Biography
Katherine Hope Gurun, Esq. joined JAMS in September of 2006 as a mediator and arbitrator. Ms. Gurun was formerly Senior Vice President and General Counsel of Bechtel Corporation, one of the world’s premier engineering and construction companies. Her experience spans both private industry and public service in engineering and construction, business, energy, project finance, joint venture disputes, risk management, and nuclear disarmament. In addition to her extensive transactional background and business acumen, Ms. Gurun has led or managed the resolution of over $5 billion of disputed matters both in the United States and internationally. She has represented both owners and contractors and has an established track record of settling disputes through ADR, particularly mediation and arbitration.
Representative Matters
- Contract disputes relating to fossil fired and nuclear power plants and related financing, equipment supply, power purchase and fuel supply agreements in the United States, Mexico, Columbia, the Philippines, the People’s Republic of China, Korea, Turkey, Hungary, Czechoslovakia, and Australia
- Contract disputes relating to oil, gas, and chemical facilities in the United States, Canada, Mexico, Brazil, Russia, Kazakhstan, the Netherlands, Norway, Saudi Arabia, The United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, India, Thailand, the People’s Republic of China, Australia, Algeria and elsewhere in Africa
- Contract disputes relating to mining and metals facilities in the United States, Canada, Peru, Chile, Bahrain, Oman, the United Kingdom, and Australia
- Contracts disputes relating to the telecoms industry in the U.S., the United Kingdom, Germany, and Saudi Arabia
- Contract disputes relating to civil infrastructure projects, including airports, bridges, railways, and motorways, in the United States, the United Kingdom, Turkey, and the People’s Republic of China
- Contract disputes relating to insurance coverage issues in the United States and internationally
- Contract disputes relating to Public-Private partnerships
- Completed Virtual ADR training conducted by the JAMS Institute, the training arm of JAMS
- Recipient, Key Women in Energy Global Awards, 2002
- Fellow, American College of Construction Lawyers
- Fellow, American Society of International Law
- Director, Transparency International (USA)
- Director, Cypress Fund for Peace and Security
- Member, Dean’s Advisory Council, University of Oregon School of Law
- Member, State Bar of California
- Member, American Bar Association and International Bar Association
- Speaker internationally on a number of topics including:
- Co-chair, International Construction Superconference, 2005-2007
- Co-chair, “Building the Future: Transforming Global Engineering and Construction”, a Symposium sponsored by the American College of Construction Lawyers and Princeton University, 2006
- Moderator, “International Alternative Dispute Resolution—The Role of Dispute Resolution Boards, Project Neutrals, Adjudication and Mediation”, International Construction Superconference, 2007
- Panelist, “International Arbitration—Avoid it like the Plague”, International Construction Superconference, 2007
- Panelist, International Bar Association Plenary Panel “The State of International dispute Resolution”, 2006
- Keynote Speaker, Conference on Women in Construction, Washington D.C., 2006
- Senior Vice President and General Counsel, Bechtel Corporation, San Francisco, California, 2001-2006
- Ms. Gurun joined Bechtel in 1981 and, prior to becoming General Counsel, held a variety of increasingly responsible positions including Principal Vice President and Chief Counsel for Europe, Asia, the Middle East, and Africa. Ms. Gurun was based in the People’s Republic of China from 1983-1986 and in London from 1989-1995 and 1998-2001.
- Principal Vice President, Bechtel Corporation, 2000-2001
- Ms. Gurun co-led (in a business role) the development of a $1 Billion Cost Overrun Protection Program to support the development and construction of Section 2 of the Channel Tunnel Rail Link connecting St. Pancras Station in London to the Channel Tunnel (Project Value of $4 Billion)
- Senior Vice President and General Counsel, InterGen, a global independent power company, Boston, Massachusetts, 1995-1998
- Counsel, the International Atomic Energy Agency, Vienna, Austria, 1978-1981
- Counsel, United States Arms Control and Disarmament Agency, Washington, D.C., 1977-1978
- Associate, Bustamante y Crespo, a law firm, Quito, Ecuador, 1976-1977
- J.D., University of Oregon School of Law, 1975
- B.A., Mills College, 1972
- Languages: Working familiarity in Spanish, French, German, Mandarin Chinese, Turkish; Academic coursework in Arabic and Russian
- Lived and worked abroad in Europe, Meso and South America, Asia (three years residence in the People’s Republic of China), the Middle East, Turkey and Africa
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- Arbitration
- Business/Commercial
- Construction
- Engineering and Construction
- Insurance
- International & Cross-Border
- Surety
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