Ricardo Ugarte

Practice Areas

Ricardo Ugarte has nearly 30 years of litigation and international arbitration experience. His practice is focused on high-stakes international commercial arbitration as well as investment treaty arbitration for clients in a wide variety of industries, including oil and gas, renewable energy, mining/metals, telecommunications, pharmaceutical, and transportation. Ricardo is a fluent Spanish speaker and conversant in French and Italian.

Ricardo has a global disputes practice, having spent a significant portion of his career working in Winston’s European offices in Geneva and London. Ricardo is currently based in the firm’s Chicago office. During the course of his practice, Ricardo has represented clients in disputes filed in the United States, Asia, Latin America, the Middle East, and numerous jurisdictions in Europe (including England, France, The Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland). Clients recognize Ricardo as a “superb” “standout partner” that “leads the firm’s [International Arbitration] group in a very astute way.” “His ability to handle a wide array of arbitration matters is what sets him apart.”

He has tried high-profile arbitrations, some with stakes well in excess of US$1 billion, and has appeared as counsel in UNCITRAL, ICC, ICSID, AAA-ICDR, and SCC arbitrations. He has represented clients in several areas of law, such as contract and commercial law, fraud, product liability, insurance coverage, and issues of criminal law that arise in civil disputes, as well as international law.

Career

Former chair of Winston’s International Arbitration Practice, Ricardo applies his multilingual capabilities to advise clients in international arbitrations and lawsuits filed across the world, including in the U.S., Asia, Latin America, the Middle East, and Europe.

Professional Memberships

Ricardo was elected to serve on the ICC’s Task Force on Investor-State Arbitrations.

Publications

Authored Winston & Strawn’s Pocket Guide to International Arbitration, updated 2020

Co-authored “EU Treaty Proposal Constricts Rights of Energy Investors,” Law360, May 18, 2020

Co-authored “Recent US Federal Court Ruling Permits Discovery in Aid of CIETAC Proceeding,” The Recorder, April 21, 2020

Co-authored “Arbitration Proceedings In The Age Of Virtual Hearing Rooms,” Law360, April 9, 2020

Co-authored the Switzerland chapter in Global Arbitration Review Investment Treaty Arbitration Know-How, October 2013, 2014, and 2015

Co-authored “Pharmaceuticals: A New Frontier in Investment Treaty Arbitration,” Global Arbitration Review, September 6, 2013

Co-author of “Ensuring Party Equality in the Process of Designating Arbitrators in Multi-Party Arbitration,” Journal of International Arbitration, Vol. 27.1, February 2010

Personal

Ricardo is regularly recognized in the field of international arbitration by various publications. Most recently, he is ranked in Chambers USA and Chambers Global for International Arbitration and recognized in the Lawdragon Global Litigation 500 and The Legal 500 U.S. He has been recognized in The Best Lawyers in America© for International Arbitration since 2012 and was honored as “Lawyer of the Year in International Arbitration” by Best Lawyers® in 2019 and 2022. He was also recently recognized in The Legal 500 Latin America 2022 – International Firms for his International Arbitration work. Ricardo was ranked by Who’s Who Legal for Arbitration in 2022 and 2023 and was included on the National Law Journal’s ADR Champions 2017 list. The Legal 500 praised him in its 2020 edition as “extremely hard working and always effective.” Ricardo was listed under “Most Influential Minority Lawyers in Chicago” by Crain’s Custom Media in 2017.

In addition, he served as lead counsel in an international arbitration that was recognized as one of the “Biggest Defense Wins, 2011–2013” by The American Lawyer.