Mark A. Cymrot

Partner

Washington, D.C.
T +1.202.861.1677
F +1.202.861.1783

"He is an excellent counsellor and adviser, and not only will he make arguments that make perfect sense, but he is also not afraid to advise clients to do the hard thing."

— Chambers Global 2022

Overview

Mark Cymrot is a first-chair attorney who handles complex international and commercial arbitration and litigation, and is a member of esteemed international arbitration panels. Mark leads BakerHostetler's International Arbitration and Litigation team, which Chambers Global ranks as Band 1, Highly Regarded, and co-leads the Global Fraud and International Asset Tracing and Recovery team, which has been recognized by Legal 500 and Who’s Who Legal.

He is an adviser at the American Law Institute, Restatement (Fourth) of Foreign Relations Law; and a member of the Advisory Board to the President, CPR International Institute for Conflict Prevention and Resolution. Mark is the author of Squeezing Silver: Peru’s Trial Against Nelson Bunker Hunt, and he has published more than 30 articles on litigation and arbitration issues, such as "Going First Makes A Difference: Decision-Making Dynamics in Arbitration" (Transnational Disputes Management, Oct. 2014), "Cross-Examination in International Arbitration" (Disputes Resolution Journal, 2007), and "Barricades at the IMF: Creating a Municipal Bankruptcy Code for Foreign States" (The International Lawyer, 2002).

Mark was Special Litigation Counsel in the Civil Division of the Justice Department. He is ranked in Chambers Global and The Best Lawyers in America® (International Arbitration – Commercial and Governmental) and is listed in Who's Who in America.

Select Experience

Arbitration
  • Served as chair or neutral on arbitration panels in a trademark dispute between a U.S. franchisor and Australian franchisee, a credit insurance dispute between a German bank and U.S. insurer, contract disputes between a Japanese company and a Latin government, an expedited settlement dispute between British and American defense contractors, an inventory dispute between a major private equity fund and a Swedish trucking company, a fee dispute between a U.S. law firm and a Saudi client, and between a major U.S. defense contractor and its Slovak local representative, among others.
  • Serving as counsel, arbitrated a dispute between a London private equity fund and U.S. placement agent, a corn sales contract dispute between a UAE buyer and an Argentinian supplier, franchise disputes by Singapore and Ecuador franchisees against a major payment card issuer, a shipping dispute for cargo transported between Russia and China, a securities dispute for a market maker against a brokerage firm, and a London reinsurance dispute arising from a plane crash in Peru.
Commercial and Financial Lawsuits
  • Served as worldwide lead counsel to the Republic of Peru in $10 billion in lawsuits in eight countries brought by major international banks seeking repayment of sovereign debt and obtained unprecedented decisions regarding the restructuring of sovereign loans.
  • Tried and won a $197 million jury verdict against a Texas billionaire and others for an international conspiracy among major brokerage houses, a Swiss bank and individual investors to manipulate silver prices.*

* Does not guarantee similar results in comparable matters.

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Experience

Arbitration
  • Served as chair or neutral on arbitration panels in a trademark dispute between a U.S. franchisor and Australian franchisee, a credit insurance dispute between a German bank and U.S. insurer, contract disputes between a Japanese company and a Latin government, an expedited settlement dispute between British and American defense contractors, an inventory dispute between a major private equity fund and a Swedish trucking company, a fee dispute between a U.S. law firm and a Saudi client, and between a major U.S. defense contractor and its Slovak local representative, among others.
  • Serving as counsel, arbitrated a dispute between a London private equity fund and U.S. placement agent, a corn sales contract dispute between a UAE buyer and an Argentinian supplier, franchise disputes by Singapore and Ecuador franchisees against a major payment card issuer, a shipping dispute for cargo transported between Russia and China, a securities dispute for a market maker against a brokerage firm, and a London reinsurance dispute arising from a plane crash in Peru.
  • In investor-state arbitrations, represented the Republic of Peru in an ICSID arbitration arising from a claim of denial of justice, and a Canadian lumber company in a NAFTA claim against the United States arising from allegedly discriminatory trade restrictions.
  • Litigated arbitral confirmation proceedings, challenges to arbitral award, challenges to the composition of an arbitral tribunal and enforcement proceedings.
  • Extensive experience tracing and recovering property and funds worldwide to satisfy arbitral awards.
Commercial and Financial Lawsuits
  • Served as worldwide lead counsel to the Republic of Peru in $10 billion in lawsuits in eight countries brought by major international banks seeking repayment of sovereign debt and obtained unprecedented decisions regarding the restructuring of sovereign loans.
  • Tried and won a $197 million jury verdict against a Texas billionaire and others for an international conspiracy among major brokerage houses, a Swiss bank and individual investors to manipulate silver prices.*
  • Defeated $37 million fraud and breach of fiduciary duty claims and won counterclaims in a jury trial brought by Brunei's sovereign wealth fund and a Bruneian prince.*
  • Defended the Fulton Fish Market Cooperative in a trial seeking to halt the market's historic move from Manhattan to the Bronx.
  • In lawsuits raising sovereign and international organizations immunities issues, defended the International Monetary Fund and World Bank, High Representative of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Republic of Peru and Italian Consulate.
  • Recovered more than $11 million from a major U.S. bank that allegedly abetted an embezzlement and $11 million from a major telecommunications company on a fraud claim.*
  • Represented Puerto Rico's largest newspaper in a civil rights lawsuit against the governor for attempting to suppress free speech and obtained summary judgment in an antitrust suit alleging the newspaper was monopolizing the print market by printing advertising inserts.

* Does not guarantee similar results in comparable matters.

Recognitions and Memberships

Recognitions

  • Chambers Global
    • International Arbitration (USA) (2014 to 2018, 2020)
    • International Arbitrator: Band 2 (2021 to 2023), Band 1 (2020), Band 5 (2014 to 2018)
    • International Arbitration: Counsel (USA) (2022 to 2023) - Band 6
  • Chambers USA: Nationwide International Arbitration (2013 to 2023)
    • Arbitrator: Band 6 (2021), Band 3 (2020), Band 2 (2022 to 2023), Band 1 (2019), Recognized Practitioner (2018), Band 5 (2013 to 2017)
    • Counsel: Band 6 (2021 to 2023)
    • Enforcement: Band 1 (2023), Spotlight Table (2021 to 2022)
  • The Legal 500 United States (2017 to 2021)
    • Recommended in Dispute Resolution - International Arbitration (2017 to 2022)
    • Recommended in Dispute Resolution - International Litigation (2017 to 2022)
  • The Best Lawyers in America® (2010 to Present)
    • Washington, D.C.: International Arbitration – Commercial
    • Washington, D.C.: International Arbitration – Governmental
  • Martindale-Hubbell: AV Preeminent (1998 to 2023)
  • Who's Who Legal 100 (Asset Recovery)
  • Who's Who in America
  • Who's Who in American Law
  • Washington, D.C. "Super Lawyer" (2010 to 2023)

News

News

Press Releases

Admissions

  • U.S. Supreme Court, 1977
  • U.S. Court of Appeals, Second Circuit, 1996
  • U.S. Court of Appeals, District of Columbia Circuit, 1973
  • New York, 2000
  • District of Columbia, 1973

Education

  • J.D., Columbia University School of Law, 1972
  • B.A., The George Washington University, 1969