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Madrid
+34 91 514 52 00
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Registered lawyer, nº 75279
I. Colegio de la Abogacía de Madrid
Margarita Soto is a principal associate in the Litigation and Arbitration Department, where she pursues her professional practice in the area of arbitration (domestic and international / commercial and investment-related), acting on behalf of parties in arbitration proceedings of all types and levels of complexity before the most renowned Spanish and international arbitration institutions. She also serves as an arbitrator in proceedings conducted under the rules of such institutions. She holds a Law Degree from Universidad de Sevilla and a Diploma in International Commercial Arbitration from the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators. She has been recognized by Who’s Who Legal as an Arbitration Future Leader in the category of non-partners under 45 for the past 5 years (from 2019 to 2023). In addition, in 2023, she was recognized by Legal 500 following her inclusion in the "Private Practice Arbitration Powerlist - Iberia Region".
Experience
Marga Soto has been a principal associate in the Garrigues Arbitration practice area in the Litigation and Arbitration Department of the Madrid office since 2015. She joined the firm in 2013. In her professional practice, she has participated as a lawyer in arbitration proceedings of great complexity and significance, in both ad hoc and institutional proceedings before such renowned local and international institutions as the LCIA, the ICC, the AAA, the CAS, the Zurich Chamber of Commerce and the Danish Arbitration Institute, including:
- Advice to an electric utility in a series of arbitration proceedings concerning gas supply disputes before the London Court of Arbitration.
- Advice to a company in the construction sector on a dispute concerning the construction of a high-speed network in a European country with extreme strategic importance for such country.
- Advice to a business group in the energy sector in a proceeding before the Dispute Adjudication Board and subsequent arbitration regarding a raft of disputes that arose in relation to the construction of one of the largest wind farms in a Latin American country.
- Advice to a multinational enterprise in the shipping industry in an arbitration proceeding concerning the breach of the representations and warranties under an SPA with a major media and political impact due to the possible existence of corrupt dealings.
- Advice to an Asian company in the engineering and construction sector in an arbitration proceeding concerning the construction of the largest hydroelectric plant in a Central American country and one of the largest in the world.
She also has a wealth of experience in international commercial transactions in which she has advised clients in pre-trial negotiation processes and on matters relating to bilateral investment agreements, advising major companies, financial institutions and governments.
Furthermore, in her professional practice, she also has wide experience as an arbitrator. On numerous occasions, she has been appointed as administrative secretary in arbitration courts regulated by the rules of the ICC, the LCIA, the AAA, the TAS/CAS and the Madrid Court of Arbitration.
Academic background
- Diploma in International Commercial Arbitration, Chartered Institute of Arbitrators.
- Law Degree, Universidad de Sevilla.
Teaching activity
She is a lecturer on the Advanced Arbitration Course for qualification to be a member of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (CIArb) conducted in Spain by CIAMEN.
She is a regular speaker in specialized Spanish and international forums, including the Spanish Arbitration Club, the ICC, the International Centre for Arbitration, Mediation and Negotiation (CIAMEN), the Madrid Court of Arbitration, etc. She has also taught at various universities, including Universidad Autónoma de Madrid and Instituto de Empresa.
Margarita has lectured on the postgraduate course on International Investments and Arbitration organized by the Barcelona Bar Association, on the Executive Master’s Degree in Legal Practice in Business at Centro de Estudios Garrigues, and on the Advanced Arbitration Course at the Madrid Court of Arbitration.
Memberships
- Member of the Madrid Bar Association.
- Deputy Chair of the Construction and Engineering Law Club (CDCI).
- Member of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators.
- Member of the Madrid Court of Arbitration.
- Member of the London Court of Arbitration (YAF/LCIA).
- Member of the Young Arbitrators’ Club of the ICC International Court of Arbitration.
- Member of the Spanish Arbitration Club.
- Member of the Women’s Committee of the Spanish Arbitration Club.
Distinctions
Who’s Who Legal Arbitration Future Leaders- Non-partners under 45 (from 2019 to 2023).
Legal 500: "Private Practice Arbitration Powerlist - Iberia Region" (2003).
Publications
- “Recent Decisions on Setting Aside” (GAR, 2008).
- “Confidentiality under the New French Arbitration Law: a step forward” (Spain Arbitration Review, 2011).
- Chapter on Spain for The International Arbitration Review (2012/2015).
- “Spain approves Royal Decree- Law 5/2012 on mediation in civil and commercial matters” (IBA Mediation Newsletter, volume 8, 2012).