NAFTA Arbitration Chief Andrea Menaker Joins White & Case
Washington, DC,
April 1, 2008 ... Global law firm White & Case LLP announced that Andrea Menaker, outgoing chief of the NAFTA Arbitration Division for the US State Department, is joining the Firm's International Arbitration Group as a partner in its Washington, DC, office.
Menaker spent almost a decade in the Office of the Legal Adviser at the US Department of State. She rose to the position of chief of the NAFTA Arbitration Division, which represents the United States in investor-State arbitrations under the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). She participated in the successful defense of every case against the United States resolved to date under the NAFTA investment chapter. She also was involved in the negotiation of investment and dispute resolution provisions in free trade agreements and bilateral investment treaties, including the Dominican Republic–Central America–United States Free Trade Agreement (DR-CAFTA).
"Andrea will be an immense asset to our practice, both globally and within the DC office," said Carolyn Lamm, White & Case partner and co-head of the Firm's Washington, DC, arbitration group.
Menaker has been an adjunct professor at the Georgetown University Law Center for several years and also served as a law clerk for the US District Court for the Southern District of New York. Menaker is a frequent speaker and author on international arbitration developments and issues. She is proficient in Mandarin Chinese.
"White & Case is an unparalleled platform for international arbitration, with more than 50 arbitration lawyers in Washington and a global footprint that includes deep arbitration experience in Latin America, Asia and beyond," commented Menaker.
The addition of Menaker follows the recent election of three new arbitration partners and one counsel in the Firm's London, New York, Paris and Washington, DC, offices earlier this year, and the recent addition of a high-profile lateral partner in London.
"Andrea's skill and experience will add immediately to our team's capabilities as we continue to grow to meet our clients' needs," adds Abby Cohen Smutny, White & Case partner and co-head of the Firm's Washington, DC, arbitration group.
White & Case has substantial experience in international arbitration under NAFTA Chapter 11, including some of the earliest and important precedent-establishing cases. Among other examples, the Firm represented Mondev in its arbitration against the United States, advised Metalclad on its claims against Mexico and advised Canada on several NAFTA investment disputes. White & Case partners have served as arbitrators on two NAFTA cases,
ADF Group Inc. v. United States of America and
EthylCorp. v. Canada. The group is currently advising on investment disputes under both NAFTA and CAFTA.
Founded two decades ago, White & Case's International Arbitration Group comprises more than 170 practitioners and has arbitration centers in Hong Kong, London, New York, Paris, Stockholm and Washington, DC, with significant practices in Brussels, Mexico City, Miami, Moscow, Prague, Tokyo and elsewhere. The group was named "International Arbitration Team of the Year" at the
Chambers USA Awards 2007 and has been ranked at the top of its field by
Chambers USA,
Chambers Global,
Global Arbitration Review,
Legal 500,
American Lawyer, the
International Who's Who of Commercial Arbitration and
Benchmark: The Definitive Guide to America's Leading Lawyers.
About White & CaseWhite & Case LLP is a leading global law firm with more than 2,300 lawyers in 37 offices in 25 countries. Our clients value the breadth and depth of our US, English and local law capabilities and rely on us for their complex cross-border commercial and financial transactions and for international arbitration and litigation. Whether in established or emerging markets, the hallmark of White & Case is our complete dedication to the business priorities and legal needs of our clients.
Contact:
Reilly Starr
Media Relations Manager
White & Case LLP
1 212 819 8315