38th Annual ITA Workshop and Annual Meeting

JAMS is a proud sponsor of the 38th Annual ITA Workshop and Annual Meeting, taking place on June 10-12, 2026, in Houston. 

On June 10, JAMS will host the ITA Americas Initiative lunch panel featuring JAMS neutral Laura C. Abrahamson, Esq., C.Arb, FCollArb, as moderator of "International Arbitration in Latin America: Practical Realities for Global Counsel."  The session will bring together leading practitioners from across the region to discuss the latest developments shaping arbitration in Latin America. 

Latin America remains a dynamic and increasingly consequential arena for international dispute resolution. Amid modest economic growth, political shifts, and heightened geopolitical pressures, arbitration has solidified its role as a critical tool for managing cross-border risk and preserving legal certainty across the region. This panel brings together leading practitioners from key jurisdictions to deliver a comparative, practice-focused update on arbitration in Latin America, examining recent legislative and institutional developments, notable cases, and the practical realities of enforcement and judicial interaction. The discussion will situate these regional developments within broader global trends shaping disputes in 2026—including geopolitical tensions, the energy transition, and increased state involvement in strategic sectors such as mining and infrastructure. As these forces drive a growing pipeline of both commercial and investor-state disputes—often blurring traditional boundaries—the session will offer practical insights for counsel and users alike, from assessing risk and structuring dispute resolution clauses to navigating regulatory complexity across an increasingly nuanced and evolving landscape.

Separate registration is required. Limited spaces available, please register HERE.

Moderator:

• Laura C. Abrahamson, Esq., C.Arb, FCollArb,, Arbitrator & Mediator, JAMS – Los Angeles

Speakers:

• Claudia Benavides, Founding Partner, Benavides Mejía – Bogotá
• Jonathan Hamilton, Partner & Co-Chair of International Arbitration, Paul Hastings – Washington, D.C.
• Javier Robalino Orellana, Managing Partner, Robalino – Quito
• Jessika Rocha, Partner, Von Wobeser – Mexico City

Agenda:
11:30 a.m. – Registration
12:00 p.m. – Lunch and Welcome
12:30 p.m. – Panel Discussion and Lunch (60 minutes)
1:30 p.m. – Question & Answer
1:45 p.m. – Event Conclusion

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ITA Workshop and Annual Meeting

Featured Panel:
Consent: Cornerstone of Arbitration, or a Legal Fiction
Wednesday, June 10, 2026 | 3:40 – 4:40 pm
This panel sets the stage by providing a broad overview of consent-related controversies that arise in commercial and investor-state arbitration, from the pre-arbitration phase through enforcement. Panelists will consider whether consent is truly the foundation of arbitration where arbitration agreements are unclear, when non-signatories are joined, when arbitral institutions have powers that override party objections, when non-parties can make submissions, and when awards may be enforced against assets of non-parties.

Moderators:

• Enrique Jaramillo, FBFK Law, Houston, TX, USA
• Mevelyn Ong, Sidley Austin LLP, Hong Kong, China

Panelists:

• Hiro N. Aragaki Esq., Ph.D, C.Arb, JAMS/UC College of Law, San Francisco, CA, USA
• Yurima Grace, Ecopetrol US Trading LLC, Houston, TX, USA
• Dawn Yamane Hewett, Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan, LLP, Washington, D.C., USA
• Minwoo Kim, Covington & Burling LLP, Washington, D.C., USA