Background
Javier Rubinstein was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina. He emigrated to the U.S. as a child, and was raised in the United States in a Spanish-speaking home. He is natively fluent in Spanish and English. Mr. Rubinstein earned his bachelor's degree in political science and economics, with high honors, from the University of Michigan. He completed a master’s degree in public policy in international economics from Harvard University's John F. Kennedy School. Mr. Rubinstein received his law degree, cum laude, from the Georgetown University Law Center. Since 1996, Mr. Rubinstein has continued his academic career as a Lecturer at the University of Chicago Law School, where he teaches international commercial and investment treaty arbitration, and previously has taught courses in global risk management and advocacy before the U.S. Supreme Court.
Throughout his 35-year career, Mr. Rubinstein has been dedicated to international dispute resolution. In 1994, he established the international arbitration practice group at Mayer Brown LLP, and later co-led the litigation practice in the Chicago office. His international arbitration practice has covered a diverse array of sectors and subject matters, including energy, telecommunications, mining, engineering, manufacturing and distribution, joint ventures, life sciences, taxation and accounting disputes.
Mr. Rubinstein’s investment treaty arbitration practice involved the representation of both investors and states. Mr. Rubinstein defended the Argentine Republic in a number of investment treaty arbitrations, including arbitrations arising from the financial crisis that Argentina suffered in 2001. Mr. Rubinstein also has represented investors in disputes in all regions of the world, including Latin America, North America, Europe, the Middle East and Asia. In addition to his international arbitration practice, Mr. Rubinstein also has handled complex commercial litigation matters before the U.S. courts, including jury trials, appeals in state and federal courts, and two cases argued at the U.S. Supreme Court.
From 2006 to 2016, Mr. Rubinstein served as the Vice Chair, Global General Counsel and Chief Risk Officer of PricewaterhouseCoopers International, leading the Office of General Counsel and risk management functions with more than 1,000 professionals across the PwC network in 157 countries. In his roles at PwC, Mr. Rubinstein participated in the resolution of legal, regulatory and commercial disputes all over the world. He also was responsible for a diverse range of legal and commercial issues, including governance, risk management, ethics and business conduct, legal and regulatory compliance, M&A transactions, and cybersecurity.
In 2016, Mr. Rubinstein returned to international arbitration practice, joining Kirkland & Ellis LLP as a partner to lead the international arbitration practice in the U.S. In 2020, he joined the international arbitration practice group at King & Spalding LLP.
In addition to his roles as external counsel and general counsel, Mr. Rubinstein has served as international arbitrator, both as party-appointed arbitrator and sole arbitrator, in connection with disputes involving various sectors, including energy, manufacturing, cross-border investments, accounting, telecommunications and international development. He has served as arbitrator in both the Spanish and English languages.
As arbitrator, Mr. Rubinstein has an appreciation of the differing commercial, legal, political and economic dynamics in jurisdictions around the world, including experience in the application of both common and civil law. His experience as a global general counsel and chief risk officer also enables Mr. Rubinstein to understand the commercial dynamics of cross-border disputes.