Pilar is Founding Partner of GNCI Law. In her more than 15 years of professional experience, Pilar worked for recognized international law firms in Madrid and New York such as Eversheds Sutherland, Herbert Smith and Kirkland & Ellis LLP.

Pilar is a prominent lawyer with vast experience in investment and commercial arbitrations as well as in complex litigation cases. She has experience in different jurisdictions around the world (UK, Netherlands, USA, Spain) and has successfully represented corporations, States and investors in commercial and investment arbitrations and in highly complex transnational litigation.

Among her most notable achievements is the successful representation of the Kingdom of Spain in the first two investment arbitrations of the PV saga (Charanne & Construction; PV Investors). She currently represents

the Republic of Panama in an investment arbitration before the ICSID (International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes) and a Spanish listed construction company in an annulment proceeding against the State of Kuwait. In the past, Pilar also represented Mexican investors in a complex investment dispute against the Kingdom of Spain which involved discovery proceedings in the USA under 28 USD 1782 and litigation proceedings before the European Court of Justice. Pilar has also handled complex transnational disputes in Arkansas and New Jersey and worked on the enforcement of an ICSID award within a State of the European Union.

She holds a degree in Law and Journalism from Universidad Carlos III, Madrid, Spain, and an LLM from Columbia Law School, New York. She is admitted to the Madrid and New York State Bar Associations.

Pilar she has participated as a panellist in various conferences, addressing topics such as arbitration in the era of climate change and human rights in investment arbitration. She is an associate professor of Public International Law at the Universidad Pontificia Comillas (ICADE) in Madrid and has lectured at leading universities and international law associations (New York University, CEA Barcelona). She is a member of the working group of the Campaign for Greener Arbitrators and is a frequent contributor to arbitral and academic institutions.

Investment arbitrations

Representation of the Republic of Panamá in an ICSID investment arbitration under the USA-Panamá BIT. (currently)

Representation of a Latin American State in the enforcement of an ICSID award within a EU State. (currently)

Representation of a Spanish investor in an ICSID annulment proceeding pertaining a construction and infrastructure investment in the Middle-East. (currently)

Representation of a British investor in the first stages of investment arbitration against a EU State arisen out of the State’s regulatory changes in the PV sector. (2022-2023)

Interim representation of the Kingdom of Spain in proceedings challenging the recognition and registration of an arbitral award before the High Court of Commerce and Property in England and Wales. (2022)

Representation of a group of Mexican shareholders and bondholders in an investment arbitration under the UNCITRAL and ICSID Arbitration Rules arising out of the deprivation of their rights and interests in Spain’s fifth largest bank as a consequence of its resolution and sale through the Single Resolution Mechanism (SRM). The arbitration involved parallel proceedings before the Court of Justice of the European Union and discovery proceedings before the Southern District Court of New York. The two arbitrations were consolidated. (2017-2019)

Successfully represented the Kingdom of Spain in a major investment arbitration run under the Arbitration Rules of the Stockholm Chamber of Commerce for claims brought by multiple investors under the Energy Charter Treaty in relation to Spanish Photovoltaic sector. (2012-2016)

Represented the Kingdom of Spain in a major investment arbitration run under the UNCITRAL Arbitration Rules for claims brought by multiple investors under the Energy Charter Treaty in relation to Spanish photovoltaic sector. (2012- 2016)

Assistance in the administration of an UNCITRAL investment arbitration brought by a USA investor under the Ecuador-USA Bilateral Investment Treaty in relation to Ecuadorian measures in the oil sector. (2011-2012)

Commercial Arbitrations

Representation of a Spanish manufacturing company in a multi-party Paris-seated ICC arbitration arisen out of a breach of contract for the sale of goods. The arbitration involves complex issues of joinder and conflict of laws (currently)

Representation of a financial services company in various commercial arbitrations before the Madrid Court of Arbitration arisen out of breaches shareholder agreements and other related disputes with funds and financial advisors. (currently)

Represented a Spanish company in an international commercial arbitration run under the Madrid Court of Arbitration Rules for claims regarding alleged breaches of contract and of Spanish Agency Law. (2014-2015)

Transnational Litigation

Successfully represented a Spanish company in cross-border litigation in the United States District Court, Western District of Arkansas, against an individual in connection with alleged breaches of contract under theories of implied-in-fact and implied-in-law contract law. Together with local counsel in Arkansas we obtained the dismissal of the case on the basis of lack of jurisdiction of the United States courts on the basis of US federal law. (2021)

Advised and represented a Colombian company in bringing claims relating to breaches of a contract for the manufacture and sale of industrial components subject to the Vienna Convention CISG before the courts of New Jersey. The dispute involved complex conflict of laws and forum issues, as well as related issues subject to New Jersey law. (2020-2024)

Domestic Litigation

Represented a number of international banks in more than 25 different civil and commercial litigation cases and appeared before Spanish courts in all stages of the proceedings (evidentiary, trial, Appellate and Supreme Court; motions, enforcement, and interim measures, among others). (2012-2016)