Experience

Erica has over 20 years of experience in international arbitration.  Until October 2022, she was a Partner in the international arbitration group of Dechert LLP in Brussels and Paris.  Before joining Dechert, Erica was Counsel at the international arbitration boutique Hanotiau & van den Berg in Brussels.  

Erica’s work in private practice has focused on disputes arising under investment treaties, as well as complex cross-border commercial, post-M&A and shareholder disputes. She has been particularly active in the life sciences (biotech, medtech, pharma), energy, mining, transport, food and beverage, and telecommunications sectors. Other sectors in which Erica has experience are aerospace, chemicals, engineering and construction, finance and banking, gaming, heavy industry, maritime, real estate, and tourism. Erica also has expertise in the recognition and enforcement of arbitration agreements and awards, on which subject she lectures, writes, and has trained judges.

Before entering private practice, Erica served as Counsel at the ICC International Court of Arbitration in Paris, where she oversaw hundreds of arbitrations pending under the ICC Rules of Arbitration worldwide. 

 

Industries / Sectors

    • Chair of the arbitral tribunal in an ICSID arbitration between a Mauritian investor and an African State, regarding investments in the mining sector (iron ore) (ARB 21/53)

    • Chair of the arbitral tribunal in an UNCITRAL arbitration between a Swiss investor and an Eastern European State, regarding investments in renewables (PCA 2022-41)

    • Chair of the arbitral tribunal in an UNCITRAL arbitration between an Emirati party and a Moroccan party, arising out of coal supply agreements, English law applicable, in Paris

    • Chair of the arbitral tribunal in an UNCITRAL arbitration between two Brazilian parties arising out of a joint operating agreement for the exploration and production of hydrocarbons, Brazilian law applicable, in Paris

    • Chair of the arbitral tribunal in an ICC arbitration between a French party and an African State, arising out of an agreement for the development of an oilfield and construction of a pipeline, in Brussels

    • Chair of the arbitral tribunal in an ICC arbitration between two Romanian parties, arising out of framework and related agreements for onshore and offshore integrated services in the oil and gas sector, Romanian law applicable, in Paris

    • Sole Arbitrator in an LCIA arbitration between an English party and an Indian party, concerning the sale and delivery of wind turbine parts, English law applicable, in London

    • Co-arbitrator in an arbitration before the Corte de Arbitraje de Madrid, between Spanish, Canadian and U.S. parties, arising out of alleged defects in heaters purchased as part of the process to extract product from oil sands, Spanish law applicable, in Madrid

    • Co-arbitrator in an SCC arbitration regarding the sale and delivery of gas under long-term supply contracts, Swedish law applicable, in Stockholm

    • Representing Belgian investors in an arbitration against an African State before ICSID, regarding investments in the mining sector (metals)  (ARB/01/2)

    • Representing a South American State in an arbitration an American investor before ICSID, regarding its investment in the hydrocarbons sector (oil blocks)   (ARB/08/5)

    • Chair of the arbitral tribunal in an ICC arbitration between a Filipino party and a French party, arising out of a business development and integration agreement and a distribution agreement to provide services and material for the construction of a bridge, French law applicable, in Geneva

    • Chair of the arbitral tribunal in an ICC arbitration between a French party and a Danish party, arising out of an agreement (FIDIC) for the construction of a clay production unit on the site of a cement plant, French law applicable, in Paris

    • Chair of the arbitral tribunal in an arbitration under the Swiss Rules between a Senegalese party and a French party, arising out of an agreement for the supply of exterior joinery, aluminum and glazing for three residential buildings, Swiss law applicable, in Geneva

    • Sole arbitrator in an ICC arbitration between an Egyptian party and an agency of an African state, arising out of an agreement (FIDIC) for the construction of a highway, in Paris

    • Sole Arbitrator in a CEPANI arbitration between two Belgian parties arising out of a consultancy agreement to increase the working capital of a hotel and restaurant, Belgian law applicable, in Brussels

    • Sole Arbitrator in an arbitration before the German Arbitration Institute (DIS), between a German charitable association and an Indian charitable trust, arising out of an agreement to build and establish a school, German law applicable, in Düsseldorf

    • Co-arbitrator in a CEPANI arbitration between a Belgian party and a Dutch party, arising out of a subcontract for the design and construction of a steel structure for a data center, Belgian law applicable, in Brussels

    • Co-arbitrator in an ad hoc arbitration, between an international organization and a Kazakh party, regarding funding for the construction of a highway

    • Emergency arbitrator in an ICC matter between a Swiss party and a French party arising out of a hotel management agreement, Swiss law applicable, in Paris

    • Representing Dutch and Costa Rican investors in an investment arbitration against a Central American State before ICSID, arising out of the investor’s plans to develop a resort (ARB/15/14)

    • Representing a Central European State in an investment arbitration in the real estate sector against Swiss investors before ICSID, arising out of the investor’s plans to build residential development (ARB/17/11)

    • Representing a Central European State in an investment arbitration against a German investor under the UNCITRAL Rules, arising out of the bankruptcy of the investor’s tourism business

    • Representing a South American State in an investment arbitration against a British investor under the UNCITRAL Rules, arising out of an investment in the mining sector (metals) (PCA 2013-15)

    • Chair of the arbitral tribunal in an ICC arbitration between a Spanish party and a U.S. party, arising out of manufacturing and supply agreements for food products, California law applicable, in New York

    • Chair of the arbitral tribunal in an ICDR arbitration between a Spanish party and a U.S. party, arising out of manufacturing and supply agreements for food products, California law applicable, in New York

    • Chair of the arbitral tribunal in an ICDR arbitration between two German parties and a U.S. party, arising out of five agreements relating to the licensing, manufacturing, and distribution of medical devices, New York law applicable, in New York

    • Chair of the arbitral tribunal in an arbitration before the Danish Institute of Arbitration between a Danish party and Austrian party, arising out of a quality audits of a vaccine adjuvant carried out pursuant to a supply agreement, supplier quality agreement, and confidentiality agreement, Danish law applicable, in Copenhagen

    • Sole Arbitrator in an ICC arbitration between a Belgian party and a Polish party, arising out of an agreement for the distribution of food products, Belgian law applicable, in Brussels

    • Sole Arbitrator in an LCIA arbitration between an Emirati party and a Thai party, arising out of an agreement for the sale of medical equipment, English law applicable, in London

    • Sole Arbitrator in an LCIA arbitration between an Israeli party and a Canadian party, arising out of an agreement for the licensing, marketing, and sale of certain drugs, English law applicable, in London

    • Sole Arbitrator in a SIAC arbitration between an Indian party and a Singaporean party, arising out of an agreement for the supply, assembly, installation, testing, commissioning, and qualifying of pharmaceutical medical equipment, Singapore law applicable, in Singapore

    • Representing a French pharmaceutical company against a Swiss pharmaceutical company in two commercial arbitrations under the ICC Rules, arising out of license and distribution agreements for certain botulinum toxin products

    • Representing a French biotech company against a U.S. biotech company in a commercial arbitration under the American Arbitration Association Commercial Arbitration Rules and Mediation Procedures, arising out of an agreement to license vectors for the development of a gene therapy

    • Representing a U.S. pharmaceutical company against a U.S. drug manufacturer in a commercial arbitration under the CPR (International Institute for Conflict Prevention & Resolution) Arbitration Rules, arising out of an agreement to manufacture antibiotics

    • Chair of the arbitral tribunal in an ICC arbitration in the aerospace sector, English law applicable, in London

    • Sole Arbitrator in a CEPANI arbitration, between a Belgian party and an German party, arising out of framework agreement and lease agreements for the lease of five boats,  Belgian law applicable, in Brussels

    • Co-arbitrator in an ICC arbitration between a Spanish party and U.S. party, in the aerospace sector, Spanish law applicable, in Madrid

    • Representing Colombian investors in an investment arbitration against a South American State before ICSID, arising out of a concession for the operation of a public bus system  (ARB/17/16)

    • Chair of the arbitral tribunal in a CEPANI arbitration, between two Belgian parties, arising out of an agreement for the production and distribution of a chemical product, Belgian law applicable, in Brussels

    • Sole Arbitrator in an ICC arbitration between a German party and a Taiwanese party, arising out an agreement for the sale, distribution, and after-sale services relating to precision cutting machines, German law applicable, in Düsseldorf

    • Sole Arbitrator in an UNCITRAL arbitration, between a German party and a Dutch party, arising out of a license agreement for the exclusive right to use and purchase anticorrosive coatings, German law applicable, in Paris

    • Sole Arbitrator in an arbitration before the Arbitration Institute of the Finland Chamber of Commerce (FAI), between a Dutch party and a Finnish party, arising out of an agreement to distribute heavy machinery, Finnish law applicable, in Helsinki

    • Co-arbitrator in an ICC arbitration between a Belgian party and a U.S. party, arising out of an agreement for the production and distribution of a chemical product, Belgian law applicable, in Brussels

    • Co-arbitrator in an ICC arbitration between two Belgian parties, arising out of a series of agreements for the construction and operation of a plant for the production of certain chemical products, Belgian law applicable, in Brussels

    • Chair of the arbitral tribunal under the Swiss Rules between British and Swiss individuals, arising out of agreements for wealth management services, under Swiss law, in Geneva

    • Chair of the arbitral tribunal in a CEPANI arbitration between two Belgian parties, arising out of an agreement to provide lobbying services, Belgian law applicable, in Belgium

    • Sole Arbitrator in an LCIA arbitration between an Irish and Egyptian party, arising out of a loan agreement, under English law, in London

    • Sole Arbitrator in an arbitration before the Bogota Chamber of Commerce, between a Swiss party and a Colombian individual, involving a shareholder’s dispute, Colombian law applicable, in Bogota

    • Sole Arbitrator in a DIA arbitration between an English party and a Danish party, arising out of an agreement regarding the remuneration of the officers of a corporation, Danish law applicable, in Copenhagen

    • Co-arbitrator in an ICC arbitration between a Spanish party and an Indian party, arising out of the Spanish party’s exercise of call option under a joint venture agreement, Indian law applicable, in Paris

    • Co-arbitrator in an ICC arbitration between a South African party and an African State and State agency, arising out of a consultancy agreement to obtain compensation for the State further to a multinational’s guilty plea of bribery

    • Co-arbitrator in an LCIA arbitration between a U.S. party and a Spanish party, arising out of fraud insurance in connection with an asset management agreement, Spanish law applicable, in Madrid

    • Chair of the arbitral tribunal in an ICSID arbitration between a Mauritian investor and an African State, regarding investments in the mining sector (iron ore) (ARB 21/53)

    • Chair of an the arbitral tribunal in an UNCITRAL arbitration between a Swiss investor and an Eastern European State, regarding investments in renewables (PCA 2022-41)

    • Chair of the arbitral tribunal in an UNCITRAL arbitration between an Emirati party and a Moroccan party, arising out of coal supply agreements, English law applicable, in Paris

    • Chair of the arbitral tribunal in an UNCITRAL arbitration between two Brazilian parties arising out of a joint operating agreement for the exploration and production of hydrocarbons, Brazilian law applicable, in Paris

    • Chair of the arbitral tribunal in an ICC arbitration between a French party and an African State, arising out of an agreement for the development of an oilfield and construction of a pipeline, in Brussels

    • Chair of the arbitral tribunal in an ICC arbitration between two Romanian parties, arising out of framework and related agreements for onshore and offshore integrated services in the oil and gas sector, Romanian law applicable, in Paris

    • Chair of the arbitral tribunal in an ICC arbitration in the aerospace sector, English law applicable, in London

    • Sole arbitrator in an ICC arbitration between an Egyptian party and an agency of an African state, arising out of an agreement (FIDIC) for the construction of a highway, in Paris

    • Co-arbitrator in an SCC regarding the sale and delivery of gas under long-term supply contracts, Swedish law applicable, in Stockholm

    • Co-arbitrator in an ICC arbitration between a South African party and an African State and State agency, arising out of a consultancy agreement to obtain compensation further to a multinational’s guilty plea of bribery

    • Co-arbitrator in an ICC arbitration between a Spanish party and U.S. party, in the aerospace sector, Spanish law applicable, in Madrid

    • Member of the ad hoc committee in ICSID annulment proceedings (ARB/18/10)

    • Representing Belgian investors in an arbitration against an African State before ICSID, regarding investments in the mining sector (precious and semi-precious metals)  (ARB/01/2)

    • Representing a South American State in an arbitration an American investor before ICSID, regarding its investment in the hydrocarbons sector (oil blocks)   (ARB/08/5)

    • Representing Dutch and Costa Rican investors in an investment arbitration against a Central American State before ICSID, arising out of the investor’s plans to develop a resort (ARB/15/14)

    • Representing a Central European State in an investment arbitration in the real estate sector against Swiss investors before ICSID, arising out of the investor’s plans to build residential development (ARB/17/11)

    • Representing Colombian investors in an investment arbitration against a South American State before ICSID, arising out of a concession for the operation of a public bus system  (ARB/17/16)

    • Representing a State in the Caucasus region in an investment arbitration in the telecommunications sector against an Azerbaijani investor before ICSID (ARB/20/44)

    • Representing a Central European State in an investment arbitration against a German investor under the UNCITRAL Rules, arising out of the bankruptcy of the investor’s tourism business (PCA 2017-15)

    • Representing a South American State in an investment arbitration against a British investor under the UNCITRAL Rules, arising out of an investment in the mining sector (metals) (PCA 2013-15)