Originally published in Law360 on July 2, 2012.

Already a well-established center for commerce and finance involving Latin America, South Florida's profile as an international arbitration center for commercial disputes involving Latin America has been on a spectacular uptrend. While the range and extent of advantages to conducting international arbitrations in South Florida are vast, the following are a few of the most appealing.

A Strategic Geographic Location -

An important factor in determining the location of any arbitration is the convenience of the location. A location that is inconvenient may affect the availability of counsel, arbitrators and witnesses.

Because of its proximity to Latin America, South Florida is privileged to enjoy what is likely one of the most strategic geographic locations in the world for arbitrations involving Latin America. South Florida is within comfortable flying distance of all of Latin America, and its airport is the largest gateway between the United States and Latin America, providing daily flights to all major destinations in Latin America.