Robert Reyes Landicho
Texas Tower
845 Texas Avenue
Suite 4700
Houston, Texas 77002
Gate Village 10, Office 211
P.O. Box 504945
Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC)
Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Robert Reyes Landicho is Counsel in Vinson & Elkins’ Houston and Dubai offices. Rob focuses on international energy, infrastructure and construction disputes, including commercial arbitration, inter-state arbitration, and investor-state arbitration in numerous jurisdictions across the Middle East, Africa, Europe, the Americas, and Asia. These arbitrations take place under numerous institutional rules, including the arbitration rules of the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC), the Dubai International Arbitration Centre (DIAC), the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID), the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL), and the International Centre for Dispute Resolution (ICDR). Rob also represents clients in national court litigation, often attendant to arbitration. Rob is admitted in Texas, and has full rights of audience before the Dubai International Financial Centre Courts (Part I & II).
Rob has been named as a 2023 Law360 Rising Star in International Arbitration, a Future Leader in Lexology/Who’s Who Legal: Arbitration (2022–2025) and Lexology/Who’s Who Legal: Construction, UAE (2023–2025) (Law Business Research), a Rising Star in Super Lawyers, Texas – International (2020–2025) (Thomson Reuters), and Legal 500 EMEA, Dispute Resolution: Arbitration and International Litigation, 2024 (among other recognition).
Prior to practising law, Rob worked for the International Organization for Migration – Iraq Mission (a UN-affiliate organisation), managing community assistance programmes and development projects in Iraq. Rob was also a Fulbright Scholar in Amman, Jordan where he studied Arabic and researched foreign assistance projects in the Middle East.
International Energy, Infrastructure, and Construction Disputes
Represented an American company and its Latin American subsidiary in two multimillion dollar arbitrations under New York law related to the construction of five power plants in South America; ended in favorable settlement for the client
Represented a renewable energy fund in an AAA-ICDR arbitration against a project developer under New York law; ended in favorable settlement for our client
Representing a state-owned drilling company against a Lebanese contractor in an ICC Arbitration relating to the drilling of wells
Representing a Middle Eastern state in two ICC arbitrations against another state involving breaches a pipeline treaty between the two states; the case also involves ancillary proceedings in different jurisdictions
Represented a Middle Eastern state-owned refinery company against an Italian contractor in an ICC Arbitration regarding the construction of a Hydrogen Production Unit for use in the refining process
Representing a Middle Eastern state-owned oil company against a Dutch contractor in Section 1782 proceedings (S.D.N.Y.)
Advising a Middle Eastern state-owned entity regarding commercial resolution of disputes and project restart strategies for a project involving the reconstruction of two oil terminals
Represented the Republic of Iraq against the Republic of Turkey in an ICC arbitration arising from various treaty breaches, resulting in a US$ 1.471 billion (net) award to Iraq before interest
Represented Mobil in ICSID annulment proceedings against the Argentine Republic, where an ICSID ad hoc Committee rejected Argentina’s application to annul the ICSID award in favor of Mobil. The Committee upheld a US$ 266.9 (net) million award in favor of Mobil. (Mobil Exploration and Development Argentina, Inc. Suc Argentina and Mobil Argentina S.A. v. The Argentine Republic)
Represented two individual investors in related OIC investor-state treaty arbitrations brought against the Republic of Indonesia, in relation to the aftermath of the collapse of a bank in 2008 (Al-Warraq v. Indonesia)
Represented a Middle Eastern state-owned airline against a UK concessionaire relating to a long-term airport concession
Represented Master Sub-Franchisee in an ICDR arbitration regarding breaches of a Sub-Franchise Agreement to be performed in the United Arab Emirates. Resulted in an award in favor of our client, along with interest and costs
Representing a Middle Eastern state-owned oil company against a Dutch contractor in Section 1782 proceedings (S.D.N.Y.)
Representing a Middle Eastern state in arbitral award enforcement proceedings in U.S. Federal District Court (D.D.C)
Representing European state-owned energy companies against multiple plaintiffs in a tortious interference and conspiracy claim (S.D. Tex.)
Advising a Texas limited liability company in a dispute with a German limited liability company involving the international sale of goods in a Court of Appeal in Germany
Represented Goldman Sachs Bank USA in an admiralty proceeding in U.S. Federal District Court (S.D. Fl.) regarding the enforcement and foreclosure of a ship mortgage
Represented the Ministry of Oil of the Republic of Iraq in a proceeding in U.S. Federal District Court (S.D. Tex.) regarding the export of cargoes of oil from the Kurdistan Region of Iraq to the United States
Represented an international fashion house in lawsuit against the International Finance Corporation (World Bank Group) in New York State Courts, for breaches of contract related to an investment in Tajikistan. Resulted in a judgment in favor of the international fashion house dismissing the International Finance Corporation’s breach of contract claim
Represented a Yemeni limited corporation company in a New York State temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction against a Maltese company and Delaware limited liability company, in a dispute arising out of the purchase and fabrication of custom built Heavy Fuel Oil generators
Credentials
- University of California, Berkeley, School of Law, J.D., 2013 (Development Editor, Berkeley Business Law Journal; Clinic Director, Iraqi Refugee Assistance Project; Jurisprudence Award, Appellate Advocacy; Prosser Prize, European Union Law)
- The College of William & Mary, B.A., Government with honors, 2008
- The Best Lawyers in America© (BL Rankings, LLC), “Ones to Watch,” Commercial Litigation (Houston), 2024 and 2025
- Lexology Index (Formerly Who’s Who Legal), “Future Leader (Non-Partner): Arbitration,” 2022–2025; “Future Leader (Non-Partner): Construction,” 2023–2025
- Law360, Rising Star, International Arbitration, 2023
- Legal 500 EMEA, Dispute Resolution: Arbitration and International Litigation, 2024
- Selected to the Texas Rising Stars list, Super Lawyers (Thomson Reuters), 2020–2025
- Institute for Transnational Arbitration (ITA) – Inclusion Committee; Immediate Past Strategic Planning Co-Chair (2023–2025), Programs Co-Chair (2021–2023), Past Chair of Young ITA (2019–2021); American Constitution Society – Houston Lawyer Chapter Board Member; Texas Filipino American Bar (TFAB) Board Member; Immediate Past Director – Asian American Bar Association of Houston; Past Board of Directors – National Filipino American Lawyers Association (NFALA)
- Member: Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (FCIArb), UAE Branch; National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA); Houston International Arbitration Club (HIAC); ICC Young Arbitrators Forum (YAF); LCIA Young International Arbitration Group (YIAG); ICDR Young & International (Y&I); Young ICSID; Young ICCA; The Pro Bono College of the State of Texas; ADR Center – IMI Accredited Mediator
- Texas
- U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit
- Dubai International Financial Centre (Part I & Part II with full rights of audience)
- Proficient in Arabic and French
- Rankings & AwardsSeptember 19, 2024
- Event RecapJune 5, 2024
- Rankings & AwardsMarch 27, 2024
- Rankings & AwardsMarch 26, 2024
- InsightMarch 4, 2024
V&E International Dispute Resolution Update
- Rankings & AwardsJanuary 26, 2024
- InsightNovember 8, 2023
Published by Lexology: Getting The Deal Through (GTDT) Mining Practice Guide
- Rankings & AwardsAugust 21, 2023
- Rankings & AwardsAugust 7, 2023
- Rankings & AwardsJuly 5, 2023
- Deals & CasesMarch 30, 2023
- Rankings & AwardsMarch 27, 2023
- Rankings & AwardsJanuary 27, 2022
- “A whirlwind tour of ethics rules governing the cross-border practice of law – A speed round touching some of the various ethics issues, rules, and traps for Texas lawyers (both litigators and transactional attorneys) working on disputes or deals touching one or more jurisdictions outside of the United States,” Asian Pacific Interest Section of the State Bar of Texas’s Annual Conference, April 12, 2025 (Speaker)
- “Innovation in the Assessment and Presentation of Damages in International Arbitration,” 37th Institute for Transnational Arbitration Annual Workshop, June 11, 2025 (Moderator)
- Lexis® PSL Practice Notes, ICDR (2021)—Introduction to the ICDR—commencing arbitration—responding to arbitration; The tribunal—appointment, challenges and powers; Multi-party arbitration, joinder and consolidation; Evidence; Procedure; Interim and emergency relief; and Costs and security for costs
- “Key Considerations Issues In Mining Arbitration: Deploying Persuasive Evidence,” 2nd ITA Conference on International Arbitration in the Mining Sector, March 6, 2024 (Moderator)
- “A Case In Time – A discussion of the Paris Court of Appeal Decision: Dow Chemical on extension of the arbitration agreement and its legacy on arbitrability and arbitration agreements’” Delos ADR – GAP Journal Series, April 25, 2023 (Speaker)
- “Energy Transition in the UK, Europe, and Beyond – horizon scanning for potential disputes,” #YoungITATalks UK, July 14, 2022 (panelist)
- “Social License, CSR, and the Arbitration of Controversial Mining Disputes,” Center for International Legal Studies – International Arbitration Symposium (Salzburg, Austria), June 3, 2022 (panelist)
- “Key Procedural Issues in International Arbitration,” Young ITA Global Forum, February 22, 2022 (moderator)
- “International Arbitration,” 31st Annual International Law Institute, March 28, 2019 (panelist)
- “Enforcing a State’s International IP Obligations through Investment Law Standards of Protection – An Ill-Fated Romance,” Juris Investment Treaty Arbitration Vol. 11 Ch. 5, April 2018
- “Arbitrator Selection,” 5th ITA-IEL-ICC Joint Conference on International Energy Arbitration, January 18, 2018 (panelist)
- “Witness Examination in International Arbitration Post Event Report,” Young ICCA Skills Training Workshop, June 16, 2015
- “Technology, IP and Investor-State Arbitration,” Eleventh Annual Investment Treaty Arbitration Conference, April 25, 2017 (speaker)
- “GAR Know-How Investment Treaty Arbitration 2016 – Iraq,” March 31, 2015 (co-author)
- “Defences to Enforcement of an Arbitral Award in the USA Under the New York Convention,” Lexis Nexis’ Lexis PSLArbitration, March 2014 (co-author)
- “Enforcing a New York Convention Award in the USA,” Lexis Nexis’ Lexis PSLArbitration, March 2014 (co-author)