Edgar Neira

Practice Areas

Specialist in Litigation and Arbitration

Administrative and Administrative-Contentious Law

Tax Law and Contentious Tax Law

Career

Doctor of Jurisprudence and Attorney, graduated from the Pontificia Universidad Católica del Ecuador, Quito. Master’s in Administrative Law from the Universidad San Francisco de Quito.

Individual practice since 1993 and partner of the Firm since 2005.

Professional Memberships

Arbiter for the Chamber of Commerce of Quito, Arbiter for the Arbitration Center of the Ecuadorian-American Chamber of Commerce AMCHAM Quito, and Arbiter for the Arbitration Center of the Chambers of Production of Azuay.

Professor of “Administrative Procedural Law” in the Administrative Law Master’s Program (post-grad) of the Universidad San Francisco and guest professor for seminars and courses on Administrative Law and Arbitration in law schools of different universities around the country.

Member of the Legal Commission of the Arbitration and Mediation Center of the Chamber of Commerce of Quito.

Alternate director of the Ecuadorian Arbitration Institute and member of the Spanish Arbitration Club.

Publications

Book "La Jurisdicción Contencioso Administrativa"

Clients

In the realm of arbitration, we've provided long-term counsel to two key economic sectors: construction and civil infrastructure, and the oil industry. Our work spans the oil industry's various stages: upstream (oil and gas exploration and exploitation), midstream (transportation and shipment of oil), and downstream activities, encompassing both administrative claims and arbitration processes, as well as contentious administrative trials.

Recently, over the last two years, we've expanded our services to include representing insurance companies in major claims.

Industry Sector Expertise

Our approach to arbitrations involves taking on challenging cases, devising defense strategies, gathering documentary evidence, witness testimonies, and expert opinions, and preparing claim documents. We meticulously analyze expert opinions, prepare for interrogations and cross-examinations, and present cases before arbitral tribunals. Moreover, we've successfully defended against award challenge processes through annulment actions, consistently securing favorable outcomes for our clients.

In administrative claim procedures, we provide comprehensive advice, encompassing both the administrative and subsequent judicial stages. Similar to our work in arbitrations, we gather various types of evidence—documents, witness statements, and expert insights. We organize and evaluate this evidence, develop defense strategies, and prepare for interrogations and cross-examinations. Our involvement continues through hearings until we achieve verdicts and ensure compliance with judicial rulings in favor of our clients, including executing judicial processes when necessary.