Law firm experience
Ruth worked for over seven years (2008-2015) in a top ranked international arbitration practice, where she represented claimants in ICSID, ICC and UNCITRAL arbitrations, both in English and in Spanish, in which damages sought and obtained exceeded 10 billion USD. She also advised sovereigns and private clients regarding rights under treaties and customary international law. Ruth worked on matters primarily involving energy and mining in a cross-border context. The disputes arose out of foreign investment laws, bilateral investment treaties, production sharing contracts, service contracts, concession agreements and power purchase agreements.
Arbitrator Experience
Ruth is currently sitting as an arbitrator in two commercial arbitrations under the LCIA Rules.
International Tribunal Experience
Investor-State Dispute Settlement at ICSID
Ruth served as an Assistant Counsel at the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes of the World Bank Group (ICSID)(1999-2001), where she was involved in administering disputes brought under the ICSID Convention and the ICSID Additional Facility Rules involving alleged breaches of bilateral investment treaties, NAFTA, foreign investment laws and contracts.
State-to-State Dispute Settlement at the ICJ
Ruth was an Associate Legal Officer at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague (2006-2008). Ruth clerked for ICJ judges and supported the ICJ Registry in the administration of disputes brought by States before the ICJ. She prepared legal research and drafting support to judges for ICJ disputes concerning issues of jurisdiction, treaty interpretation and rights under customary international law for disputes involving maritime boundaries and sovereignty over islands. She conducted a research project on fact-finding evidence and burden of proof for contentious cases involving genocide and crimes against humanity. Ruth also assisted the ICJ Appointing Authority for investment treaty arbitration disputes.
Private Equity and Litigation Finance Experience
Ruth spent over five years (2015-2021) as Head of Underwriting and Director of a private equity fund which financed companies with international litigation and arbitration claims. She underwrote risk for cross-border claims involving significant investments, sovereign credit risk and complex legal issues under international law. The claims concerned rights under mining concessions, telecommunications licenses, geothermal licenses, construction contracts, renewable energy projects, textile projects and real estate developments. Ruth also served as an adviser to the board of a public mining company concerning arbitration and litigation strategy and non-monetary settlement avenues.
Scholarship and Academic Roles
Ruth’s academic work addresses a broad range of issues in the field of international law and is cited by international tribunals and scholars. Her publications concern: evidentiary challenges in international disputes, most favored nation treatment, taxation, transparency, ethics, damages, enforcement, litigation finance, sanctions, and sovereign debt.
Ruth served as a Reporter for the ICCA-ASIL Task Force on Issue Conflict in International Arbitration. As Deputy General Editor of Arbitration International, Ruth reviews articles covering a broad range of topics in international arbitration.
Ruth spent three years as Managing Editor of International Legal Materials (ILM) at the American Society of International Law (ASIL) (2003-2006). She conducted research on developments in international law, including disputes under the law of the sea, international human rights claims before international and domestic courts, international criminal law claims, international trade, and investment law claims. She published analytical summaries on international legal disputes as Managing Editor of International Law in Brief.
Foreign Languages
Spanish: Fluent speaker, reader and writer in Spanish; United Nations Certification in Spanish (2007), B.A. in Spanish, University of Virginia (1996), adjunct professor of Spanish language at George Washington University (2004-2005).
French: Fluent speaker, reader and writer in French; B.A. in French Literature from University of Virginia with Distinction, thesis in French (1996), resident of La Maison Française of University of Virginia (1993-1995); adjunct professor of French language at George Washington University (2004-2005), International Court of Justice (ICJ) competitive examination in French as part of Associate Legal Office application process (2006), worked in French at ICJ as Associate Legal Officer (2006-2008).
Portuguese: Fluent speaker, reader and writer in Portuguese, college coursework in advanced grammar and literature (University of Virginia, 1994-1996); continued language study in Portuguese from 1996-1999. Served as assistant to Vice-Consul at U.S. Consulate in Pernambuco, Recife (June-August 1998) (U.S. State Department internship program).