Foley Hoag Adds Noted International Investment and Trade Lawyer Mélida Hodgson to Washington, D.C. Office
Washington, D.C. - July 30, 2008
Former USTR attorney brings extensive dispute resolution experience advising clients on investment treaties and trade agreements, M & A national security review, and government procurement policy issues; Ms. Hodgson represents clients before world arbitration bodies such as ICSID and WTO
Foley Hoag LLP announced that international investment and trade lawyer and arbitrator Mélida N. Hodgson has joined the Washington, D.C. office as counsel, adding to the firm’s international arbitration and alternative dispute resolution practice. Ms. Hodgson was formerly counsel in the Washington, D.C office of Miller & Chevalier Chartered.
A former banker and Justice Department litigator who is fluent in Spanish, Ms. Hodgson brings more than a decade of experience in international investment arbitration and trade policy disputes. From 1998 to 2005, she served as associate general counsel in the Office of the United States Trade Representative.
Ms. Hodgson advises clients engaged in arbitration before World Trade Organization and represents entities before the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States. She formerly was lead counsel representing the United States in various WTO disputes, including United States – Rules of Origin (India), as well as for arbitrations between Canada and the United States under the Softwood Lumber Agreement. She also participated in the defense of the United States in NAFTA Chapter 11 investor/State disputes, and currently serves as an arbitrator on a NAFTA Chapter 19 Panel. Ms. Hodgson regularly counsels private and governmental clients regarding commitments in U.S. investment and trade agreements, particularly investment protection and procurement provisions. She is one of the architects of current investment protection and procurement provisions in the new generation of free trade agreements, as well as the current model U.S. bilateral investment treaty.
Ms. Hodgson adds further depth to Foley Hoag’s international investment arbitration practice, which represents foreign government and corporate clients before the World Bank’s International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes and other international tribunals. With over 140 member States, ICSID is the leading world forum devoted to investor-state dispute settlement.
“We’re delighted to welcome Mélida to the firm,” said Ronald Goodman, a partner in Foley Hoag’s D.C.-based international arbitration and ADR practice. “She has a diverse background in both the public and private sector, litigating disputes related to investment protection and trade, and advising on international trade and investment compliance. Mélida has considerable experience handling international suits between private and sovereign entities, as well as other conflicts governed by bilateral or multilateral treaties.”
Mr. Goodman noted that Ms. Hodgson’s skill set makes her uniquely qualified to undertake dispute resolution work involving Latin American clients and governments. “Given the large amount of investor-state contracts in Latin America and the increasing potential for disputes, international investment arbitration is a growing practice at the firm,” he said. “Claims in the multi-millions by investors in international project financing matters are frequent, and investment agreement disputes can often result from a change of political regime, change in the country’s tax scheme, or economic change that arises from market forces, such as rising fuel prices.”
Mr. Goodman continued: “Trade disputes between countries are also common in international arbitration proceedings; Mélida’s background as one of a handful of attorneys who have appeared as lead counsel in disputes before the WTO and as a NAFTA arbitrator make her a wonderful addition to our practice group. We expect Mélida to play a key role in developing many aspects of our international practice.”
Ms. Hodgson commented that she was drawn to Foley Hoag’s leading international arbitration and ADR practice. “The firm does cutting-edge international dispute resolution, and I was particularly attracted to its frequent work with Latin American countries in ICSID arbitrations under various bilateral investment treaties,” she said. “I’m looking forward to contributing on this front, as well as developing an international investment and trade policy practice and providing CFIUS counseling for the firm’s clients.”
Ms. Hodgson regularly speaks at conferences on international investment protection and trade law. In April 2008, she served as Co-Chair and Moderator of the American Bar Association Section of International Law's Spring Meeting program on Latin American States’ rejection of ICSID, and chaired a panel on WTO dispute settlement in New York. She also is frequent contributor to the Inter-American Dialogue’s Latin American Advisor, and other publications, on issues such as investment disputes in Latin America, and national security review of foreign investment in the United States. She was quoted in “Inside Trade” on February 15, 2008 regarding a possible bilateral investment treaty between Brazil and the United States. She also appeared on Bloomberg TV’s Evening Edition on December 17, 2007 to discuss the Antigua v. United States gambling dispute in the WTO.
Ms. Hodgson received her J.D. in 1992 from New York University School of Law, and her B.A., from Vassar College in 1985.
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Banking, Investment Advisers & Hedge Funds, Alternative Dispute Resolution, Business Crimes & Government Investigations, Business, Corporate Finance and Securities, Government Strategies, Immigration, International, Litigation, Mergers and Acquisitions, Private Equity and SBIC, Securities and Corporate Disputes, Trade Regulation