Overview
Cecilia Ibarra-van Oostenrijk is Senior Counsel in McKool Smith's Houston office. She focuses her practice on international disputes and investigations, with an emphasis on energy industry matters. Prior to joining the firm, she was the Regional Compliance Officer for North America operations and Senior Legal and Compliance Counsel for Mexico operations with TechnipFMC, a leading energy services company. In her roles with TechnipFMC, Cecilia led internal investigations, managed an international litigation docket and outside counsel in Latin America, negotiated settlement agreements, developed and presented anti-corruption training to employees in both English and Spanish, and routinely offered guidance on anti-bribery and corruption, trade controls, anti-fraud, money laundering, human rights, antitrust, and other high risk compliance areas.
Cecilia acquired extensive international disputes and investigations experience while previously working with an international law firm on matters including cross-border disputes, commercial and investor-treaty arbitrations, and internal and government investigations that involved operations in North America, Latin America, the Caribbean, Europe, Africa, Russia, the Middle East and Asia.
Prior to moving to Houston, Cecilia practiced for nine years in Mexico including with a former international law firm and as in-house counsel in charge of international matters. During that time, Cecilia gained substantive experience in international M&A, joint ventures, contracts, antitrust, international trade, and internal investigations.
Due to her long-standing international practice in the Latin America region, Cecilia has an extensive network of relationships in the legal and business industries throughout the region.
She is a native Spanish speaker and is conversant in French.
Affiliations
Community & Professional Activities
- Houston Bar Association (HBA), International Section, member
- American Bar Association (ABA), International Section, member
- International Bar Association (IBA), member
- Association of International Petroleum Negotiators (AIPN), member
- Law Professor, “Introduction to the Law” course, ITESM, Monterrey, Mexico; 1994-1995.
- Houston Bar Association, International Law Section, member and past Council member 2005-2008 and 2008- 2011, past Chair 2007-2008
Media & Events
News
Speaking Engagements
Articles
Publications
- Co-Author, “Mexican Energy Reform Approved”, Fulbright Alert – Latin America, October 2008
- Co-Author, “CANACO issues new Arbitration rules,” Fulbright & Jaworski L.L.P.'s 2008 International Arbitration Report, May 2008
- Co-Author, “Private Entities Now Allowed to Participate in Gas Development Projects,” Fulbright & Jaworski L.L.P.'s Latin America Update, June 2006
- Co-Author, “President Bush Signs CAFTA,” Fulbright & Jaworski L.L.P.'s Latin America Update, August 2005
Education
LL.M, University of Houston Law Center, 2005.
Law Degree, Instituto Tecnológico y de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey, 1992.
Court Admissions
- Mexico