Born in 1.964 in Barranquilla, Colombia, with American and Colombian citizenship.
Education: Colegio Mayor de Nuestra Señora del Rosario, Law School (Lawyer with highest honors as Colegial de Número and Colegial Mayor); Universidad de los Andes, MBA in Commercial Law.
Working Experience: Secretary Law School, Colegio Mayor del Rosario, 1.986-1.987. Private Legal Counsel 1.987-1.989. Lawyer Contract and Opinions Division Banco de Colombia, 1.989- 1.991; Legal Advisor Investment Vice-presidency and Trust Division Banco de Colombia, 1.991. Senior associate Brigard & Urrutia Abogados, December, 1.991- March, 1.996. Partner Prías, Valencia, Abela & Arrázola, March, 1.996- September, 2.000. Partner of this firm since October, 2.991. Member of the Arbitrator List of the Arbitration and Conciliation Center of the Chamber of Commerce of Bogotá.
Teaching Experience: Assistant Professor History of the Politic Ideas, Colegio Mayor del Rosario, 1.985-1.986. Assistant Professor, Corporate Law, Colegio Mayor del Rosario, 1.987. Assistant Professor, Contract Law, Universidad de los Andes, 1.990-1.993. Professor, Commercial Contracts MBA in Business Law, Universidad de los Andes, 1.991. Professor, Contract Law, Universidad de los Andes, 1.994- 1.999. Professor Negotiable Instruments Law, Universidad de los Andes, 1.996. Professor Commercial Contracts MBA in Marketing, 1.995. Professor Negotiable Instruments, Colegio Mayor del Rosario, 2.001- 2002. Professor Commercial and Civil Contracts, Colegio Mayor del Rosario, 2.001- to this date. Professor Banking Contracts- Master in Banking Law, Colegio Mayor del Rosario, 2.002. Professor Commercial and Banking Contract, Universidad de los Andes, 2.005. Professor International Commercial Law, Universidad Jorge Tadeo Lozano, 2.008- 2.009. Speaker in several local and foreign seminaries on Financial, Commercial, Banking, International and Corporate Law.
Author: “ Thomas Hill Green and the state interventionism”, 1.988. “ Banking Guarantees under Colombian Law”, Private Law Review No 12, Universidad de los Andes, 1.993; “Some comments on the Andean Preference Trade Act, ATPA”, Private Law Review No 16, Universidad de los Andes, 1.996. "Banking Guarantees and Stand-by Letters of Credit, a new regulation under Colombian law", Private Law Review No 24, Universidad de los Andes, 1.999. "Joint Ventures en Colombia", in Joint Ventures, Edit Mathew Bender, 2.000. 2ª edition, 2.005, currently edited by Juis Publication with a latest updateon 2.010. "Enforcement of monetary foreign judgments in Colombia", in Enforcement of Monetary Foreign Judgments, Juris Publishing, Inc together with Baker Mc Kenzie, 2.005. “Penalty Clauses”, a Chapter in the Book, “Law of Liabilities, Volume I”, Universidad de los Andes and Temis Publishing, 2.009.
Languages: Spanish, English and French.
Areas of practice: Civil, Commercial and Administrative law. Banking and Insurance law, project finance, energy and gas law. Arbitration and Litigation.