Adriana Padilla Rivas
Practice Areas
Languages
- English
- Spanish
Adriana Padilla joined the firm in 2015 and has been a partner since 2022.
Adriana has extensive experience in commercial and investment arbitration, serving as counsel and arbitrator under the rules of institutions such as ICC, LCIA, AAA-ICDR, ICSID, CANACO y CAM. She has been involved in disputes across various sectors such as infrastructure, energy, ports, construction, consumer, and corporate, governed by Mexican, international, or foreign law. Additionally, she has participated in judicial proceedings related to arbitration, including annulment and enforcement of awards, and interim measures.
Adriana is also actively involved in financial restructurings and insolvency proceedings, representing companies and creditors, and serving as counsel to the receiver.
Adriana gained international experience as a foreign associate at Cleary Gottlieb in New York.
Relevant Experience
- Represents a world leader in engineering and industrial construction in an emergency arbitration and ICC commercial arbitration against the Comisión Federal de Electricidad, in a dispute arising from a “turnkey” or EPC contract. (USD$20 million).
- Represented the issuer of Development Capital Certificates (Certificados de Capital de Desarrollo or CKDes) in a CAM arbitration under Mexican law, related to a dispute arising from the acquisition of a hotel in coastal area.
- Represented an international leading renewable energy infrastructure company in an ICC arbitration related to the construction of a wind farm in Mexico (USD$80 million).
- Represented Deutsche Bank in an arbitration related to the sale of its assets in Mexico. (USD$50 million).
- Represented an international leading company in renewable energy infrastructure in an emergency arbitration related to the execution of a contract for the supply of wind turbines for a wind farm.
- Represented Institutional Finance Corporation as creditor in Abengoa’s insolvency proceeding.
- Acted as an assistant to the Conciliator in the insolvency of Empresas ICA (USD$3,500 million).
- Represented banking institutions in the financial restructuring of Isolux de México for the continuation of public works projects in Mexico.
- Represented Casas GEO in its restructuring and commercial insolvency proceeding (USD$4,500 million).
- Represented Cubico Sustainable in the financing of the "El Mezquite" wind farm of 249MW in Mexico.
- Represented the bank syndicate in the financing of the Fermaca Villa de Reyes-Aguascalientes-Guadalajara gas pipeline development project.
- Represented HSBC and Scotiabank as Joint Lead Coordinators and the group of creditors (Scotiabank, HSBC, Bancomext and Santander), in connection with a Syndicated Loan granted to Gondi (single loan for MXN$3,400 million and MXN$900 million, and revolving facility for MXN$1,700 million and USD$20 million.
Awards and Recognitions
- Ranked in Chambers Latam, Arbitration and Dispute Resolution, Restructurings and Insolvency, 2026.
- "Highly Regarded", IFLR1000, Restructurings and Insolvency, 2025.
- "Next Generation Partner", Legal 500, Arbitration and Dispute Resolution, Restructurings and Insolvency, 2025.
- "Next Generation Partner of the Year", Legal 500 Mexico Awards, Arbitration and Dispute Resolution, 2023 and 2025.
Education
- Master of Laws in International Dispute Resolution, Queen Mary University of London, London, 2021 - to date.
- Diploma on International Law and Legal Studies, The Center for American and International Law, Texas, 2012.
- Law Degree, cum laude, Universidad Iberoamericana, 2009.