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Jessica Beess und Chrostin is a Partner in King & Spalding’s Trial and Global Disputes Group.  Jessica’s practice focuses on complex international dispute resolution, with particular experience in high-stakes commercial, investor-state, construction, and global award enforcement disputes.  Jessica regularly represents clients in international disputes in the infrastructure, oil and gas, mining, construction, and renewable energy sectors, and has significant experience in consumer goods, real estate, and telecommunications disputes.

Jessica represents clients in arbitrations before all major arbitral forums, including the AAA, ICC, ICDR, ICSID, JAMS, and SCC as well as ad hoc arbitrations, such as under the UNCITRAL Rules. She is experienced in all phases of international arbitration and award enforcement, and handles disputes from inception to collection. She regularly represents clients global award recognition and enforcement efforts as coordinating counsel and in litigations before U.S. courts under the New York Convention and the Federal Arbitration Act.

Jessica was formerly an Adjunct Professor of Law at Vanderbilt Law School, where she taught investment arbitration. She is a frequent writer and speaker on topics relating to international arbitration and has been recognized by IFLR Americas as a Rising Star in Commercial Arbitration and by CPR as a Rising Star in Alternative Dispute Resolution.

Jessica received her J.D. cum laude from Harvard Law School and her B.A. cum laude from Columbia University. She has conducted legal studies at Cambridge University. 

Publications

  • "Due Diligence in International Law," in International Arbitration: The Asian Perspective (forthcoming) (co-authored with Aloysius Llamzon)
  • "The Illegality Objection in Investor-State Arbitration," Arbitration International, Volume 37, Issue 1, March 2021 (co-authored with Caline Mouawad)
  • "Analyzing Illegality Defense Trend In Investor-State Arbitration," Law 360, 16 February 2021
  • "On Bear Creek v. Peru" in Quantum Quarterly: The Damages Newsletter Iss. X (Q2 2018)
  • “Arbitration Hearings in New York,” in International Commercial Arbitration in New York, eds. James H. Carter, John Fellas, Oxford University Press (2nd ed. 2016) (co-author with Edward G. Kehoe)
  • "On Hrvatska Elektroprivreda D.D. v. Republic of Slovenia" in Quantum Quarterly: The Damages Newsletter Iss. VIII (Q1 2016)
  • “Interim Measures in Response to the Criminal Prosecution of Corporations and their Employees by Host States in Parallel with Investment Arbitration Proceedings,” Maryland J. Int’l. L., Vol. 30 (Spring 2015) (co-author with H. Burnett)
  • “Avoiding Improper Proceedings Abroad: Anti-suit and Anti-arbitration Injunctions,” in Practising Law Institute: International Arbitration 2014, PIL (June 2014) (co-authored with H. Burnett)
  • “Energy Trading Disputes: Gas Price Reopeners,” in Energy Law Exchange: Energy Law and Policy Insights from a Global Perspective (Dec. 1, 2013)
  • “Sovereign Debt Restructuring and Mass Claims Arbitration before ICSID, the Abaclat Case,” in Harv. Int’l L.J., Vol. 53, No. 2 (Summer 2012)
  • “Collective Redress and Class Action Arbitration in Europe: Where We Are and How to Move Forward,” in Int’l Arb. L. Rev., Issue 4 (Sept. 2011)
Full Bio

Credentials

J.D., Harvard Law School, cum laude

Legal Studies, University of Cambridge, UK

B.A., Columbia University, cum laude, with honors

New York

City Bar of New York, International Law Committee

English

French

German

Spanish

Rising ADR Stars 2023


International Institute for Conflict Prevention & Resolution

Rising Star Awards Americas, Commercial Arbitration


IFLR, 2020 and 2021

Smit-Lowenfeld Prize for the Best Article in the Field of International Arbitration Published in 2021


The International Arbitration Club of New York; https://www.arbitrationclub.org/smit-lowenfeld-prize

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Recognition

Rising ADR Stars 2023


International Institute for Conflict Prevention & Resolution

Rising Star Awards Americas, Commercial Arbitration


IFLR, 2020 and 2021

Smit-Lowenfeld Prize for the Best Article in the Field of International Arbitration Published in 2021


The International Arbitration Club of New York; https://www.arbitrationclub.org/smit-lowenfeld-prize

Matters

Representing sovereign award creditor in global enforcement proceedings against another sovereign relating to a multibillion-dollar ICC award

Representing numerous investors in disputes against Spain and Italy under the Energy Charter Treaty regarding changes to the regulatory regime applicable to certain renewable energy producers in the wind and solar sectors (renewable energy)

Represented Dutch investor in UNCITRAL arbitration against the Government of Vietnam under the Netherlands-Vietnam Bilateral Investment Treaty (real estate and human rights; obtained favorable award, including largest moral damages award in favor of an individual in investment arbitration)

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Matters

Representing sovereign award creditor in global enforcement proceedings against another sovereign relating to a multibillion-dollar ICC award

Representing numerous investors in disputes against Spain and Italy under the Energy Charter Treaty regarding changes to the regulatory regime applicable to certain renewable energy producers in the wind and solar sectors (renewable energy)

Represented Dutch investor in UNCITRAL arbitration against the Government of Vietnam under the Netherlands-Vietnam Bilateral Investment Treaty (real estate and human rights; obtained favorable award, including largest moral damages award in favor of an individual in investment arbitration)

Represented Bear Creek Mining Corporation in an ICSID Arbitration against the Republic of Peru under the Canada-Peru Free Trade Agreement (mining sector; obtained favorable award of damages)

Representing Chevron Corporation (U.S.A.) and Texaco Petroleum Company (U.S.A.) in an UNCITRAL arbitration under the U.S.-Ecuador Bilateral Investment Treaty (concerning scope of environmental release agreements and due process violations by a court of Ecuador that had issued a multi-billion dollar judgment against Chevron; obtained favorable award declaring, inter alia, that the Ecuadorian judgment was the product of fraud)

Represented KBR, Inc. in a NAFTA arbitration against the United Mexican States (concerning Mexican court’s annulment of a commercial arbitral award and related US enforcement proceedings)

Represented Reficar in an ICC arbitration against Chicago Bridge & Iron (construction sector; obtained favorable multibillion-dollar award)

Represented Sergei Viktorovich Pugachev in an UNCITRAL arbitration against the Russian Federation (construction and real estate sectors)

Represented international producer of household goods in an UNCITRAL arbitration against Latin American country under bilateral investment treaty (consumer goods; obtained favorable award)

Represented major telecommunications company in ad hoc arbitration against another telecommunications company regarding fraudulently originated telephone traffic and resulting disputed charges under global hubbing agreement (telecommunications sector; obtained favorable award)

Represented Indian pharmaceuticals manufacturer in contract dispute against U.S. pharmaceutical company (pharmaceuticals sector; successfully settled claims)

Matters

Representing sovereign award creditor in global enforcement proceedings against another sovereign relating to a multibillion-dollar ICC award

Representing numerous investors in disputes against Spain and Italy under the Energy Charter Treaty regarding changes to the regulatory regime applicable to certain renewable energy producers in the wind and solar sectors (renewable energy)

Represented Dutch investor in UNCITRAL arbitration against the Government of Vietnam under the Netherlands-Vietnam Bilateral Investment Treaty (real estate and human rights; obtained favorable award, including largest moral damages award in favor of an individual in investment arbitration)

See more

Close

Matters

Representing sovereign award creditor in global enforcement proceedings against another sovereign relating to a multibillion-dollar ICC award

Representing numerous investors in disputes against Spain and Italy under the Energy Charter Treaty regarding changes to the regulatory regime applicable to certain renewable energy producers in the wind and solar sectors (renewable energy)

Represented Dutch investor in UNCITRAL arbitration against the Government of Vietnam under the Netherlands-Vietnam Bilateral Investment Treaty (real estate and human rights; obtained favorable award, including largest moral damages award in favor of an individual in investment arbitration)

Represented Bear Creek Mining Corporation in an ICSID Arbitration against the Republic of Peru under the Canada-Peru Free Trade Agreement (mining sector; obtained favorable award of damages)

Representing Chevron Corporation (U.S.A.) and Texaco Petroleum Company (U.S.A.) in an UNCITRAL arbitration under the U.S.-Ecuador Bilateral Investment Treaty (concerning scope of environmental release agreements and due process violations by a court of Ecuador that had issued a multi-billion dollar judgment against Chevron; obtained favorable award declaring, inter alia, that the Ecuadorian judgment was the product of fraud)

Represented KBR, Inc. in a NAFTA arbitration against the United Mexican States (concerning Mexican court’s annulment of a commercial arbitral award and related US enforcement proceedings)

Represented Reficar in an ICC arbitration against Chicago Bridge & Iron (construction sector; obtained favorable multibillion-dollar award)

Represented Sergei Viktorovich Pugachev in an UNCITRAL arbitration against the Russian Federation (construction and real estate sectors)

Represented international producer of household goods in an UNCITRAL arbitration against Latin American country under bilateral investment treaty (consumer goods; obtained favorable award)

Represented major telecommunications company in ad hoc arbitration against another telecommunications company regarding fraudulently originated telephone traffic and resulting disputed charges under global hubbing agreement (telecommunications sector; obtained favorable award)

Represented Indian pharmaceuticals manufacturer in contract dispute against U.S. pharmaceutical company (pharmaceuticals sector; successfully settled claims)

Credentials

J.D., Harvard Law School, cum laude

Legal Studies, University of Cambridge, UK

B.A., Columbia University, cum laude, with honors

New York

City Bar of New York, International Law Committee

English

French

German

Spanish

Rising ADR Stars 2023


International Institute for Conflict Prevention & Resolution

Rising Star Awards Americas, Commercial Arbitration


IFLR, 2020 and 2021

Smit-Lowenfeld Prize for the Best Article in the Field of International Arbitration Published in 2021


The International Arbitration Club of New York; https://www.arbitrationclub.org/smit-lowenfeld-prize

Close

Recognition

Rising ADR Stars 2023


International Institute for Conflict Prevention & Resolution

Rising Star Awards Americas, Commercial Arbitration


IFLR, 2020 and 2021

Smit-Lowenfeld Prize for the Best Article in the Field of International Arbitration Published in 2021


The International Arbitration Club of New York; https://www.arbitrationclub.org/smit-lowenfeld-prize