Cecilia O´Neill

Practice Areas

International Arbitration, Domestic Arbitration, Contract Law, Public-Private Partnerships, Energy & Natural Resources, Infrastructure

Career

Cecilia O’Neill is a seasoned arbitrator and legal expert with over 25 years of professional experience. She has served in approximately 150 domestic and international arbitral proceedings, including appointments as chair, co-arbitrator, and sole arbitrator under ICC, AMCHAM Peru, CAMEX and Lima Chamber of Commerce rules. She specializes in complex commercial and investment disputes, especially those involving corporate contracts, infrastructure, energy, and state-related procurement.

Cecilia holds a Ph.D. in Law (2022) from Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú and an LL.M. from the University of Pennsylvania (2000). She was part of Rodrigo, Elías & Medrano Abogados and of Estudio Jorge Avendaño V. Abogados. She helds academic leadership roles, including Dean and Vice Dean of the Faculty of Law at Universidad del Pacífico and Professor at Universidad Carlos III de Madrid.

Professional Memberships

• Council Member, Institute of World Business Law, ICC Paris

• Member, ICC International Court of Arbitration – AMCHAM Peru

• Steering Committee, Peruvian Chapter – Spanish and Ibero-American Arbitration Club (CEIA)

• Delegate of Peru, ICC Commission on Arbitration and ADR (2022–2024)

Publications

• Article “Towards a More Strategic Arbitration: Evaluating the Arbitral Foresight Mechanism with Comparative Insights”. Published in the ICC Institute Newsletter, Nº 24, June 2025.

• Article “Cláusulas escalonadas: ¿un problema sin solución?” (“Staggered clauses: a problem without a solution?”). Published in Arbitration Yearbook - 2025, pp. 267-305. Coordinated by María José Menéndez Arias. 1st edition. Madrid, 2025. ISBN: 978-84-1085-077-4.

• Article: “La doctrina de los actos propios en el arbitraje comercial” (“The doctrine of actos propios in commercial arbitration”). Published in Arbitration Yearbook - 2024, pp. 477-503. Coordinated by María José Menéndez Arias. 1st edition. Madrid, 2024. ISBN: 978-84-10295-37-7.

• Article: “Breves notas sobre las medidas cautelares en el arbitraje peruano y análisis comparativo con el proceso civil” (“Brief notes on interim measures in Peruvian arbitration and comparative analysis with the civil process"). Published in Revista ALARB – Latin American Arbitration Association. Vol. 3, 2024, pp. 25-45.

• Book chapter: “Octubre: ¿es ‘usura’ una mala palabra?” (“October: is ‘usury’ a bad Word?”). Published in: Pensar el Dinero. Editorial Fund of Universidad del Pacífico. Lima, 2021. ISBN ebook: 978-9972- 57-460-3.

• Article: "Arbitraje y terceros legitimados en la impugnación de acuerdos societarios en el Perú”(“Arbitration and third parties with standing to challenge corporate resolutions in Peru“). Published in THEMIS, Revista de Derecho, edited by students of Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú, N° 77, Lima, 2020.

• Article: “Arbitraje y control constitucional de laudos en Perú” (“Arbitration and constitutional control of awards in Peru”). Published in Revista ALARB - Latin American Arbitration Association. Vol. 1, 2020, pp. 293-319.

• Article: “Las Reglas de Praga. ¿Un motivo de alarma?” (“The Prague Rules. A cause for alarm?”) Published in Spain Arbitration Review, Magazine of the Spanish Arbitration Club. ISSN 1888-4377, N° 36, 2019, pp. 9-16.

• Book edition: Repensando las Reglas de Juego (Rethinking the Rules of the Game). Edited by: Ronnie Farfán, Santiago Mariani and Cecilia O'Neill. Editorial Fund of Universidad del Pacífico. Lima, 2018. ISBN: 978-9972-57-403-0. Personal

• “Sobre dioses y jueces” (“About gods and judges”). Published in Revista Herencia Vol. 1. N° 30, January-June 2017.

• Article: “Main features of arbitration in Peru”. Published in ILSA Journal of International and Comparative Law, 2017.

• Article: “No todo lo que brilla es oro: apariencia del derecho y protección de los terceros de buena fe” (“Nota all that shines is gold: appearance of law and protection of third parties in Good faith”). Published in THEMIS, Magazine edited by students of Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú, N° 70, Lima, 2017.

• Article: “¿Nacer para vivir muriendo? La nulidad manifiesta del convenio arbitral” (“Born to live by dying? The manifest nullity of the arbitration agreement”). Published in the Advocatus Magazine, edited by students at the Law School of Universidad de Lima. Lima, 2016.

• Article: “La cláusula penal. ¿Debe servir para proteger al deudor de sus propias decisiones?” (“Should the penalty clause serve to protect the debtor from its own decisions?”). Published in the book “Temas del Derecho de Obligaciones”, edited by the Editorial Fund of Universidad Privada de Ciencias Aplicadas - UPC. Lima, 2016.

• Article: “El derecho al trato igualitario en la designación de los árbitros” (“The right to equal treatment in appointment of arbitrators”). Published in: Panorama Actual del Arbitraje. Edited by: Thompson Reuters, Asociación Civil THEMIS and Estudio Mario Castillo Freyre S.C.R.L. Lima, 2015. ISBN: 978-612-4293-09-2.

• Article “La colaboración eficaz y la libre competencia: el INDECOPI atrapado en el dilema del prisionero” (“Effective collaboration and free competition: INDECOPI caught in the prisoner's dilemma”). Published in: Forseti, edited by students at the Law School of the Universidad del Pacífico. N° 1. Lima, 2013.

• Article: “El ‘arbitraje en las relaciones de consumo’ y el ‘arbitraje de consumo’. Es lo mismo pero no es igual” (“Arbitration in consumer relations' and ‘consumer arbitration’. It is the same but not the same"). Published in: National Arbitration. Past, present and future. Tribute to Bernardo Cremades and Yves Derains. Peruvian Institute of Arbitration. Lima, 2013.

• Book edition: Ensayos de Derecho Contractual Financiero (Essays on Financial Contract Law). Edited by: Freddy Escobar Rozas and Cecilia O'Neill de la Fuente. Editorial Fund of Universidad del Pacífico. Lima, 2013. ISBN: 978-9972-57-266-1.

• Article: “Paternalismo jurídico y alimentación saludable” (“Legal paternalism and healthy eating”). Published in: Comida Chatarra, Estado y Mercado (Junk Food, State and Market). Edited by: Matilde Schwalb and Cynthia Sanborn. Editorial Fund of Universidad del Pacífico. Lima, 2013. ISBN: 978-9972-57-267-8.

• Article: “La Estrategia del Caracol. ¿Puede ser la propiedad injusta?” (“The Snail Strategy: Can ownership be unjust”). Published in: El Derecho va al Cine. Intersección entre la visión artística y la visión jurídica de los problemas sociales (Law goes to the movies. Intersection between the artistic vision and the legal vision of social problems). Editorial Fund of Universidad del Pacífico. Lima, 2013. ISBN 978-9972-57- 219-7.

• Book edition: El Derecho va al Cine. Intersección entre la visión artística y la visión jurídica de los problemas sociales (Law goes to the movies. Intersection between the artistic vision and the legal vision of social problems). Editorial Fund of Universidad del Pacífico. Lima, 2013. ISBN 978-9972- 57- 219-7.

• Book chapter: “Artículo 15°: Relaciones Jurídicas Estándares” (“Article 15°: Standard Legal Relationships”). Published in: Comentarios a la Ley Peruana de Arbitraje (Comments on the Peruvian Arbitration Law). Peruvian Institute of Arbitration, Lima, 2011. ISBN: 978-612-45951-0- 3.

• Article: “Asociaciones Público-Privadas: lo bueno, lo malo y lo feo” (“Public-Private Partnerships: the good, the bad and the ugly"). Published in Revista de Regulación en Infraestructura de Transporte, edited by OSITRAN, N° 3. Lima, 2009.

• Article: “De las Privatizaciones a las Asociaciones Público Privadas” (“From Privatizations to Public Private Partnerships”). Published in Ius et Veritas, Magazine edited by PUCP Law students, No. 37. Lima, 2008.

• Article: “No hay cláusulas abusivas sino mal informadas (o no leídas). ¿Hasta dónde regular la contratación en masa?” (“There are no abusive clauses but misinformed (or not read) clauses: How far should mass contracting be regulated?”). Published in Libro Homenaje a Felipe Osterling (three volumes), edited by Palestra. Lima, 2008. ISBN: 978-9972-224-92-8.

• Article: “El cielo de los conceptos jurídicos versus la solución a los problemas prácticos. A propósito de la doctrina de los actos propios” ("The sky of legal concepts versus the solution to practical problems. A propósito de la doctrina de los actos propios"). Published in THEMIS, Magazine edited by PUCP Law students, N° 51. Lima, 2005.

Personal

Reading, diving, travelling, playing the piano.

Languages Spoken

Spanish. Native.

English. Advanced.

Italian. Advanced

Industry Sector Expertise

CONTRACTUAL / CORPORATE

Advised on shareholders’ agreements across sectors including real estate, agribusiness, energy, education, and media. Participated in M&A transactions, including share transfers and asset sales. Experience includes contracts for the operation of airports, shopping centers, warehouses, and industrial infrastructure; service and supply agreements for the fishing, fuel, and construction industries; broadcasting rights assignments; confidentiality agreements; joint ventures; and maritime transport contracts.

GAS, OIL AND ENERGY

Advised on matters before the Economic Operation Committee (COES) involving energy generation, transmission, and pricing in the Peruvian electricity system. Experience with hydrocarbon exploration and exploitation agreements, electricity transmission contracts, LPG service verification, and asset administration agreements related to terminated concessions.

REGULATION AND PPPs

Participated in concession contracts across various sectors, including telecommunications (Telefónica, Azteca), transport infrastructure (Metro de Lima, Line 1 and 2, Inter-Oceanic Road, airport infrastructure), and energy (electricity transmission). Experience includes service level negotiations and regulatory compliance.

CONSTRUCTION

Advised on road and hydroelectric construction contracts, including extensions of term and recognition of additional costs.

OTHER MATTERS

Experience with consulting contracts for feasibility studies, maintenance service agreements for water utilities, and security service provision for public entities.

Work Highlights

Analysis of (e.g.):

Shareholder’s agreement regarding an investment in real estate assets in Madrid (ICC International Court of Arbitration).

Contract for the construction of railway transport infrastructure (Arbitration Center of Mexico).

Concession agreement for the provision of telephone service (Arbitration Center of the Lima Chamber of Commerce).

Expert in these Jurisdictions

Peru, Spain, Mexico, France.

Education