Isabella Bellera Landa

Associate, Washington, DC

Biography

Overview

Isabella is an associate in the Firm's International Arbitration Practice and Commercial Litigation groups. She represents and advises multinational companies, foreign sovereigns, and state entities in the resolution of complex international disputes. She has represented clients in arbitrations before major arbitral forums, including the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID), the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC), as well as in litigation in US federal district and appellate courts. In coordination with local counsel, Isabella also has advised clients regarding litigation and regulatory investigations across Latin America.

Isabella has experience in disputes in a wide range of industries, including energy, construction, infrastructure, textile manufacturing, sovereign debt, and technology. A native of Venezuela, Isabella is multilingual in English, Spanish, Italian, and French. Her dual training and experience in civil and common law jurisdictions allow her to understand the differences between various legal systems and structure advice accordingly. She is also actively involved in pro bono matters at the Firm.

Isabella is a fellow on advocacy in international arbitration at Duke University School of Law (Spring 2020 and 2021), and has guest lectured on arbitration at the Westminster International University in Tashkent.

During law school at Duke University, Isabella assisted the UN Special Rapporteur on Human Trafficking in drafting the Basic Principles on the Right to an Effective Remedy for Trafficked Persons.

Bars and Courts
District of Columbia Bar
New York State Bar
Venezuela
Education
JD
Duke University School of Law
Duke-Geneva Institute in Transnational Law
Abogado, Universidad de Carabobo
Languages
English
French
Italian
Spanish

Experience

Bursel Tekstil and others v. Republic of Uzbekistan
Representing the Republic of Uzbekistan in an ICSID arbitration of a dispute arising under the Turkey-Uzbekistan bilateral investment treaty relating to an investment in the textile industry

Grupo Unidos por el Canal, S.A. major construction dispute (ICC)
Representing Grupo Unidos Por el Canal S.A. (GUPC) and its European partners in multiple ICC arbitrations with the Panama Canal Authority (ACP) regarding the Panama Canal expansion project.

Road Fund under the Ministry of Finance of the Republic of Uzbekistan
Representing the Road Fund in an ICC arbitration involving a road construction project.

Spentex Netherlands, B.V. v. Republic of Uzbekistan
Representing the Republic of Uzbekistan in an ICSID arbitration of a dispute arising under the Netherlands-Uzbekistan Bilateral Investment Treaty relating to an investment in the textile industry in which the claims of the investor were dismissed in their entirety.

Abaclat and others v. Argentine Republic
Representing tens of thousands of Italian holders of Argentine sovereign bonds in an ICSID arbitration under the Italy-Argentina Bilateral Investment Treaty. The bondholders received a substantial settlement in resolution of all of their claims.

Speaking Engagements

Investor-State Relations: An Arbitration Case Study at Duke University School of Law (February 2021)

Advocacy Skills in International Investment Arbitration at Westminster International University of Tashkent (December 2020)

Discussion on FET and State’s Regulatory Discretion, a side event to the 2020 FDI International Arbitration Moot Competition organized by the Center of International Legal Studies (November 2020)

New trends and challenges in investment arbitration, organized by the Venezuelan Association of Arbitration (June 2020)

Publications

Protecting Energy Investments in Latin America in Routledge Handbook of Energy Law (T. Hunter, I. Herrera, P. Crossley & G. Alvarez eds. 2020) (with Silvia Marchili).

Are the Right Rights Protected? The Literalist Approach to Determining Protected Rights in International Investment Agreements in INVESTMENT TREATY ARBITRATION AND INTERNATIONAL LAW 3 Vol 9 (2016) (with Matthew N. Drossos and Suyash Paliwal).

Awards and Recognition

Duke Law Clinics International Advocacy Award, 2014