Cristian Zannier is a quadrilingual lawyer specializing in international arbitration, litigation, and public international law.  Over his career, he has worked in the U.S.,  Europe, Latin America, and Asia,  acting as counsel and tribunal secretary in high-stakes arbitrations under the rules of the ICC, ICSID, CCL, CCJA, SIAC, and PCA.  His practice focuses on disputes in the mining, energy, construction, and infrastructure sectors.

In addition to his arbitration practice, Cristian has  considerable litigation experience, where he has represented clients before Chile's trial courts and appellate courts, successfully arguing cases spanning civil, commercial, and family law.   He has also advised individuals and businesses on cross-border investments, particularly between Latin America and the U.S., combining his legal expertise with practical business insight.
 

Cristian holds an LLM in International Arbitration from the University of Miami (where he was awarded the Young ICCA Scholar), an LLM in Business Law from Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne, and a Master’s in Corporate Law from Universidad de los Andes, Chile.  He is admitted to the Chilean and Bolivian Bars and is pursuing admission to the New York Bar.
 

Cristian regularly engages with the academic and professional arbitration community.  He has published widely in the field of international arbitration, served as a coach for the Willem C. Vis International Commercial Arbitration Moot, and is a member of Young ICCA, ICCA, SOCHIDI, Young SIAC, and the International Law Association's Chilean Branch.

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Bar Admissions​

• Chile​

• Bolivia
   

Education​ 

• LLM, International Arbitration, University of Miami ​

  • Young ICCA Scholar (full tuition)

• LLM, Business Law, Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne​

• Master’s, Corporate Law, Universidad de los Andes, Chile ​​​​

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Languages 

• Spanish 

• English 

• French 

• German 

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REPRESENTATIVE EXPERIENCE

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• CCJA arbitration representing French construction companies in a US$90 million dispute against a West African State concerning the termination of a large-scale infrastructure project.
   

• ICC, ICSID and ICC emergency arbitrations representing a Central African State, a Chinese mining company, and an African public entity in a US$10+ billion dispute concerning the exploration and exploitation of a major lithium deposit in Central Africa.
   

• ICC arbitration representing an African public entity in a US$400 million dispute concerning the construction, operation, and maintenance of a desalination plant in North Africa.
   

• ICC arbitration representing a biotechnology company in a dispute against its Chinese distributor concerning the termination of distribution rights.
   

• ICC arbitration representing a French cosmetics group in a dispute against its Singaporean distributor following termination of a distribution agreement.
   

• ICSID arbitration representing foreign investors in a US$330 million claim (plus moral damages) against a State under the Chile-Colombia Free Trade Agreement for alleged contract breaches, indirect expropriation, and regulatory violations in public transportation concessions.
   

• LCIA arbitration representing an international airline in a US$100 million dispute concerning the performance and termination of an aircraft engine maintenance contract.
   

• PCA arbitration under the UNCITRAL Arbitration Rules representing a State in a US$250 million dispute against a foreign investor concerning the expropriation of mining assets.
   

• Tribunal secretary in a consolidated mulit-party arbitration under the Chamber of Commerce of Lima (CCL) involving a complex construction dispute.