Dacord · International Arbitration & ADR · Pilar Prados

International Arbitration & ADR

Independent arbitrator and mediator in technology and post-M&A disputes, particularly in the Spanish and Portuguese speaking markets across Iberia and Latin America.

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Trained at top-tier law firms and elite universities
About me

I believe resolving disputes is about more than reaching an outcome. It's about the people, ideas and interests fighting to be understood along the way.

I'm Pilar Prados, a Spanish-qualified lawyer with over 15 years of experience. I have seen disputes from every side: as counsel in international arbitrations at Cuatrecasas and Chaffetz Lindsey, as a negotiator of cross-border M&A deals in Brazil for European investors, and as a co-founder of technology and AI companies. That combination, lived across Spain, Brazil and the United States, has taught me something no set of rules spells out: there is almost never a legal conflict without a business behind it that explains it.

That is how I work. I understand the business behind the contract, I run proceedings efficiently, and I listen before I decide.

I created Dacord around a simple belief: even in the most complex conflicts, there is always a way to build bridges, create understanding and move forward.

Pilar Prados

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Services

Ways I can help
resolve your dispute efficiently.

Arbitrator

I accept appointments as sole arbitrator, co-arbitrator or chair in domestic and international commercial disputes.

Mediator

I act as mediator in commercial disputes, helping the parties find practical and long-lasting solutions.

Other ADR services

I provide independent expertise as tribunal secretary, legal expert or consultant, alongside negotiation training.

Sectors

Types of dispute
by sector.

Technology, software and AI

  • System development and implementation

    Disputes arising from contractual breaches in the delivery, deployment and integration of complex software, turnkey projects, and cloud computing infrastructure services contracts.

  • SaaS models and intellectual property

    Disputes over ownership of source code, technology licenses, trade secrets, patent infringement, and the performance of corporate SaaS contracts.

  • Artificial Intelligence and data

    Disputes over the training and procurement of AI systems, algorithmic governance, ownership of databases, privacy, and cybersecurity breaches.

Finance, corporate and M&A

  • Post-M&A and investment disputes

    Disputes arising from corporate transactions, breaches of representations and warranties, price adjustment mechanisms, earn-out clauses, and disputes involving private equity and venture capital funds.

  • Corporate governance and alliances

    Conflicts arising from shareholders’ agreements, cross-border joint venture agreements, the exclusion of shareholders, and disputes with minority shareholders.

  • Finance and insurance

    Disputes concerning corporate financing contracts, derivative financial instruments, directors and officers (D&O) liability insurance coverage, and M&A warranty and indemnity (W&I) policies.

Energy, construction and infrastructure

  • Infrastructure and complex engineering

    Disputes arising from EPC contracts, delay, cost overruns, variations, liability for design failures, and the construction of digital infrastructure and data centers.

  • Energy transition and renewables

    Disputes over the development of generation plants, battery energy storage systems, operation and maintenance (O&M) contracts, and the interpretation of long-term power purchase agreements (PPAs).

  • Transactions, regulation and financing

    Disputes in energy asset sales (M&A), environmental liabilities, mining, regulated power markets and project finance structures.

Experience at a glance

A global perspective.
A hands-on approach.

My experience spans leading international law firms in Madrid, São Paulo and New York, cross-border transactions and complex arbitrations, as well as the technology sector, giving me a singular perspective on today’s commercial disputes.

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  1. International Arbitration

    Case experience under ICC, ICDR-AAA, UNCITRAL and CAM rules. Energy, natural resources, construction, finance and M&A.

  2. Cross-border Transactions

    SPAs, shareholders’ agreements, joint ventures in Europe and Latin America.

  3. Technology and AI

    Co-founder of a legaltech software and an AI development studio.

  4. Education and Professional Affiliations

    Columbia Law School LL.M., FGV São Paulo. IEB Madrid. Member, IBA Arbitration Committee. Member of the Madrid Bar (ICAM). Registered Mediator, Spanish Ministry of Justice. Lecturer in LegalTech.

  5. Multilingual

    Native Spanish and bilingual Portuguese and English.

Let's build a way forward

International expertise.
Independent service.

Resolving complex cross-border disputes with the foresight of a dealmaker and the precision of a builder.

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