Esteban Leccese is an experienced litigator and international arbitration lawyer admitted to practice in both civil-law and common-law jurisdictions. His practice encompasses complex commercial litigation and international disputes, with experience representing clients in U.S. state and federal courts as well as before international arbitration tribunals.

Esteban’s practice includes a broad range of U.S. business litigation, representing clients in disputes involving breach of fiduciary duty, fraud, breach of contract, and other complex commercial claims. His litigation experience includes high-stakes matters involving sophisticated business and financial transactions with cross-border issues.

Esteban also has extensive experience in international commercial and investment arbitration. He has represented clients in matters under the rules of major international arbitration institutions, including the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID) and the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC), as well as ad hoc arbitrations under the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL) Arbitration Rules.

His matters have involved a broad range of industries, including energy, oil and gas, mining, airlines, construction and infrastructure, and disputes governed by the laws of multiple jurisdictions. His international background is particularly valuable in disputes involving proceedings, parties, evidence, and business interests spanning multiple countries.

Prior to joining Ajamie LLP, Esteban practiced with two leading Argentine law firms in Buenos Aires and an international law firm in Houston and London. A native Spanish speaker, he is fluent in English and Italian and has a working knowledge of French.

Representative Matters

• Represented an Ecuadorian engineering services company in multiple cross-border disputes arising from energy refinery projects in Ecuador, including an UNCITRAL arbitration seated in Santiago, Chile, resulting in a complete victory and an award exceeding $13 million plus interest and attorneys’ fees; related proceedings in the Chilean courts; and a separate multimillion-dollar arbitration in Ecuador under the Quito Chamber of Commerce rules.
• Currently representing an attorney and his law firm in complex Texas state-court litigation involving breach of fiduciary duty, fraud, breach of contract, and other business tort claims arising from international financial and business transactions, with discovery and evidence spanning multiple foreign jurisdictions.
• Represented a leading automotive components manufacturer in breach-of-contract litigation involving proceedings in federal court in Michigan and state court in Ohio.
• Advised a luxury fashion company in connection with antitrust government investigations.
• Represented U.S. and foreign investors in ICSID and UNCITRAL arbitrations against Latin American states arising from investments in the energy sector, the aviation industry, and major infrastructure projects.
• Represented clients in international commercial disputes involving construction and infrastructure projects.
• Advised investors regarding protections available under bilateral investment treaties and potential investment arbitration claims.
• Successfully represented pro bono clients in Texas state-court proceedings and before immigration courts.

Academic Experience

• Assistant Professor of Contract Law at the National University of Tucumán Law School, Tucumán, Argentina
• Assistant Professor of Civil and Commercial Contracts at Austral University Law School, Buenos Aires, Argentina

Memberships & Community

• American Bar Association
• State Bar of Texas
• Houston Bar Association
• Argentine Committee for National and Transnational Arbitration, Buenos Aires, Argentina

Foreign Languages

• Spanish
• Italian
• French