Pilar Colomes Iess: A Sharp Legal Mind Championing Arbitration, Strategy & Leadership In The Ibero-American Region

Pilar Colomés Iess grew up with an innate curiosity for discovery, investigation, critical thinking and writing which led her to pursue a degree in law and journalism.

During the first year at university, when she was introduced to Public International Law, a subject typically reserved for later years of study but which quickly captivated her, realizing she had found her calling. That early spark deepened with further exposure to Private International Law and eventually solidified into a career that now bridges global disputes, arbitration, and academia.

Today, as a Founding Partner of Madrid-based international disputes boutique, GNCI Law and a university lecturer, she channels the same investigative spirit that once fuelled her childhood dreams, now applying it to shaping international law and mentoring the next generation.

What led your foray into law? Tell us about your 15-year-long professional career as a lawyer.

My interest in philosophy sparked a love for reasoning and critical thinking, which led me to study both law and journalism. During my studies at Universidad Carlos III in Madrid, I discovered my passion for public and private international law. A key milestone was being selected for a fellowship program at the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague ,which set me into the field of international law very early on in my career.

Eager to gain private practice experience, I soon joined Herbert Smith Freehills in Madrid and London, where I worked on Spain’s first two investment arbitration cases pertaining the PV saga. I later pursued an LL.M. at Columbia University in New York, a city were remained for four years working at Kirkland & Ellis and becoming a New York attorney, before the pandemic brought me back to Spain. After a couple of years at Eversheds Sutherland in Madrid, I co-founded GNCI Law, where I continue to focus on international arbitration and international dispute resolution today.

My day-to-day tip is to stay highly organized and plan a few steps ahead for what may come next, and when in doubt, after thorough objective analysis, i always trust my gut feeling

What have been some of the most impactful cases that you have worked on over the years?

Working at the PCA in the administration of investment arbitration cases and later representing the Kingdom of Spain in its first two investment arbitration cases, set me on the investment arbitration track at the very initial stages of my career. During my time in New York, I represented Mexican investors in Banco Popular against Spain, which was an especially interesting case involving parallel proceedings before the European Court of Justice and cross-border discovery proceedings before the Southern District of New York, among many others.

Being a New York attorney with extensive experience in the region has exposed me - and continues to expose me - to a variety of transnational disputes in the USA. Together with local counsel, I have represented various clients in cross-border commercial litigation proceedings before New York, New Jersey and Arkansas’s courts, an experience which adds up to my commercial arbitration and commercial litigation experience.

Today, I continue representing corporations, investors and sovereigns in investment arbitration cases and commercial disputes and its ancillary including proceedings such as enforcement and annulment, among others.

Introduce us to GNCI Law.

GNCI Law is an arbitration boutique founded in April 2024. We focus on arbitration and litigation, whether local, international, or transnational. We handle investment and arbitration cases, high-stakes litigation, and closely collaborate with local firms worldwide in complex cross-border disputes and restructuring issues.

What are some challenges that you encounter while leading GNCI Law? How do you navigate through these roadblocks?

As a founder of a newly created arbitration boutique you have to start thinking as a businessperson, which makes you go outside the purely legal mindset of a lawyer and put your focus into business planning and strategy, organizing and decision-making for the firm, which adds to the legal work.

For me, a key challenge in the legal industry is modernizing the traditional law firm model, so business strategy and brand marketing is a top priority. Technology is changing rapidly so keeping up to the constant changes is definitely a challenge. We will see greater reliance on AI tools to improve efficiency, which may reduce the need for traditional administrative roles, reshape processes and how services are delivered.

How do you foresee Spain’s legal market landscape evolving?

Spain is becoming a popular and arbitration-friendly arbitration hub, especially for disputes involving Latin America. We share strong ties with the region, and those ties are only growing as more Latin American investors and businesses come to Spain. This makes Spain a natural bridge for businesses – and hence, disputes, between Latin America and Europe, and even Latin America and Asia since Asia investment is increasingly growing in the region.

Pilar Colomes Iess, Founding Partner, Gnci Law

Pilar Colomes Iess is the Founding Partner of GNCI Law, a boutique firm specializing in international arbitration and complex litigation. With a career spanning leading institutions and global law firms, she has built a reputation as a skilled advocate in investment, commercial arbitration and transnational disputes. She advises states, investors, and corporations on high-stakes disputes in sectors such as energy, infrastructure, and hospitality.