South America: Litigation, Mediation & Arbitration

An ICSID tribunal found Mexico breached NAFTA's fair and equitable treatment standard through arbitrary conduct in environmental zoning and enforcement proceedings, yet awarded compensation only for proven quarrying losses while rejecting damages claims where the investor failed to establish that lawful regulatory processes would have permitted the proposed activities.

En Colombia, el Consejo Superior de la Judicatura inició el desmonte gradual de las medidas excepcionales adoptadas tras el sismo del 10 de agosto de 2026, aunque la suspensión de términos judiciales y administrativos continúa vigente hasta el 11 de septiembre en la mayoría de los territorios afectados.

A reforma tributária brasileira criou o IBS e a CBS para simplificar o sistema, mas a divisão de competência jurisdicional entre Justiça Federal e Estadual já gera riscos de decisões contraditórias sobre teses idênticas. O advogado Ariel Cunha analisa como essa fragmentação do contencioso pode aumentar a complexidade do sistema antes mesmo de sua implementação completa.

The enforcement of arbitral awards against sovereign states in the United States is governed by a carefully structured statutory framework rooted in the New York Convention..

International Arbitration Comparative Guide for the jurisdiction of Mexico, check out our comparative guides section to compare across multiple countries

Vergleichender Leitfaden zur internationalen Schiedsgerichtsbarkeit für die Gerichtsbarkeit Brasiliens. Schauen Sie sich unseren Abschnitt mit vergleichenden Leitfäden an, um Vergleiche zwischen mehreren Ländern anzustellen.

The Brazilian Supreme Court has fundamentally altered the landscape for obtaining free legal aid in labor disputes, replacing automatic approval based on worker declarations with a new income-based threshold system. This landmark ruling establishes concrete evidentiary requirements and shifts the burden of proof, creating significant implications for access to justice in employment litigation.

This weekly bulletin from Mayer Brown's Brasília litigation team highlights upcoming judicial sessions and legislative votes across Brazil's highest courts and federal chambers. Covering cases from September 7-11, 2026, the briefing examines critical matters in administrative law, anti-corruption, consumer protection, energy infrastructure, and tax law that will shape Brazilian jurisprudence and policy.

En Colombia, el Consejo Superior de la Judicatura inició el desmonte gradual de las medidas excepcionales adoptadas tras el sismo del 10 de agosto de 2026, aunque la suspensión de términos judiciales y administrativos continúa vigente hasta el 11 de septiembre en la mayoría de los territorios afectados.

On August 20, 2026, the “Decree amending Article 1834 of the Civil Code for the Federal District” was published in the Mexico City Official Gazette. This reform unifies the rules on the use of electronic means in contracts, without altering the previously applicable legal regime.

This weekly bulletin from Mayer Brown's Brasília litigation team highlights key cases scheduled for judgment by Brazil's Supreme Federal Court, Superior Court of Justice, and Federal Court of Accounts, along with important legislative matters before the Chamber of Deputies and Federal Senate. The August 10-14, 2026 session covers critical issues spanning agribusiness development, environmental licensing reforms, indigenous land rights, judicial deposit corrections, cargo transport insurance, and variou

Contractual liability limitation clauses present complex challenges in Brazilian law, requiring careful balance between risk allocation and legal certainty. This analysis examines how parties can structure these provisions to protect their interests while respecting principles of good faith, equity, and the social function of contracts under Brazil's Civil Code.