Margarita Arango is a Colombian attorney specializing in international arbitration and public international law, with a practice that bridges Latin America and the United States. In 2025, she joined the international arbitration team at Hughes Hubbard & Reed LLP in Washington, D.C., where she represents states, investors, and corporations in cross-border disputes. Before moving to the U.S., she worked in Colombia on public international law and human rights matters, experiences that continue to inform her global perspective on dispute resolution.
Margarita earned her LL.M. from American University Washington College of Law in 2024, concentrating on international arbitration and business law. During her studies, she distinguished herself through academic research and practical engagement in arbitration, contributing to projects and initiatives that explored how law can advance accountability, development, and reform.
In addition to her practice, Margarita is the co-host of The Advocate Next Door, a bilingual podcast that amplifies the voices of legal advocates worldwide. Through candid, unscripted interviews, she and her co-host explore the motivations, challenges, and lessons behind advocacy, with a focus on human rights and international law. The podcast reflects Margarita’s broader commitment to storytelling as a form of advocacy, highlighting how individual journeys can inspire systemic change.
Margarita has also contributed to the academic debate on international investment law. Her article, “Addressing Fears and Pet Peeves of Investment Treaty Arbitration” (ITA in Review, Vol. 6, Issue 3), examines long-standing critiques of investor-state dispute settlement (ISDS) and proposes treaty-based reforms to better balance state sovereignty with investor protections. Her work adds an important voice to the ongoing global conversation about reshaping legal frameworks to address pressing issues such as environmental protection, human rights, and equitable development.
Fluent in Spanish and English, Margarita brings a multicultural lens to her practice and teaching, believing that diversity of thought and experience strengthens the international legal community. She is passionate about mentoring younger lawyers, building bridges across borders, and using law as a tool for fairness and social progress.
