María Angélica Burgos
Biography
María Angélica Burgos is a partner at Baker McKenzie. She focuses her practice of more than 17 years in international arbitration, domestic arbitration and international investment law.
María Angélica has acted as counsel, arbitrator and tribunal secretary in complex international arbitrations, seated in Latin America, New York and Spain, decided under the laws of Colombia, Spain, Mexico, Peru, Brazil and CISG. María Angélica has experience both in ad hoc and institutional arbitrations administered under the rules of the ICC, ICSID, UNCITRAL, CIAM-CIAR, Center of Arbitration and Conciliation of Bogota, Centre of Arbitration of Medellin, the Court of Arbitration of Madrid, the Spanish Arbitration Court and AmCham Peru.
María Angélica has experience in disputes related to construction and infrastructure projects, distribution and commercial agency relationships, corporate and M&A disputes, telecommunications, international sales and insurance, as well as international investment disputes. She has advised companies and States on the content and application of international investment agreements and in international investment disputes. She has provided legal counsel and on matters of public international law, jurisdictional immunities and business and human rights.
María Angélica is an arbitrator in the rosters of the International Arbitration Center of AmCham (Peru) and in the domestic and international roster of the Cámara de Comercio de Medellín para Antioquia, Centro Conciliación, Arbitraje y Amigable Composición.
María Angélica was a senior associate at Baker McKenzie from 2019 until 2023, and returned to the Firm in 2025, after two years of independent practice in international dispute resolution. Prior to joining the Firm, she worked as an attorney in the dispute resolution teams of two other law firms, as advisor to the government of Colombia, and as trainee at the International Court of Justice.
María Angélica has also taught on international law, arbitration and business and human rights at Colombian universities and is often a speaker at international conferences.
Maria Angélica has been recognized as Recommended in Arbitration by Lexology (formerly Who’s Who) in 2025, where peers and clients have distinguished her as “a great legal mind,” having a “great ability to thrive in a multicultural legal environment.” This publication ranked María Angélica as a Global Elite Thought Leader in 2023 and as Future Leader in Arbitration (2019 to 2024).
Practice Focus
María Angélica’s practice focuses on the settlement of international disputes related to construction and infrastructure projects, distribution and commercial agency relationships, corporate and shareholders disputes, telecommunications, insurance, M&A disputes and international investment disputes. She has been involved in arbitrations seated in Latin America, New York and Madrid, decided under the laws of Colombia, Spain, Mexico, Peru, Brazil and CISG.
She has also represented clients in proceedings of recognition and enforcement and annulment of awards before the Colombian Supreme Court of Justice and provided legal counsel on matters of public international law, jurisdictional immunities and business and human rights.
Representative Legal Matters
As arbitrator:
- Sole arbitrator in a commercial arbitration concerning the execution of a supply contract under the rules of the Center for Conciliation, Arbitration, and Amicable Composition of the Chamber of Commerce of Medellín for Antioquia, Colombia.
- Sole arbitrator in a commercial arbitration under ICC rules concerning a supply contract, seated in São Paulo-SP, Brazil, and the language is English.
- Sole arbitrator in a commercial arbitration under CIAM-CIAR rules concerning a sales contract. The seat of arbitration is Madrid, Spain, the applicable law is Spanish, and the language is Spanish.
As administrative secretary:
- Administrative secretary of an arbitral tribunal constituted under ICC rules to resolve a dispute in the telecommunications sector. The seat of arbitration is Mexico City, the applicable law is Mexican, and the language is Spanish.
- Administrative secretary of an arbitral tribunal in an arbitration under the rules of the Madrid Court of Arbitration to resolve a dispute in the construction sector. The seat of arbitration is Madrid, Spain, the applicable law is Spanish, and the language is Spanish.
- Administrative secretary of an arbitral tribunal constituted under ICC rules to resolve a dispute arising from a collaboration agreement for infrastructure development. The seat of arbitration is Madrid, Spain, the applicable law is Spanish, and the language is Spanish.
As counsel and advisor
- Advised a Colombian company in an international arbitration under the rules of the Center for Conciliation and Arbitration of the Chamber of Commerce of Bogotá concerning a contractual claim against a Chilean company.
- Represented a Colombian company and an individual in a domestic arbitration under the rules of the Center for Conciliation and Arbitration of the CCB concerning a contractual claim.
- Represented a Colombian company in an international arbitration concerning the construction of underground infrastructure. The arbitration was seated in Medellín, Colombia, the applicable law was Colombian, and it was conducted under ICC rules.
- Represented a Colombian company in an international arbitration concerning the construction of infrastructure for public services. The arbitration was seated in New York, USA, under Colombian law, and conducted under ICC rules.
- Represented a Spanish company in an ICC arbitration seated in Bogotá, Colombia, concerning a dispute related to the exercise of rights provided in a joint venture contract for infrastructure development.
- Represented a Colombian company in an ICC arbitration seated in Bogotá, Colombia, concerning a dispute related to the exercise of rights provided in a share purchase agreement.
Professional Honors
- Recognized by the Lexology Index Report (formerly Who’s Who Legal) as Recommended (2025), as a Future Leader in Arbitration (2019-2024), and as a Global Elite Thought Leader in 2023
- Recognized as Best Lawyers-Arbitration 2020-2023.
Professional Associations and Memberships
- ICC Young Arbitration and ADR Forum Representative for Latin America (2024-2026)
- Delegate for Colombia to the ICC Global Commission on Arbitration and ADR (2024-2027)
- International Bar Association - Member of the Steering Committee of the Arb40 Subcommittee of the Arbitration Committee (2018-2022) and the Business and Human Rights Committee (2018-2024)
- Convenor of the DELOS Remote Oral Advocacy Program – Latin America (2023-2025)
- Co-Chair of the Young Group of Women Way in Arbitration
- Member of the Latin American Arbitration Association - ALARB
- Member of the of the Executive Committee of the Rising Arbitrators Initiative
- Member of the Colombian Academy of International Law (ACCOLDI)
- Member of the Spanish and Ibero-American Arbitration Club
Admissions
- Colombia~Colombia (2008)
Education
- ICC Advanced Arbitration Academy for Latin America (Participant) (2018)
- New York University School of Law (LL.M. International Business Regulation, Litigation and Arbitration) (2011)
- Pontificia Universidad Javeriana (Lawyer) (2008)
- University of Notre Dame (Advanced Studies in Political, Economic, and Social Sciences, magna cum laude) (2006)
Languages
- English
- French
- Spanish