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Emilio Berrizbeitia Aristeguieta

Lawyer · PhD in History

I

Law

More than forty years of practice, from the courts to the international human rights system.

He graduated in law from the Universidad Católica Andrés Bello in 1979 and holds a postgraduate specialization in civil procedure from the same university. His practice has covered litigation, corporate law and human rights. He was a founding partner of the international law firm Ruden McClosky in Caracas and has advised the boards of companies in banking, insurance and reinsurance, construction, mining, shipping and tourism.

Areas of practice

Boards and corporate governance

  1. 2011 – present

    Board secretary and general counsel

    Inversiones Ban Sai · Dominican Republic

    Mining investment; managed more than fifty local cases and relations with shareholders and investors.

  2. 2005 – 2008

    Member of the board of directors

    Bolívar Banco · Venezuela

  3. 2003 – 2009

    Legal counsel to the board

    Münchener de Venezuela (Munich Re) and Miller International Latin America · Venezuela

    Reinsurance and loss adjustment in Colombia, Mexico, El Salvador, Panama and Venezuela.

  4. [Dates to be confirmed]

    [Role to be confirmed]

    Venezuelan-American Chamber of Commerce (Venamcham) · Venezuela

  5. [Dates to be confirmed]

    [Role to be confirmed]

    Venezuelan Association of Insurance Law · Venezuela

Human rights defense

He coordinated the criminal defense of the banker Eligio Cedeño and later led, from abroad, the defense of Judge María Lourdes Afiuni before international human rights bodies, work that contributed to substantial changes in the detention measures imposed on her.

Both cases became international reference points on judicial independence in Venezuela. They turned his practice toward human rights and led him to settle in Santo Domingo.

[To be expanded: bodies before which he acted, decisions obtained, public references.]

Professional practice

  1. 2022 – present

    Legal counsel and legal representative

    Knauf International · Dominican Republic

    Formerly country manager. Mining concession, environmental permits and government relations for the German building-materials group.

  2. 2010 – 2014

    Associate legal adviser

    Baker Tilly · Dominican Republic

  3. 2007 – 2012

    Human rights lawyer

    JR Berrizbeitia, Berrizbeitia & Trujillo · Venezuela

    Representation in human rights cases, working with international human rights bodies.

  4. 2002 – 2007

    Founding partner

    Ruden McClosky · Caracas

    International law firm. Civil, procedural and commercial law.

  5. 1996 – present

    Co-founder, general and legal counsel

    Fundación ServYr – Turimiquire · Venezuela

    Non-profit. Reproductive health and rural development programs that have served more than 100,000 women.

  6. 1983 – 2001

    Lawyer in commercial, civil and procedural law

    Berrizbeitia & Asociados · Venezuela

  7. 1980 – 1983

    Liability insurance specialist

    Munich Re Group · Germany, Spain and Mexico

    Regional representation for Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Chile and Bolivia.

  8. 1978 – 1980

    [Role to be confirmed]

    García, Herrera, Melo & Berrizbeitia · Venezuela

Legal education

  1. 1989 – 1991

    Postgraduate specialization in Civil Procedure

    Universidad Católica Andrés Bello

  2. 1974 – 1979

    Law degree (Abogado)

    Universidad Católica Andrés Bello

Teaching and public service

Legal thought

Essays on the rule of law, judicial independence and due process, and on what Venezuelan constitutional history teaches today’s public law.

Legal publications