Overview
Jean Paul Roekaert is an associate in the Litigation Department at Paul Hastings and is based in the firm’s Washington, D.C. office. He specializes in public international law and international arbitration, with a focus on investment treaty and commercial disputes. Jean Paul has experience working under various arbitral institutions and rules, including the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID), the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) and the International Center for Dispute Resolution (ICDR), and has handled disputes across diverse industries such as construction, mining and energy. His experience also includes the recognition and enforcement of foreign judgments, post-award proceedings, regulatory and compliance investigations, and advising clients on third-party funding and Section 1782 discovery applications.
Jean Paul holds a J.D. from the University of Notre Dame, where he was a founding member and senior editor of the Notre Dame Journal on Emerging Technologies. He also holds an LL.M. in international trade and investment law from the University of Amsterdam. His master’s thesis, titled “Investment Treaty Arbitration and the Trips Patent Waiver: Indirect Expropriation Analysis of Covid-19 Vaccine Patents,” was published in the Hastings International and Comparative Law Review.
Jean Paul is actively involved in the international arbitration community, serving as assistant editor for investment arbitration at the Kluwer Arbitration Blog and Regional Representative for Young ICCA.
Before joining the firm, Jean Paul was an associate at prominent international arbitration law firms in Miami and Madrid.
Education
- University of Amsterdam, LL.M. (cum laude), 2022
- University of Notre Dame, J.D., 2020
- University of South Florida, B.S.B.A. (magna cum laude), 2016
Representations
- Represented the Republic of Ecuador in an ICSID arbitration concerning the termination and liquidation of an oil exploration and production contract.*
- Represented an international airport operator in an ICC arbitration arising from sub-concession agreements in a Caribbean state.*
- Represented a German automotive manufacturer in an ICDR arbitration concerning claims arising from the termination of a distribution agreement in Central America.*
- Represented a Mexican electric power infrastructure company in federal court proceedings seeking to recognize and enforce an international arbitration award against a Mexican state-owned energy company.*
- Represented a Spanish construction company in federal court proceedings seeking to recognize and enforce an international arbitration award against a Central African state.*
- Represented a Spanish energy and infrastructure company in state court proceedings against a South American state-owned oil and gas company concerning a default on a financial instrument.*
- Advised a Spanish mining company on potential investment treaty claims against a Central African state concerning investments related to mineral prospecting, exploration and extraction agreements, as well as secured third-party funding to cover the arbitration costs.*
*Denotes experience earned prior to joining the firm.
Engagement & Publications
- “LIDW 2024: Navigating the Practical Implications of Sanctions in International Arbitration,” Kluwer Arbitration Blog, June 2024
- “Investment Treaty Arbitration and the TRIPS Patent Waiver: Indirect Expropriation Analysis of Covid-19 Vaccine Patents,” Hastings International and Comparative Law Review Vol. 46, No. 1, Winter 2023
Involvement
- Regional Representative – Young ICCA
- Assistant Editor for Investment Arbitration – Kluwer Arbitration Blog