HI!
My name is Mallory Silberman. I’m a real, live Unicorn (it’s true: first edition). But friends, I’m not here to suggest that you appoint me as an arbitrator, or to compete for your clients. Instead, I’d like to offer my help. To be a resource. A sounding board. An external, freelance colleague. That person who has the bandwidth to say yes when you need practical guidance, advocacy advice, or a sense check.
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From what you tell me, there’s a need for these services. So, here’s my CV. Let’s see if I can help.
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CURRICULUM
VITAE
LAW FIRM
EXPERIENCE
ARNOLD & PORTER:
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Equity Partner (Feb. 2018-Apr. 2023)
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Associate (Jan. 2010-Jan. 2018)
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Summer Associate (May-Aug. 2008)
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FIRM SERVICE: Management Committee (as associate representative) • Hiring Committee • New Associate Committee • Summer Associate Committee • Foreign Attorney Mentor • Committee of Associates (as vice-chair, DC office representative, and JD class representative)
INTLARB GROUP: Professional Development Partner (2022-23) • Co-Chair, Marketing Committee (2020) • Chair, Programming Committee for Group Retreat (2019)
CLIENT + PEER FEEDBACK
LEXOLOGY INDEX: In 2024, when vetting Prof. Mallory Silberman, one of the research team’s datapoints was the following comment: “One of the most impressive and outstanding people I’ve worked with.” This past year, the reviews were similar.
KEEP READING
Georgetown Law
PROFESSOR OF ADVOCACY
GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY LAW CENTER: Mallory Silberman became a member of the faculty in mid-2012 and typically teaches in the spring. In her course, students learn the fundamentals of advocacy from “one of the best advocates” in international arbitration . . . .
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As counsel, I handled casework on behalf of individuals, companies, national governments and State entities — helping clients from five continents in an array of matters under contracts, investment laws, and 45 different treaties. At issue were events that took place over a period of five decades, across a broad range of sectors (including banking + finance, energy, entertainment, food + drug, healthcare, mining, media, real estate, telecommunications, and transportation).
CASEWORK AS COUNSEL
CREDENTIALS
BAR ADMISSIONS
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District of Columbia (since 2010)
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Maryland (since 2009)
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EDUCATION
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University of North Carolina School of Law, JD with honors (2009)
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Syracuse University, BA magna cum laude (2006)
LANGUAGES
English (native) | Spanish (fluent) | Italian (highly proficient) | French (reading capabilities) | Common Law (fluent) | Civil Law (conversant)
SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS
(an overview)
TOPICS: arbitrator challenges • capacity building • career advice • communicating across generations • cost and duration of cases • damages • dissenting opinions • energy disputes • ICSID rules amendments • jurisdictional issues • model BITs • nationality objections • oral advocacy • procedural issues • recognition + enforcement • reform • remote hearings • strategic considerations • substantive standards • transparency • using PowerPoint • written advocacy
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VENUES: American Society of International Law • Ciarb Annual Conference • Columbia Law School • DC Bar Association • The George Washington University Law School • Georgetown Arbitration Month • Harvard Law School • ICCA Congress • ICC YAAF • ICDR Y&I • ITA Annual Workshop • Juris Investment Treaty Conference • KCAB • London International Disputes Week • Mute-Off Thursdays • Queen Mary University of London • Sciences Po • United Nations Commission on International Trade Law • Washington Arbitration Week
Spotlight on ISDS
PARTIES REPRESENTED
Claimants | Respondents | Investors (individuals + entities) | States (Bulgaria, Chile, Costa Rica, Czech Republic, Dominican Republic, Guatemala, Hungary, Kyrgyz Republic, Panama, Peru, Philippines, Slovak Republic, South Korea, Sweden, Thailand, Türkiye, and Venezuela)
RULES
Ad hoc | ICSID
ICSID AF | UNCITRAL
PROCEDURAL LANGUAGES
English only | Spanish only | English + Spanish | English + French | English, French + Spanish
TYPES OF CASE TEAM
small | medium | large
cross-office | cross-border
ROLES
lead counsel | day-to-day partner in charge | senior team member | lead associate | sole associate | first-chair | second-chair | mid-level | junior associate | part-time contributor | back-up assistance
SAMPLE
PHASES + TASKS
amicable consultations • initial case analysis • registration • objections to registration • development of case strategy, narrative, and work plan • coordination with client and co-counsel teams • interfacing with opposing counsel and third parties • arbitrator selection and challenges • case management conferences • expedited proceedings • summary dismissal • interim/provisional measures • collection of witness, expert, and documentary evidence • expert challenges • procedural correspondence • written submissions (jurisdiction, admissibility, merits, damages) • document production • preparation for hearings (in-person, virtual, public, confidential) • oral submissions • examination of fact and expert witnesses • settlement negotiations • annulment/set-aside • rectification/correction • interpretation • resubmission • navigating parallel proceedings
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In the Community
BOARDS +
COMMITTEES
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Advisory Board, World Arbitration Update (since 2021)
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Advisory Committee, Global Forum on International Arbitration (since 2023)
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Peer Review Board, American Review of International Arbitration (Columbia Law School) (2020–25)
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Steering Committee, DC Women in Arbitration (2016–19)
IBA
Chair: Subgroup on Issue Conflicts
Task Force for the Update of the 2014 IBA Guidelines on Conflicts of Interest in International Arbitration
DC BAR
Chair:
IDR Committee
(2021–23)
CHARTERED INSTITUTE OF ARBITRATORS
Co-Chair: DC Chapter
North America Branch (2024)
OTHER FACULTY ROLES
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DELOS
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Co-Chair, Remote Oral Advocacy Program (Edition: Americas) (since 2024)
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Faculty, Oral Argument Course | Cross-Examination Course (since 2012)
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HARVARD LAW SCHOOL
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Faculty, International Arbitration Workshop (2017, 2019, 2020)
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YOUNG ICCA
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Moderator, How to Produce a Memorial in International Arbitration (2012)
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YOUNG OGEMID
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Faculty, Symposium on Effective Oral Advocacy (2022)
​AMERICAN BAR ASSOCIATION​
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Faculty, International Arbitration Skills Masterclass (2021, 2022, 2025)
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ARNOLD & PORTER
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Faculty, Trial School (firmwide)​​
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Faculty + Project Lead, Filing Bootcamp | "Witness Work" Workshop | Practice Primers (intlarb group)
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CPR
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Facilitator, CPR Y-ADR Training Program on Procedural Hearings (2016)​​
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GUEST LECTURES
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American University Washington College of Law, International Summer Institute (2012–17)
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The George Washington University Law School, International/Comparative Public Procurement Course (2025)
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The George Washington University Law School, International Investment Law and Arbitration Course (2024)
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Harvard Law School, International Arbitration Discussion Series (2016)
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Hult International Business School, Global Strategy and Global Business Law Course (2024)
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Paris Institute of Political Studies (Sciences Po), Workshop on Opening and Closing Submissions (2025)
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​Queen Mary University of London, International Dispute Resolution Course (2021, 2024)
FUN
FACTS
Isn’t it nice that it’s an acquirable skill??
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I was born in Washington, DC.
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Apparently, as a toddler, I negotiated my bedtime.
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My parents had jobs in art, entertainment, and sports — so I learned creativity and sportsmanship by osmosis.
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I grew up in an English-speaking household, but started studying Spanish when I was in kindergarten.
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During high school, I helped to design the school website.
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I’m an “elder millennial,” so this was a big deal back then.
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At university, I was a double-major: I studied public relations and international relations.
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For my PR degree, I took courses in journalism, advertising, design, media campaigns, project management, and crisis communications, among other things.
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I speak Italian with a thick Spanish accent.
Bonus fun fact: I have a byline in GAR.
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I discovered international arbitration after law school, and learned mainly on the job.
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This was back in the days when we used CD-ROMs to transmit exhibits and the nameplates at hearings were engraved. ​
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I know how to pronounce the word “Chorzów” correctly.
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This is me on the morning of my first opening statement.
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I always stop to admire the wishing tree at the Peace Palace.
(you can almost see my arm in this photo!)
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I participated (as a delegate) in the process for amending the 2006 ICSID rules.
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I also have been on the dais at a meeting of UNCITRAL Working Group III.
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As counsel, I presented oral arguments to some of the world’s leading jurists, including former Supreme Court justices from three continents.
In a case before one of these arbitrators, I cross-examined another former Supreme Court justice (from a fourth continent).
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When I did my series of short videos on the ICSID Rules Amendments, a daily average of 419 people tuned in.
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ICSID and Oxford University Press once allowed me to use GIFs in a peer-reviewed journal.
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At Georgetown alone, I’ve taught arbitration substance and skills to active practitioners from six continents.
PROFILES +
INTERVIEWS
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TL;DR
LAW FIRM EXPERIENCE
CLIENT + PEER FEEDBACK
“[Her] wisdom on the art of storytelling echoes in the back of my mind every time I am pondering a case narrative . . . .”
CHAMBERS-RECOGNIZED FORMER STUDENT (2025)
PROFESSOR OF ADVOCACY
COURSE SYLLABUS
CASEWORK AS COUNSEL
CREDENTIALS
LANGUAGES
SPOTLIGHT ON ISDS
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PRACTICE POINTERS
OTHER PUBLICATIONS
SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS
COMMUNITY LEADERSHIP ROLES
GUEST LECTURES
OTHER FACULTY ROLES
Isn’t it nice that it’s an acquirable skill??
-
I was born in Washington, DC.
-
Apparently, as a toddler, I negotiated my bedtime.
-
My parents had jobs in art, entertainment, and sports — so I learned creativity and sportsmanship by osmosis.
​​​​
-
I grew up in an English-speaking household, but started studying Spanish when I was in kindergarten.
-
During high school, I helped to design the school website.
-
I’m an “elder millennial,” so this was a big deal back then.
-
At university, I was a double-major: I studied public relations and international relations.
-
For my PR degree, I took courses in journalism, advertising, design, media campaigns, project management, and crisis communications, among other things.
Bonus fun fact: I have a byline in GAR.
-
I speak Italian with a thick Spanish accent.
-
I discovered international arbitration after law school, and learned mainly on the job.
-
This was back in the days when we used CD-ROMs to transmit exhibits and the nameplates at hearings were engraved. ​
-
I know how to pronounce the word “Chorzów” correctly.
(and turned that into a theme in my first Juris presentation)
-
This is me on the morning of my first opening statement.
-
I always stop to admire the wishing tree at the Peace Palace.
-
I participated (as a delegate) in the process for amending the 2006 ICSID rules.
-
I also have been on the dais at a meeting of UNCITRAL Working Group III.
-
As counsel, I presented oral arguments to some of the world’s leading jurists, including former Supreme Court justices from three continents.
In a case before one of these arbitrators, I cross-examined another former Supreme Court justice (from a fourth continent).
-
When I did my series of short videos on the ICSID Rules Amendments, a daily average of 419 people tuned in.
-
At Georgetown alone, I’ve taught arbitration substance and skills to active practitioners from six continents.
-
ICSID and Oxford University Press once allowed me to use GIFs in a peer-reviewed journal.