Laura Sinisterra is a partner in the firm’s International Dispute Resolution Group in New York. Her practice focuses on international arbitration and international litigation, concentrating in the mining and energy sectors, in which she regularly handles complex disputes arising out of Latin America.
Ms. Sinisterra is recognized within the legal community as a Rising Star in her generation. Chambers Latin America (2026), Chambers Global (2025) and Chambers USA (2025) recognize her strong contributions to International Arbitration, noting that she’s regarded as an “impressive and an excellent lawyer,” who is “tenacious,” and “an excellent advocate” with “very strong analytical skills.” She is also noted for her “outstanding advocacy skills, depth of knowledge and excellence in cross-examination.” The Legal 500 US (2025) and The Legal 500 Latin America (2026) recommend Ms. Sinisterra in the field of international law and name her a Next Generation Partner. Clients praise her for “being always on the ball” and for “her ability to recall facts and evidence.” They also laud her as “a very tenacious and enthusiastic counsel [who] never leaves stones unturned in seeking the best strategies.” Previous editions of The Legal 500 US have noted her “tremendous capacity to assimilate huge amounts of complicated and diverse information and work tirelessly to formulate a legal argument.”
Benchmark Litigation also recognizes her as a “Future Star,” which recognizes reputable and effective litigators with a proven track record of success. Who’s Who Legal (2020–2025) has named her as a “Most Highly Regarded Future Leader” in international arbitration and recognized her as a “Thought Leader Global Elite 2025.” The guide has described her as a “superb lawyer” who is “extremely talented,” “poised, hardworking and very dependable” in sophisticated investment disputes, and a “top choice for disputes in the oil and gas and construction industries.”
Ms. Sinisterra is on the board of the Asociación Latinoamericana de Arbitraje (ALARB), is Vice Chair of the ITA’s Membership Committee and was the inaugural Chair of the ITA’s Young Mentorship Program, is a Delegate of the Colombia National Committee for the International Court of Arbitration (“ICC”) Commission on Arbitration and ADR, is a member of the Editorial Board for UNCITRAL’s Digest on the Model Law, and a member of the Working Group for the IBA Site Visit Model Protocol for International Arbitration. A sought-after speaker, Ms. Sinisterra has been invited to share her perspective on critical arbitration issues at conferences in the United States, as well as Latin America, including at the IBA Annual Conference, the Annual ITA Workshop, the ICC Miami Conference on International Arbitration, the ITA Conference on International Arbitration in the Mining Sector, New York Arbitration Week, Paris Arbitration Week, Harvard’s International Arbitration Workshop, and NYU’s IAA Conference.
Ms. Sinisterra is also an accomplished author. Her recent publications include “Stabilization Clauses in an Increasingly Unstable World: Long-Term Mining Contracts as a Tool for Sustainable Development,” 40 Under 40 in International Arbitration; “Towards a Contractual Framework for ISDS,” Editor, ALARB 2025 Journal; “Renewable Energy Arbitrations in Latin America,” ALARB Energy Journal; “The Impact of Article VII of the New York Convention,” International Commercial Arbitration: A Study of the New York Convention; “Introducing Foreign Clients to U.S. Civil Litigation,” International Practitioner’s Deskbook Series: International Litigation Strategies and Practice; “A New Kind of Risk? Recent Approaches to Country Risk in the Valuation of Damages,” IBA Arbitration News; “Annual ITA Workshop Report, When Justice Delayed Would Be Justice Denied: Emergency Arbitrators and Interim Measures in International Arbitration,” ITA News and Notes; “El Orden Público Bajo El Prisma De Caso Chevron c. Ecuador,” Spain Arbitration Review; “Public Policy Through the Lens of Chevron v. Ecuador,” IBA Litigation Committee Newsletter; “Chevron v. Ecuador, The Saga Continues,” Energy Law Advisor; and “Tactics and Procedures in International Arbitration to Promote Efficiency,” Experiencias y Retos del Ecuador en el Arbitraje de Inversión y Comercial.
Select representations include Perenco Ecuador Limited in its ICSID proceedings against the Republic of Ecuador arising out of the expropriation of its operations in that country; Freeport-McMoRan and Sociedad Minera Cerro Verde in an ICSID arbitration brought against the Republic of Peru under the United States–Peru Free Trade Agreement; SMM Cerro Verde Netherlands B.V. in an ICSID arbitration brought against the Republic of Peru under the Netherlands–Peru BIT; and the Republic of Iraq in two ICSID proceedings related to the telecommunications sector.
Ms. Sinisterra joined Debevoise in 2014. She received an LL.M. from Harvard Law School, where she was a recipient of a Dean’s Scholar Prize and a member of the Harvard International Law Journal. Ms. Sinisterra received her law degree from the Universidad de los Andes in Bogotá, graduating first in her class. During law school, she participated in an exchange program with Notre Dame University and received a specialized degree, magna cum laude, in Advanced Social, Economic and Political Studies.
Prior to joining Debevoise, Ms. Sinisterra worked in the arbitration group of a large international law firm based in Paris, as well as the international disputes practice of a well-known Colombian law firm.
Ms. Sinisterra is admitted to the Bars of New York and Colombia. She is a native Spanish speaker and fluent in English, with a conversational knowledge of French.