Manuel Abdala joins BRG as managing director

Manuel Abdala, PhD, has joined Berkeley Research Group (BRG) as a managing director in the firm’s international arbitration and cross-border disputes practice in Washington, DC.

Abdala is a damages expert and advisor who has worked on more than 195 international arbitration cases, with many relating to arbitration treaty disputes between private investors and governments. He has extensive expertise in commercial arbitrations involving shareholder disputes, competition clauses, intellectual property rights, property damages, and political risk insurance claims.

Abdala joins BRG from Compass Lexecon, where he spent the last 13 years and was latterly a senior managing director. Before that, he spent 11 years at LECG, where he was a director. Prior to his tenure at the two consulting firms, he was an economic advisor to the Argentinian government on its 1990s reform of the energy sector.

Abdala has a doctorate and master’s degree in economics from Boston University and a bachelor’s degree in economics from the National University of Córdoba in Argentina.

“Manuel’s decision to join BRG is an endorsement of our strategic growth plans by one of the biggest names in our industry. As part of our team, Manuel will reinforce our ability to serve our clients as they navigate their most complex business issues around the world,” said Tri MacDonald, principal executive officer and president of BRG.

BRG’s international arbitration practice includes 23 experts listed in Who’s Who Legal: Arbitration 2024.

“I am very excited to contribute to the continued growth of the practice,” Abdala said. “This is also a great opportunity to contribute to a company known for its diversification of disciplines with a strong academic patina and commitment to innovation and excellence.”

BRG is headquartered in Emeryville, CA and advises on disputes and investigations, corporate finance, and performance improvement. The firm has more than 1,300 professionals across offices in the Americas, EMEA, and APAC regions.

BRG recently hired Kristina Shampanier, PhD, as a Los Angeles-based managing director in the economics, disputes, and investigations business line.