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. 

 

  • Experience as arbitrator includes:

    • Chair of the arbitral tribunal in an arbitration under the rules of the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL) between a Swiss investor and an Eastern European State, in the energy sector

    • Chair of the arbitral tribunal in an UNCITRAL arbitration between an Emirati party and an African party, in the energy sector, English law applicable, in Paris

    • Chair of the arbitral tribunal in an arbitration before the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID) between a Mauritian party and an African State, in the mining sector (ARB 21/53)

    • Chair of the arbitral tribunal in an arbitration before the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) between a French party and an African State, in the energy sector, in Brussels

    • Chair of the arbitral tribunal in an ICC arbitration between a Filipino party and a French party, in the engineering and construction sector, French law applicable, in Geneva

    • Chair of the arbitral tribunal in an ICC arbitration between a Spanish party and a U.S. party, in the food and beverage sector, California law applicable, in New York

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

    • Chair of the arbitral tribunal in an arbitration before the International Centre for Dispute Resolution (ICDR) between a Spanish party and a U.S. party, in the food and beverage sector, California law applicable, in New York

    • Chair of the arbitral tribunal in an arbitration before the Belgian Centre for Arbitration and Mediation (CEPANI), between a Belgian party and an English party, in the tourism sector, Belgian law applicable, in Brussels

    • Chair of the arbitral tribunal in a CEPANI arbitration, between two Belgian parties, in the chemicals sector, Belgian law applicable, in Brussels

    • Chair of the arbitral tribunal in an arbitration before the Danish Institute of Arbitration (DIA) between a Danish party and Austrian party, in the pharmaceutical sector, Danish law applicable, in Copenhagen

    • Chair of the arbitral tribunal in an arbitration under the Swiss Rules of International Arbitration between a Senegalese party and a French party, in the real estate sector, Swiss law applicable, in Geneva

    • Sole arbitrator in an ICC arbitration between an Egyptian party and an African state, regarding the construction of a highway, in Paris

    • Sole Arbitrator in an ICC arbitration between a German party and a Taiwanese party, in the industrial sector, German law applicable, in Düsseldorf

    • Sole Arbitrator in an ICC arbitration between a Belgian party and a Polish party, in the food and beverage sector, Belgian law applicable, in Brussels

    • Sole Arbitrator in an ICC arbitration between a Swiss party and a Lebanese party, arising out of a sales contract, English law applicable, in London

    • Sole arbitrator in an arbitration before the London Court of International Arbitration (LCIA), between an English party and an Egyptian party, in the financial sector, English law applicable, in London

    • Sole Arbitrator in an LCIA arbitration between an English party and an Indian party, in the renewable energy sector, English law applicable, in London

    • Sole Arbitrator in an LCIA arbitration between an Emirati party and a Thai party, in the life sciences sector, English law applicable, in London

    • Sole Arbitrator in an LCIA arbitration between an Israeli party and a Canadian party, in the life sciences sector, English law applicable, in London

    • Sole Arbitrator in a CEPANI arbitration between a Belgian party and a German party, in the maritime sector, Belgian law applicable, in Brussels

    • Sole Arbitrator in a CEPANI arbitration between two Belgian parties in the hotel sector, Belgian law applicable, in Brussels

    • Sole Arbitrator in a CEPANI arbitration, between an English party and a Belgian party, regarding a joint venture agreement, Belgian law applicable, in Brussels

    • Sole Arbitrator in an UNCITRAL arbitration, between a German party and a Dutch party, in the industrial/chemical sector, German law applicable, in Paris

    • Sole Arbitrator in an arbitration before the Singapore International Arbitration Centre (SIAC), between an Indian party and a Singaporean party, in the life sciences sector, Singapore law applicable, in Singapore

    • Sole Arbitrator in an arbitration before the German Arbitration Institute (DIS), between a German party and an Indian party, in the charitable sector, German law applicable, in Düsseldorf

    • Sole Arbitrator in an arbitration before the Arbitration Institute of the Finland Chamber of Commerce (FAI), between a Dutch party and a Finnish party, in the industrial sector, Finnish law applicable, in Helsinki

    • 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, regarding the remuneration of officers of a corporation, Danish law applicable, in Copenhagen

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

    • Co-arbitrator in an ICC arbitration between a Belgian party and a U.S. party, in the chemical sector, Belgian law applicable, in Brussels

    • Co-arbitrator in an ICC arbitration between a Spanish party and an Indian party, in the manufacturing sector, Indian law applicable, in Paris

    • Co-arbitrator in an arbitration before the Corte de Arbitraje de Madrid between Canadian, Spanish and U.S. parties, in the oil and gas sector, Spanish law applicable, in Madrid

    • 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, in the hotel sector, Swiss law applicable, in Paris

    • Representing Dutch and Costa Rican investors in an investment arbitration in the tourism sector against a Central American State before ICSID (ARB/15/14)

    • Representing Colombian investors in an investment arbitration in the transport sector against a South American State before ICSID (ARB/17/16)

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

    • Representing a Central European State in an investment arbitration in the real estate sector against Swiss investors before ICSID (ARB/17/11)

    • Representing a Central European State in an investment arbitration in the tourism sector against a German investor under the UNCITRAL Rules

    • Representing a South American State in an investment arbitration in the energy sector against an American investor before ICSID (ARB/08/5)

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

    • Experience as counsel in commercial arbitration includes numerous disputes under the major arbitral rules. Representative experience includes:

    • 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

    • 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 a license agreement

    • 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 a manufacturing agreement