught at the Université de Paris I and the Institut de Droit Comparé. She serves as a member of various boards and committees related to dispute resolution and is the Director of the Alternative Dispute Resolution Center of the International Law Institute. Ms. Whitesell received her A.B. from Smith College, her J.D. from the University of Virginia School of Law, and her Doctorate in Law from the Université de Paris I, Panthéon-Sorbonne. She is admitted to the New York State Bar, the District of Columbia Bar, and the US District Courts for the Southern and Eastern Districts of New York.

Leonardo de Campos Melo

Arbitrator in Brazil

Leonardo de Campos Melo is a name partner at LDCM Advogados, a boutique law firm specializing in dispute resolution. He has broad expertise in the resolution of court, arbitral, and administrative disputes. Mr. Campos Melo was a partner for over 15 years at two of Brazil's largest litigation law firms (both ranked as Band 1 in Chambers, Leaders League, and WWL). He holds a law degree from the Pontifical Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro (PUC-Rio), a master’s degree from the State University of Rio de Janeiro (UERJ), and an LL.M. in arbitration from the Center for Commercial Arbitration at American University (Washington, DC). He has authored multiple books and articles about arbitration and contract law in Brazil and abroad, and he taught at PUC-Rio at the post-graduate level for 10 years. He also acts as an arbitrator in complex commercial disputes in Brazil and abroad.

In this panel, we will explore the interaction between arbitration and state courts, a critical aspect of dispute resolution. This session aims to shed light on the key dynamics, challenges, and opportunities for arbitration considering the framework of Brazilian state courts. We will explore the many instances in which arbitration and state courts interact under Brazilian law, from interim measures (including anti-suit injunctions) to the annulment/setting aside of arbitral awards and enforcement proceedings, both of domestic and foreign awards, taking advantage of the unique perspective that Justice Ricardo Villas Bôas Cueva, a member of the Brazilian Superior Court of Justice – the highest court in the country for non-constitutional matters –, can offer the audience. This panel will highlight the well-established cooperation between arbitration and state courts in Brazil, demonstrating to an international audience that Brazil is a decidedly “pro-arbitration” jurisdiction.

Save your spot

An event filled with networking, enriching seminars, and engaging conversations with the industry's leading experts.

Georgetown university law center

APRIL 8-9, 2024