Álvaro Awad Sirhan is a Professor of Private Law and Oral Advocacy at Universidad Católica de Chile, where he graduated summa cum laude. He holds a Master of Laws (LL.M.) from The University of Chicago (Fulbright and Chile Scholar).Since 2015 he is a partner at Contreras Velozo, with offices in Santiago, Chile, where he co-leads the Corporate, Commercial Litigation, and Arbitration teams.He has participated as arbitrator and counsel in dozens of arbitral proceedings both ad hoc and institutional for up to USD 2.5 billion. He has relevant experience both as arbitrator and cousel with the rules of the Center of Arbitration and Mediation of the Santiago Chamber of Commerce (CAM Santiago), the Center of Arbitration of the Lima Chamber of Commerce (CCL), and the Court of International Arbitration of the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC).Effective litigating before state tribunals in contractual, tort, unfair competition, consumer protection, antitrust, constitutional, and administrative claims, Álvaro has successfully delivered oral arguments before several Courts of Appeals and the Chilean Supreme Court. His permanent practice focuses in the following areas: energy, mining, construction and infrastructure, M&A and corporate disputes, finance, insurance, pharmaceuticals, transportation, and foreign investment. He also participates in Boards of Directors, adivising both national and foreign clients in several matters. Chiefly in new technologies and e-commerce, M&As, project finance, public-private partnerships, construction and real-estate projects, distribution and representation, consumer protection, and data privacy. He has directed due diligences in multiple corporate transactions for +USD 1 billion and executed such deals.He has issued legal reports for Congress regarding draft legislation on Private and Procedural Law.The prestigious rankings The Legal 500, Who’s Who Legal, Best Lawyers, Leaders League, and Latin Lawyer 250 have recognized him in his practice areas.