Francisco J. Batlle
Senior Associate
Office
Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
Calle Rafael Augusto Sánchez #86
Roble Corporate Center, 7th floor
+1 809 792 5200
Francisco J. Batlle is a Senior Associate at Adell & Merizalde. He has focused on commercial and investment arbitration, representing private companies as well as state-owned companies and sovereigns, including Costa Rica, Ecuador, and the Dominican Republic. He has acted as counsel in complex international arbitrations involving a wide range of institutions, procedural rules, and treaties. In addition, he has vast experience with administrative, constitutional, civil, and commercial litigations.
Francisco was recognized as a Future Leader in Arbitration by Who’s Who Legal. In the Global Arbitration Review’s 2024 edition, a State client highlighted his contributions, emphasizing that “Francisco is detail-oriented and understands all aspects of the case”.
Prior to joining Adell & Merizalde, Francisco was a Senior Associate at a top-tier American law firm. Previous experience includes acting as Law Clerk at the Constitutional Court of the Dominican Republic and interning at the Colombian Commission of Jurists (CCJ) in Bogotá, where he worked on international law and human rights matters.
He has intervened as amicus curiae in proceedings before the Inter-American Court of Human Rights, in collaboration with the Latin American Council of International and Comparative Law Scholars, Dominican Republic chapter (COLADIC-RD). Further, given the Dominican Republic’s non-permanent seat in the United Nations Security Council, Francisco successfully coordinated a capacity-building project on United Nations law.
Credentials
Bar Admissions
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Dominican Republic
Education
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University of Nottingham, LL.M. in Public International Law
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Pontificia Universidad Católica Madre y Maestra, Law Degree
Languages
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Spanish
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English
Relevant Matters
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Represents Costa Rica in an ICSID arbitration filed by German investors arising from expropriation proceedings relating to the construction of a hydroelectric dam. Approximately US$ 40 million in dispute. The language of the arbitration is Spanish.
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Represents a State Entity of a South American state in an ad hoc arbitration related to the expansion and conversion project of a high-capacity road. Over US$70 million in dispute. The language of the arbitration is Spanish.
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Represented the Republic of Ecuador in a PCA investment arbitration under UNCITRAL rules initiated by a US investor concerning the construction and modernization of oil refineries. The language of the arbitration was English. Over US$ 200 million in dispute.
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Represented the Republic of Costa Rica in an ICSID arbitration filed by a Spanish investor related to the closure of poultry production facilities. The language of the arbitration was Spanish. Over US$ 100 million in dispute.
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Member of the team that represented the Republic of Estonia in an ICSID arbitration. The language of the arbitration was English. Over Є 90 million in dispute.
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Member of the team that represented a Middle Eastern State in set-aside proceedings conducted in Paris.​​
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Represented a Latin American state-owned oil company in 3 ICC oil & gas arbitrations seated in The Hague under Dutch law. The language of the arbitration was English. Over US$ 300 million in dispute.
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Represented a Latin American state in a millionaire ICC arbitration initiated by a European corporation concerning the construction of an aqueduct. The language of the arbitration was Spanish.
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Represented a U.S. major league baseball team in a millionaire arbitration initiated before the Arbitration Court of the Chamber of Commerce of Santo Domingo. The language of the arbitration was Spanish.
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Member of the team that represented a U.S. corporation in award recognition and enforcement proceedings in Colombia.
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Administrative secretary in an ICC arbitration seated in Monterrey, Mexico involving two Latin American oil corporations.
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Assistant to the Arbitral Tribunal in 3 arbitrations before the Chamber of Commerce of Lima (CCL), seated in Lima, Peru, between Latin American companies.​