Esteban Leccese is an experienced attorney admitted in civil-law and common-law jurisdictions, specialized in handling complex international litigation and arbitration, including commercial and investment claims under the rules of major international arbitration institutions such as the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID) and the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC), and ad hoc arbitrations under the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL) Arbitration Rules.

Esteban’s relevant matters include high-profile cases involving a broad range of industries, such as the energy, oil and gas, mining, airlines, construction and infrastructure under different applicable laws. He also advises clients on strategic issues regarding dispute resolution clauses, protections provided for in bilateral investment treaties, and applicable procedures.

Prior to joining Ajamie LLP, Esteban practiced law with two leading Argentine law firms in Buenos Aires and an international law firm in Houston and London. Esteban is a Spanish native speaker, and is fluent in English and Italian. He also has a working knowledge of French.

Representative Matters

• Representing a US company in its ICSID and UNCITRAL investment claims against Ecuador for the violation of the US-Ecuador BIT involving an oil production-sharing contract.
• Representing three Spanish companies in their ICSID investment claims against Argentina under the Spain-Argentina BIT, concerning the nationalization of two major airlines.
• Advising a major US energy company in its ICSID claim against Ecuador under the US-Ecuador BIT, concerning the expropriation of two oil blocks.
• Advising a US company in its claim against Argentina before ICSID, involving its investment in the natural gas distribution industry and the abrogation of dollar tariffs and inflationary adjustments.
• Representing a US company in its ICSID claim against Ecuador and its state-owned oil and gas company regarding the breach of an oil and gas contract under Ecuadorian law.
• Advising oil and gas companies in the restructuring of investment projects and mandatory renegotiation of oil and gas contracts in Bolivia.
• Advising oil and gas companies in their ICSID and UNCITRAL BIT-based claims against Ecuador.
• Advising major US oil and gas companies in the structuring of their international investments, maximizing the BITs protective provisions.
• Representing a major international Canadian-based bank and its subsidiaries in mediation, conciliation and litigation proceedings in Argentina.
• Representing major international mining companies in their arbitration and judicial proceedings in Argentina, including cases finished with a Supreme Court decision.
• Advising a Canadian mining company on Argentine law issues in a multi-billion dollar case.

Academic Experience

• Assistant Professor of Contract Law at the National University of Tucumn Law School, Tucumn, Argentina
• Assistant Professor of Civil and Commercial Contracts at Austral University Law School, Buenos Aires, Argentina

Memberships & Community

• American Bar Association
• State Bar of Texas
• Houston Bar Association
• CARAT (Argentine Committee for National and Transnational Arbitration) (BuenosAires, Argentina)

Foreign Languages

• Spanish
• Italian
• French