Joe Tirado
Solicitor & Arbitrator
Short Introduction
Joe Tirado is an internationally recognised mediator, arbitrator and dispute resolution specialist with more than 30 years of experience resolving complex cross-border commercial disputes. He specialises in international arbitration, commercial contracts, construction and engineering, energy and natural resources, banking and finance, shareholder disputes and investor-state conflicts.
Having handled disputes across more than 70 countries, Joe advises multinational corporations, sovereign governments, financial institutions and private clients on high-value and strategically significant disputes. He is widely recognised for his expertise in international dispute resolution and his ability to manage complex multi party and cross-border negotiations.
Testimonials
About Work
International commercial and cross border disputes form the core of Joe's mediation practice. He regularly mediates disputes involving commercial contracts, construction and engineering projects, energy and natural resources, banking and finance, shareholder conflicts, technology disputes and international trade relationships.
As an internationally recognised arbitrator, mediator and solicitor advocate, Joe has worked on some of the world's most complex disputes across Europe, Asia, Africa, the Americas and the Middle East. His experience spans both private sector and sovereign state matters, giving him a deep understanding of the commercial, legal and geopolitical issues that can arise in international disputes.
Joe's mediation experience includes high value construction projects, energy and infrastructure disputes, shareholder disagreements, finance and banking matters, distribution agreements, technology contracts and professional negligence claims. He is particularly experienced in disputes involving multiple parties, multiple jurisdictions and significant commercial risk.
Parties value Joe's pragmatic, commercially focused and solution oriented approach. Combining extensive international experience with strong negotiation skills, he helps parties navigate complexity, assess risk realistically and identify practical routes to settlement.
Expertise
- Commercial & Corporate
- Construction, Property & Planning
- Banking, Finance & Insurances
- Public Sector & Governance
- Culture, Lifestyle & Sport
- Industry, Energy & Environment
- International Trade & Competition
- Technology, Media & IP
Languages
- English
- Spanish
- French (intermediate)
- Portuguese (basic)
Awards
Solicitor, England & Wales, 1994
Qualified Solicitor-Advocate (Higher Courts Civil Proceedings), 2004
Centre for Effective Dispute Resolution (CEDR) Accredited Commercial Mediator (2004) and Investor-State Mediator (2017)
Memberships
- 2025 – Centro Internacional de Arbitraje de Madrid–Centro Iberoamericano de Arbitraje (CIAM-CIAR), Mediators Appointment Committee
- 2020–2024 – International Bar Association (IBA), Mediation Committee Advisory Board
- 2015 – International Bar Association (IBA), Mediation Committee Co-Chair
- 2013–2014 – International Bar Association (IBA), Senior Vice Chair
- 2011–2012 – International Bar Association (IBA), Co-Chair, Mediation Techniques Sub-Committee
- 2012 – International Chamber of Commerce (ICC), Task Force on the revision of the ICC ADR Rules, ICC Expertise Rules and ICC Dispute Board Rules
- 2007–2009 – CEDR, Commission on Settlement in Arbitration
- Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (CIArb)
- Fellow of the Civil Mediation Council
- Commonwealth Lawyers Association, ADR Committee
- Energy Charter Treaty (ECT), Legal Advisory Task Force
- International Task Force on Mixed Mode Dispute Resolution (joint initiative of the College of Commercial Arbitrators, the International Mediation Institute and the Straus Institute for Dispute Resolution, Pepperdine Law School)
Publications
I have written extensively on mediation. Illustrative examples of book contributions and recent articles include:
• Co-author of Chapter on “Mediation in the Energy and Natural Resources Sector: The Latin-American Experience”, International Arbitration in Latin America Energy and Natural Resources Disputes, Wolters Kluwer, 2021
• Co-author of Chapter on “Codes of Conduct for Commercial and Investment Mediators: Striving for Consistency and a Common Global Approach”, Mediation in International Commercial and Investment Disputes, Oxford University Press, 2020
• Co-author of Chapter on “Building on Progress”, IBA e-book: Promoting Further Mediation
• Contributor to Resolving Corporate Governance Disputes, International Finance Corporation
• Co-author of Chapter on “Opening Statements,” IBA e-book: Mediation Techniques
• Author of Succeeding in ADR: The Importance of Buy-in and Mindset, Inside the Minds: ADR Client Strategies in the UK, Aspatore Books.
• Author on “Investor-State Mediation: Revista Argentina de Arbitraje - Edición Especial: Suplemento Especial referido a Arbitraje de Inversión, Universidad Austral, May 2024
• Author on “Mediation and Arbitration: Living together in perfect harmony?”, Oman Commercial Arbitration Centre ADR Bulletin, Issue 1, August 2023
• Author on “Investor-state Mediation: A New Way To Deal With Old Problems”, Mediate.com, October 2022
• Co-author of “Investor-State Mediation - New Tools for Policy Makers”, Transnational Dispute Management, February 2020