New York has welcomed a new player to its international arbitration and disputes landscape: Sagiance LLP, a boutique law firm founded by Lucila (“Luli”) Hemmingsen, a former partner at King & Spalding, and Ezequiel Vetulli, formerly of Freshfields. The firm has a strategic focus on the prevention and resolution of cross-border disputes, particularly those involving Latin America.
Sagiance was established against a backdrop of increasingly sophisticated international investment and growing demand for highly specialised advice delivered through more agile models aligned with clients’ commercial objectives. From its New York headquarters, the firm aims to combine technical excellence with close, considered and strategic counsel.
Its practice spans the full lifecycle of international disputes and cross-border investments. At the preventive stage, the firm advises on the structuring and restructuring of investments to maximise protection under international treaties, as well as on early-stage risk management in corporate transactions. When disputes escalate, it represents clients in complex commercial and investor–state arbitrations before leading arbitral institutions.
Sagiance also represents clients before the New York courts in matters related to international arbitration, including the enforcement and setting aside of awards. In addition, it acts as strategic adviser in litigation across Latin America and other civil law jurisdictions, coordinating with local firms to ensure coherent strategies aligned with clients’ global interests.
According to its founders, the firm was created out of a conviction that legal practice should evolve towards a less standardised and more strategically integrated model. Its boutique structure enables direct partner involvement in every matter, facilitating agile responses and tailored solutions.
With its launch, New York gains a new arbitration-focused firm seeking to build bridges between the United States and Latin America, with a practice oriented towards anticipating disputes and generating long-term value.
