biography

Tiffany Comprés serves as counsel, representing companies around the world as an advocate in international arbitration and litigation, and also serves as arbitrator in international arbitrations.  Her experience encompasses a range of disputes, and she has particular experience in the international agriculture, food & beverage, cryptocurrency, shipping, distribution, heavy machinery, and energy sectors.

Tiffany is one of only 3 attorneys board-certified by The Florida Bar as an expert in both International Law and International Arbitration & Litigation. She has been recognized an expert on the U.N. Convention on Contracts for the International Sale of Goods (CISG) and the Perishable Agricultural Commodities Act (PACA). Tiffany has written for, and been interviewed by, several leading industry publications in agriculture, such as Fresh Plaza, in which she was featured in an article titled “PACA vs CISG: Which Prevails, Domestic or International Law?” and Young Arbitration Review (YAR), where she was interviewed about the CISG and arbitration for the 10th year anniversary edition. Tiffany also developed an expertise with the Shipping Act of 1984, challengin...

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  • Notable Experience as Advocate
    • Represented a U.S. company against a Brazilian international conglomerate in an ICC arbitration over services provided on an energy project in the Dominican Republic. The seat of arbitration was Florida, the applicable law was Dominican Republic law. Initiated ancillary proceedings in support of arbitration in the state courts of Miami, Florida, and successfully obtained a pre-judgment writ of garnishment over an affiliate of the respondent. Ultimately achieved a settlement for payment of the full sum owed in less than 60 days.
    • Represented a U.S. manufacturer of oil re-refining technology as defendant in connection with an international dispute under ICC Arbitration Rules. The seat of arbitration was Miami, Florida, the applicable law was the CISG, UNIDROIT, and U.S. law. Succeeded in reducing defendant client’s liability from over $20 million to $1.5 million, which was a victory for the defendant.
    • Represented claimant U.S. company against two Israeli companies in an ICC arbitration over food products provided for sale in the United States. The seat of the arbitration was New York City and the applicable law was the CISG and New York law. Initiated ancillary proceedings in support of arbitration in Israeli courts, which successfully led respondent to settle for the full sum owed early in the proceedings.
    • Represented defendant Argentinian and Canadian energy company in an ICDR arbitration against a US provider of turbine enhancement technology. The applicable law was the CISG and Florida law.
    • Represented claimant Dutch company against a U.S. seller of food products in an arbitration under the ICC Rules. The governing law was the CISG and Dutch law. Prevailed in full on the merits, including attorneys’ fees.
    • Represented claimant U.S. food distributor against a Jamaican supplier in an ad hoc arbitration governed by the UNCITRAL Rules, seated in Kingston, Jamaica and under Jamaican law, leading to a full award as the prevailing party on the merits.
    • Represented a U.S. importer against a Uruguayan exporter of citrus in arbitration under the Fruit & Vegetable Dispute Resolution Corporation (DRC) Rules. The applicable law was PACA. Achieved early settlement and preserved the business relationship.
    • Represented two of the largest Spanish producers of clementines as plaintiffs against a high-profile American distributor in a dispute in Federal court under PACA; achieved a favorable settlement early in the case, including a contract for continuing work the following year between the defendant and one of the plaintiffs.
    • Represented defendant U.S. importer against Paraguayan supplier in an ICDR arbitration. Applicable law was the CISG. Achieved favorable early settlement.
    • Represented freight forwarder defendant in a dispute against a vessel owner in an ad hoc arbitration seated in London. Applicable law was the laws of England and Wales. Achieved a favorable early settlement.
    • Represented a cargo airline defendant in a case under the Montreal Convention. Obtained an early favorable settlement.
  • Notable Experience as Arbitrator
    • Sole arbitrator in an ICC arbitration between a Panamanian subsidiary of a major multinational technology company and a U.S. distributor. Addressed challenges to jurisdiction and multiple arbitration agreements, among other complex issues. The applicable law was Florida law, and the seat was Miami, Florida.
    • Sole arbitrator in an ICC arbitration between an Ecuadorian seller, as claimant, and a Chinese buyer, as respondent, of fresh produce. Applicable law was the CISG, the seat of the arbitration was Miami, Florida. Addressed multi-level dispute resolution clauses and jurisdiction, among other matters.
    • Sole arbitrator in a DRC arbitration between a Mexican exporter, as claimant, and a Canadian importer, as respondent, of fresh produce. The seat of the arbitration was Ottawa, Canada, and the applicable law was the CISG. The language of the arbitration was Spanish.
    • Sole arbitrator in a DRC arbitration between a Spanish seller and a Canadian buyer of fresh produce. The seat of the arbitration was Ottawa, Canada, and the applicable law was the CISG. The matter turned on the interpretation of Incoterms.
  • Selected Presentations & Teaching Experience
    • Can Force Majeure Save Your International Transactions?, Organization for Women in International Trade (OWIT), Webinar, April 30, 2020
    • Surviving the Epidemic of Force Majeure Claims in International Contracts, Florida Bar International Law Section CLE Webinar, panelist focusing on civil law and international law aspects, April 9, 2020
    • Intelligence about Arbitrators & the Future of International Arbitration, panelist, Florida International University and Shutts & Bowen LLP, November 12, 2019, Miami, Florida
    • Business Beyond Borders: Demystifying Trade with Europe and Latin America, panelist, OWIT International Conference, October 24 2019, Tampa, Florida
    • Conflictos Internacionales: Como beneficiarse de todas las herramientas (incluso PACA), 10 May 2019, S. Domingo, D.R.
    • Recognizing and Enforcing Foreign and Domestic Arbitral Awards and Settlement Agreements, panelist, The World of Arbitration and Mediation in Latin America and the Caribbean Today First Annual Conference, 1 March 2019, Miami, Florida
    • Hot Topics in International Litigation, panelist focusing on CISG law, iLaw Conference, 22 Feb. 2019, Miami, Florida
    • Improve Your Bottom Line with International Arbitration, Fruit Logistica, 7 Feb., 2019, Berlin, Germany
    • Various television interviews on Metropolis, Dominican Republic, on PACA, CISG, and international arbitration
    • International Arbitration and Litigation, the U.S. Perspective, Indian National Bar Association National Conference, November 2018, New Delhi, India
    • Exportando a los Estados Unidos: Como beneficiarse de PACA, tratados internacionales, y arbitraje, Santo Domingo and Santiago, Dominican Republic, 25-27 July 2018, sponsored by Exporta Calidad
    • International Arbitration in the Courts, seminar for Paraguayan judges in conjunction with the University of Miami, 19 June 2018
    • International Arbitration for Food Importers, Assoc. of Food Indus. Convention Resource Roundtable, 26 Apr. 2018
    • Exportación a los EEUU 2017: Trump, Ley de Modernización de la Inocuidad Alimentaria, y Otras Leyes Cruciales, 13 Feb. 2017, sponsored by the Catalan Agrifood Exports Promotion Agency (Prodeca), Barcelona, Spain
    • International Arbitration: Everything You’ve Ever Wanted to Know but Were Afraid to Ask, 1 Dec. 2016
  • Selected Publications
    • Interviewing Tiffany N. Comprés on the United Nations Convention on Contracts for the International Sale of Goods (CISG) and Arbitration, Young Arbitration Review, Yr. 10, Ed. 43, p 107-110 (2021).
    • Birds of a Feather- Do Wing Arbitrators Flock Together—Neutrally?- , 55 ABA/ILS YIR 538- 542 (2021)
    • The Global Supply Chain in the Time of COVID-19, Southeast Produce Weekly, Match 19, 2020
    • The Death of Investment Treaty Arbitration for the U.S. and the EU: Tempest in the Making or Much Ado About Nothing?, 18 International Law Quarterly, Fall 2017, vol. XXXIII, no. 3
    • Buying and Selling Produce Internationally – What You Need to Know, Southeast Produce Weekly, 22 March 2017
    • Legal Editor, Southeast Produce Weekly (southeastproduceweekly.com)
    • Labor of Love: Using International Labor Law to Achieve Human Rights for Women Sex Workers in the Dominican Republic, Note, Georgetown Journal of International Law, Vol. 40, No. 3, Spring 2009
    • Affirmative Action in Education, Georgetown Journal of Gender & the Law, Vol. 9, Annual Rev. 2008 (Ed.)
  • Memberships
    • United Fresh Produce Association, International Advisory Board
    • Board Certified by the Florida Bar as an expert in International Law
    • Fellow, Chartered Institute of arbitrators
    • Florida Bar Alternative Dispute Resolution Committee, Executive Committee Member
    • Association of Food Industries
    • Arbitral Women
    • Florida Bar International Law Certification Committee (2019-2021)
    • SuperLawyers, International Law (2018, 2019, 2020)
    • International Law Section of the Florida Bar
    • International Bar Association
    • Energy Arbitration Club
    • Hispanic American Bar Association
    • Miami  -International Arbitration Society
    • Inter-American Affairs Committee, New York City Bar Association
  • Languages
    • English
    • Spanish
    • French

 

 

Miami

Tiffany N. Comprés

Partner

[email protected]

+1.305.342.2957

Credentials

Admissions

Florida

New York

U.S. Court of International Trade

Third District Court of Appeals

Southern District of Florida

Middle District of Florida

United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit

Education

Sciences Po, LL.M. in International Law

Université de Paris I – Sorbonne, LL.M. in Law and Economic Globalisation

Georgetown University Law Center, J.D.

University of Miami, B.A.

Prior Law Firm Experience

Proskauer Rose LLP

Shutts & Bowen LLP

Practice Areas