Maria Chedid

Chedid got her first taste of the global legal field in the 1990s as a student with an international law fellowship at New York University School of Law. She enjoyed it so much that she made a career out of international law.

“I knew from then I wanted to do international work, specifically private and public international commercial disputes that had to be resolved through arbitration,” said Chedid, a San Francisco partner at Arnold & Porter Kaye Scholer LLP.

Her advocacy for clients extends far beyond dispute resolution.

In 2017, California Chief Justice Tani Gorre Cantil-Sakauye established a task force to address an issue that was hindering the state’s efforts to become an attractive venue for international arbitration.

Chedid was appointed to the task force, which drafted Senate Bill No. 766. This legislation amended the Code of Civil Procedure to permit foreign attorneys to represent clients in international arbitrations held in the state. The law took effect Jan. 1 and is expected to support significant expansion of international arbitration in California.

“The advantage of having hearings held in California is that, parties and businesses in California can have their disputes resolved close to home, rather than be forced to go to the opposing party’s jurisdiction or yet another jurisdiction to resolve them,” Chedid said. “The newly enacted California foreign attorney representation law is a major advancement for international arbitration in California, and it has been gratifying to have had the chance to play a significant role in that effort.”

But Chedid had an established international arbitration practice long before the law was drafted.

“I started handling international arbitration matters when I was practicing in New York right out of law school, serving as counsel on Iran Claims Tribunal cases,” said Chedid.

After a couple years of practicing in New York, Chedid moved to California in 1996. At that time, there weren’t many lawyers in California who specialized in international arbitration.

“After relocating to California, I was a young associate in a very large, prestigious firm which specializes in disputes and litigation — and I was trying to establish an international arbitration practice essentially on my own,” she recalled. “I grew my practice very slowly overtime, and established myself as a practitioner in the U.S. and globally as well.”

She is fluent in many languages including English, Arabic and French and she has worked on disputes relating to licensing, energy, taxation, infrastructure, government contracts, joint ventures, administrative laws and real estate.

“My practice involves me in a rich diversity of different legal systems, cultures and countries,” she said. “Each case is an intellectual adventure and voyage to a new corner of the globe.”

While she couldn’t divulge too much about her private client work, Chedid said she spends a lot of time strategizing with clients about how to most efficiently and cost-effectively resolve their international disputes.

“As I look back on the last 25 years, I’m gratified that I continue to pursue my passion for this practice area notwithstanding the obstacles and doubts expressed by others who questioned whether a thriving international arbitration practice would be possible in California,” she said. “My prediction when I was interviewed back in 2014 was that it would flourish here, and that has now become a reality.”

— Gina Kim